Thai-Style Pulled Pork

Thai-Style Pulled Pork

Heavily downsized and streamlined from Food and Wine Magazine’s fantastic recipe

Ingredients

Serves 10

⅓ cup Thai red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen)

¼ cup fish sauce (I used Red Boat)

6 tablespoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

4 lbs boneless pork shoulder (with fat cap)

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 shallots, peeled and halved

1 Bird’s eye chili (optional)

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, white parts only, cut into three pieces

1 ½-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1 ½ teaspoons turmeric

½ teaspoon ground cardamom (or 10 cardamom seeds)

1 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves separated

1 (13.5 oz / 400 ml) can full fat coconut milk (I used BPA-free Natural Value)

⅓ cup chicken stock

A handful mint leaves, chopped

A handful Thai basil leaves (or regular basil), chopped

Mayonnaise for spreading (make your own paleo mayo with this recipe)

Your fave buns (I used sesame seed gluten-free buns)

Cucumber, red onion, and additional cilantro for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and place a rack in the middle.

In a small saucepan simmer the curry paste, fish sauce, and 4 tablespoons of sugar over low heat. Stirring until a smooth paste forms.

Set aside to cool slightly.

Season the pork with salt and rub it all over with the curry paste.

Set the roast in a large cast-iron casserole. Cover and roast, basting every now and then with the pan juices, until the meat is very tender, about 3½ hours.

Transfer the pork to a large bowl and let rest for 15 minutes. With two forks pull the pork until shredded.

Skim the fat from the pan juices, then stir the juices into the shredded pork. Cover and keep warm.

In a food processor combine garlic cloves, shallots, chili (if using), lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cilantro stems, and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Pulse until a smooth paste forms.

Heat the cilantro paste in a large saucepan over medium-heat for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add coconut milk and chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

Stir in the pulled pork and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

Stir in mint and basil. Keep warm.

Spread mayo on the buns and top with pulled pork, cucumber, onions, and cilantro leaves.

Serve with lime wedges.