Quick to the kitchen! First you're going to need a pork shoulder. Mine weighed between 4 -5 lbs. That was plenty for my family of six with enough leftovers for a sandwich or 2 the next day.
Next you want to gather up 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 an onion, and about 1 1/2 cups rice vinegar.
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Don't be afraid of the garlic. Embrace it! It's easy, don't rely on that pre-minced refrigerated stuff. Let me show you how easy it is to make garlic your friend!
Next seperate out 3 "cloves" and remove the papery layer. So you may chop the garlic. Prepare you're senses for the warm, sinus opening smell of the garlic. Oh, I love it!
Place a large chef's knife on top of your garlic clove and press down so it gets a little smushed. Then you get to take out a little agression and smash down onto the knife, crushing the clove of garlic. Ahhh, I feel a little less stressed already.
Grab hold of the end of your garlic clove where it comes to a point.
Give it a little squeeze and push at the same time, so that the garlic starts to slide out of its skin
Ta Da...you are now an expert at peeling garlic, without using one of those silly tools you find on the kitchen gadget wall at most stores.
Then you get to finely chop the garlic and release it's heavenly aroma. I am just dying here! I would eat this garlic right now, except I'd like to remain a functioning acceptable person in society. Plus keeping my friends is always a bonus :)
Just start chopping! Chop, chop, chop!
Heat some olive oil in a pan, and throw in the onion and garlic and saute until just tender and translucent. Don't you love that word "translucent". It sounds so authoritative, and all knowing! Like you actually know what's going on in your saucepan. Me...I haven't gotta clue, but it sounds good!
Add in the vinegar. Next you will need to trim the fat off your shoulder (pork shoulder). I'd personally love to be able to trim the fat off my stomach, thighs, behind and neck, but that's a bit off track.
Get out your largest stock pot, put it over a medium heat, and add in about 4 tablespoons olive oil. Once heated add in the shoulder and brown on all sides. You may think this step isn't necessary, but the falvor off the bottom of the pan will bubble and cook and seep into your meat. Ahhhhh!
Slide your delicious mixture of onion, garlic and vinegar over the shoulder. Cover your pot and put into a 350 oven. Now comes the hardest part. Waiting!! Oh my word, what to do whilst you wait for the glorious 3 hrs. it's going to take for this meat to be so tender, moist and delicious, that you'll just sit and pull it apart with only 2 forks?!
I did laundry. Do not try this at home. Please make my heart happy, and do something fun. Read a book you've wanted to read. Get a trashy magazine, and let me know how poor Heather Locklear is doing. Anything, but laundry!
Once the meat is falling off the bone, you may pull it out, and shred until your heart's content! The shoulder will soak up all the juices, onion and garlic from cooking. All you have to do is add in about a cup to a cup and a half of your favorite BBQ Sauce. Make it thick, thin, somewhere inbetween. Your call. Just make it. Now. Do it. Go on.
P.S. You'll need a great coleslaw to have with it. I had to buy some slaw, because I have to put just a little on my sandwich. Oh, the contrasting flavors of the sweet slaw and the tangy BBQ, it's almost too much for me to take! It's just who I am. Hopefully you'll be better than me, and actually make your own coleslaw...you gourmet!
xoxo ~L
1 Shout Out:
YUM, YUM! I LOVE this type of BBQ, but you can't get it anywhere. We've tried a few different recipes, but they never came out just right. I can't wait to try yours.