Comfort Food

My mother is a competent chef but to say that she only cooks occasionally is an understatement. Some months after my younger brother (the last child at home) left for college, the local gas company sent a letter to my parents inquiring as to whether they were still alive. The company was concerned because of the length of time that had passed since the stove was last turned on. (True story.) Growing up on New York City’s Upper East Side provided many options for take-out. Comfort food to me meant that the guys who took the orders on the phone at the local Chinese and Italian restaurants knew my voice.

When I went to college in a small town in Central Maine the food options were somewhat more limited. I moved off campus after Freshman year and wanted to cook the things I liked to eat. I would call my Mother for advice but found her repertoire of Jewish Holiday recipes to be more detailed and ornate than what I wanted for a quick weeknight supper. I had a boyfriend from a town nearby who’s mother had cooked hearty wholesome dinners for eight children every night for decades. She was generous and patient with me and over time I learned how to cook dishes that were simple and delicious. They were usually made from local ingredients and whatever was on hand. Dishes often cooked in one pot and sometimes simmered all day. I learned that casserole wasn’t a dirty word and breadcrumbs could come in very handy on occasion.

I like to think that since then my cooking style has evolved to incorporate my New York Jewish roots and my Mother’s and Grandmother’s recipes, along with the casseroles and stews of dear Mrs. Coleman. My idea of comfort food has thusly evolved as well. Today I’ll take a good one-pot supper over some esoteric game bird any day.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Serves 10 for dinner or 14 for sandwiches

1 pork butt (which is the shoulder and usually weighs about 5 lbs. – it often comes with the bone in and that is just fine)
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon  paprika
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup low sodium beef stock
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup ketsup

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Sear and brown the pork on all sides and transfer to the slow cooker.

Using the same skillet, turn the heat down to medium and add the onion. Add the chili powder, paprika, pepper, and cumin and cook about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, Worchestershire sauce, salt, and beef stock. Bring to a boil and pour the skillet contents over the pork in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or as long as it takes for the pork to be fork tender.

Transfer the meat to a large bowl and let it cool slightly.

 

Use two forks (or your hands) to pull the pork apart.

 

Strain the cooking liquid and reduce it in a saucepan by about half, until it’s slightly thickened. Add the pulled pork back in and add the vinegar and ketsup.

Serve on a hamburger bun or roll for sandwiches or all by itself for dinner.