Chipotle Pulled Pork -- The Frugal Chef

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: pork tenderloin

💰Cheaper: pork butt

Pork tenderloin is leaner, while pork butt is often more affordable.

barbecue sauce

🥗Healthier: homemade barbecue sauce

💰Cheaper: ketchup

Homemade sauce can be healthier with less sugar, while ketchup is budget-friendly.

Generously salt the pork butt on both sides, add black pepper and thyme, and let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon of hot oil in a pan and brown the pork on all sides using tongs or a spatula, avoiding piercing the meat.

Set the browned pork aside and prepare the sauce by combining brown sugar, horseradish, ketchup, mustard, cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.

Add 12 oz of dark beer to the sauce mixture.

In the same pan, cook the finely chopped onion for about 5 minutes until softened, scraping the bottom for flavor.

Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in oregano, paprika, and cumin, cooking for a couple of minutes.

Add chopped chipotles in adobo and cook for a couple of minutes.

Return the pork to the pan, bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 3 hours, flipping the meat after 1.5 hours.

After 3 hours, remove the pork and let it cool slightly before shredding it with two forks, leaving larger shreds.

Skim the fat from the sauce and return the shredded pork to the sauce, mixing well.

Serve the pulled pork in buns with pickles or over rice.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: