Mustard Crusted Pulled Pork

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It's easier than ever to get your hands on pulled pork — Jack Daniel's is selling ready-to-eat pulled pork in grocery stores, Burger King is offering a sweet-and-sticky Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich — but we here at Refinery29 are a tad pickier when it comes to our pig.

Photo: Courtesy of Erin Phraner.

Easy Mustard-Crusted Pulled Pork
You see, pulled pork is one of those dishes that seems like a royal pain to make but it really couldn't be simpler: Put pork shoulder in oven, cook low-and-slow until it falls apart tender…that's it! We rubbed ours down with a brown sugar and mustard mixture before roasting to give it a great savory crust. And, just like our French Onion Macaroni and Cheese and Bacon-Corn Chowder, this recipe is all about the leftovers. Cook once and reap the benefits for days.

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Ingredients
Serves: 12

1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 tbsp salt
1 tbsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (3 to 4 pound) pork shoulder
Potato rolls, coleslaw, and/or mustard for serving (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 300˚. Line a rimmed baking sheet or shallow baking dish with aluminum foil.

2. Mix the whole grain mustard, brown sugar, salt, mustard powder, and pepper in a small bowl until combined. Set pork, skin-side up, on prepared baking sheet and rub all over with the mustard mixture. Roast until super tender, about six hours.

3. Remove pork shoulder from oven. Tent with more aluminum foil and let rest about 30 minutes. To serve, shred meat (drizzle with any juices on the baking sheet — so tasty) and enjoy plain or on buns with coleslaw and mustard. Refrigerate leftover pork in resealable plastic bags for up to five days.

Note: An easy two-ingredient sauce for pulled pork: Stir together about two tablespoons yellow mustard and three to four tablespoons red wine vinegar — it’s spicy, tangy, and easy to drizzle over your sandwich.

Leftover idea: Reheat pork in a saucepan with store-bought enchilada sauce. Serve on corn tortillas with thinly sliced radishes, sliced avocado, shredded lettuce, salsa, and/or lime juice — impromptu taco night!