Cookies Preferences
Pork can be a tricky thing in the Middle East. When we moved to Jordan I was told that if I even let on that I was cooking pork some people wouldn't work with me. At the grocery store in Amman you can buy bacon, but the checkout staff will barely even touch it to scan it. There are many rules in Islam but it seems to me that not eating pork is among its most sacred. Lebanon, having a much larger Christian population, is less averse to pork but I was still leery when I thought about proposing it for a menu item. Some chefs won't cook it even if it's on the menu I was told, but those I worked with at Super Vega seemed not to mind....however, it is tricky to have people preparing your food but unable to taste it!
This pulled pork was inspired by the Wata hard cider that was popular at the restaurant. I always tried to incorporate local brands into my recipes and celebrate them, a concept common in America or Europe, but not here. With one restaurant I worked with their manager said that they'd only cite the brand's name on the dish if they paid to have it put there! Sigh. Anyway, I digress....and didn't face that kind of lack of generosity with the Super Vega team and so this delicious pork recipe was born. Use it in a sandwich, on top of the hashbrown with a fried egg on top, or as a delicious hummus topping.
1 pork shoulder, bone in (7-8lbs)
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon red chilli flakes
2/3 cup pomegranate molasses
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon sumac
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 bottles Wata cider (or your favorite hard cider)
Preheat your oven to 300F/150C degrees. Heat a large roasting tray on your stove top and season your pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the roasting tray and sear the pork well on all sides so it's a lovely crusty brown.
In a saucepan mix together all of the remaining ingredients and simmer so that the sugar dissolves. Pour this mixture over the seared pork and cover it all with heavy-duty foil, making sure to seal all of the edges well. Place in the oven and cook for 3-4 hours (it will depend on the size of your shoulder) until it's falling apart and away from the bone.
I like to take all of the liquid from the tray and place it in a bowl in the freezer for a little while. This allows all of the fat to solidify and you can easily skim it off. While this is happening, shred the pork, making sure to remove all of the fatty bits. Mix the fat-skimmed jus with the pork and serve as you like!
