Slow cook for more flavour

Young mums learned how cooking in a slow cooker is much more energy efficient compared to oven cooking, and also results in very tender meat, especially when using cheaper cuts. We served it up in a soft bap, with apple slaw and homemade apple sauce.

Pulled pork with BBQ sauce

Serves 6

1 kg boneless pork shoulder joint

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and quartered

1 chicken or vegetable stock cube

BBQ sauce

120g ketchup

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 dash Tabasco

1 clove garlic, grated

1/2 teasp mustard powder

¼ teasp salt

3 tbsp dark brown sugar

1.Heat a heavy based pan over a high heat. Pat pork dry with kitchen paper and season well with salt and pepper. Coat with oil and place onto hot pan and allow to brown for 1-2 minutes on each side. Add onions to the pan and cook while browning the meat.

2.Remove onions and meat from pan and place into the crock pot of a slow cooker. Make up 1 litre of stock with boiling water and pour into pan to gather up flavours from meat and onions, then carefully pour the stock into crock pot along with the meat and onions. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

3.Meanwhile make the BBQ sauce by mixing ingredients in a bowl.

4.When the pork is cooked, it will be very tender: use a large draining spoon and carefully lift the pork onto a plate, trim away any fatty bits and pull into shreds with 2 forks. (Reserve the stock and onions to make gravy later.) Pour the hot BBQ sauce over the pulled pork and mix through. Serve with homemade apple sauce in a fresh bap along with some crunchy coleslaw.

COOKS TIPS:

Make a fresh apple sauce by simmering together, 2 peeled and cubed bramley apples with a splash of water, a knob of butter and 2 tablespoons sugar, until the apples are soft.

Make apple slaw by finely slicing 1/4 white cabbage, 1 small red onion,1 stick celery,1 red-skinned apple, then add 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 heaped tbsp mayonnaise or Greek yogurt and 1 tsp wholegrain mustard. Combine well and season with salt and pepper.