In case you were in any doubt about the longevity of this food trend, pulled pork isn’t going anywhere yet. Done right, it’s still one of Ireland’s favourite foods, so much so it has inspired the opening of countless restaurants dedicated to this succulent, melt-in-the-mouth meat alone. The best way to eat it? With something crispy of course, so you’re getting the ideal balance between the smooth, soft pulled pork (drooling while reading is acceptable, worry not) and the crunch of the Carr’s Mixed Grain Crispbreads. There’s an assumption that pulled pork will only be at its best when left to cook for hours on end, but this is a recipe that Chef Adrian has created in which the pork only needs to be cooked for 40-50 minutes.
"It’s a complete pulled pork cheat" says the cheeky foodie with a mischievous look in his eye. So while you’ll want to consider your timings, it’s still relatively easy to pull together. The real secret to a decent pulled pork dish lies in the sauce. For this, Chef Adrian relies on some of our most beloved pantry favourites. Now that summer is officially upon us (though we fear just uttering those words will curse us with a monsoon), this is one of Chef Adrian’s favourite things to make and serve outside along with the rest of your BBQ. Nobody needs to know that the pork hasn’t been mellowing over an open fire for 24 hours - all that matters is the taste and the quality. To take the pulled pork, packed with flavour, up several notches, Chef Adrian shares his best slaw recipe featuring zingy lemon and cooling Greek yoghurt. Perfect for summer. This is a secret to keep to yourself and let your impressed guests be none the wiser.
Watch the video above as Chef Adrian pulls off the ultimate cheat and then give it a whirl yourself.
Pulled Pork on Carr’s Mixed Grain Crispbreads – 8 servings
Ingredients - what you’ll need
8 Carr’s Mixed Grain Crispbreads
2 sliced pork chops
Fresh thyme
Sea salt
200mls of water
For the Sauce
1 shallot diced
2 chopped cloves of garlic
1tbsp of brown sugar
2tsp of smoked paprika
4tbsp of tomato ketchup
1tbps of Worcestershire sauce
2tbsp of sweet chilli sauce
For the Slaw
¼ red cabbage, sliced or grated
1 red onion, sliced
4tbsp of Greek yoghurt
Zest of half a lemon
Sea salt
1tbsp of white wine vinegar
Method - how to master the pulled pork cheat
1. Season the pork with salt and thyme, place it into a tray with the water and cover with tin foil so no air escapes. Bake at 160 degrees for 40-50mins. Once cooked, remove from the oven and shred with two forks.
2. For the sauce, heat some oil in a saucepan and sweat the garlic and shallot. Add the brown sugar and paprika and allow to caramelise. Now add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and sweet chilli sauce. Allow to bubble and thicken on a medium heat.
3. For the slaw, combine all slaw ingredients in a big bowl.
4. To serve, place the shredded pork onto the mixed grain crispbreads, drizzle the delicious caramelised sauce onto the pork and top it off with the incredible slaw. Tuck in and enjoy.
Exclusive to the RTÉ Player, Chef Adrian Eats Ireland is dedicated to finding the best restaurant dishes in Ireland, and showing you how to make them at home. Starring the talented young chef, Adrian Martin, Chef Adrian Eats Ireland brings together three of Adrian’s great loves - Food, Fun and Ireland.
