Yucatan Rojo Pulled Pork

Oil the inside of a large slow cooker, then add the citrus juices, garlic and onion. Stir to combine.

Rub roast with Yucatan Rub and kosher salt and place in the slow cooker. Scatter the tomatillos and jalapeños on top and around the sides of the meat.

Cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-5 hours, till pork pulls apart fairly easily with a fork (it may not be completely tender at this point). Remove the roast to a platter. Remove vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour remaining juices into a fat separator, or skim off floating fat with a spoon.

Using two forks (or gloved hands), pull the pork into 1” – 2” shreds or chunks. Return to the pot along with the cooked vegetables and defatted juice. Cook on low another hour, to allow the flavors to fully develop.

Pour mixture into a large bowl or roasting pan to cool down to room temperature. When cooled, remove just the meat, but mix enough of the juices into the meat to keep it moist.

Transfer remaining juice and vegetables to a blender and add more salt to taste. Blitz briefly to blend, then pour into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Lower heat to keep a gentle simmer, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, till sauce thickens a bit (it will thicken more after chilling). Pour into a container and stir in a squeeze of fresh orange juice, to brighten the flavor. When reheating, repeat orange juice.

Notes:

We adapted this Spicy Pulled Pork by Chris Rochelle with our signature spice blend. It's great both ways!