Homemade Pulled Pork

Since moving to Arizona, the crock pot hasn't come out of hiding in over eight months! Thinking of this fact, and also my longing for some pulled pork, we bought some pork loin at Target last weekend. Slow-cooked pulled pork was in the near future.

Ingredients:

• A generous cut of pork loin/shoulder
• 12 oz. cola
• large white onion, quartered
• chopped carrots
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 c water
• 2 bay leaves
• pepper and cumin for seasoning

Crock pot meals are the easiest things in the world. I basically seasoned the meat, placed it in the bottom of the slow cooker and put the remaining ingredients on top. With the lid in place, I set the concoction to medium and let it simmer away for about six hours.

When ready to prepare, strain the meat from the liquid (be careful to keep the entire cut of meat intact) and place on a large cutting board. Using two forks, shred or pull the pork into bite-sized pieces.

And that, my friends, is it! Now it is ready for whatever preparation you choose! Since you're here, I'll show you two of the ways we've eaten this pulled pork :)

Carnitas Nachos (for lunch & dinner)

...and BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

To transform into BBQ pork, simply fill a pot with enough pork to prepare two sandwiches. Top with 1/4 of a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce and let it heat up together at your desired temperature/consistency.

Famous Dave's BBQ sauce is a personal favorite! For a sweet kick, try the Apricot Bourbon BBQ sauce. My mouth is watering thinking about it.

Easy, delicious and this yielded enough meat for at least four meals (for two people)! We're going to be eating pulled pork for days.

...Or until I leave for California on Tuesday. Then I'll probably have J.D. throw out whatever remains. And by "throw out" I don't mean into Woodstock's mouth.