Pulled Pork with Chipotle

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg boneless pork shoulder, skin and excess fat removed
• 200 ml chicken stock
• Warm tortillas, to serve
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• salt and black pepper
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Soured cream, to serve
• 2 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp chipotle paste
• Lime wedges, to serve
• Fresh coriander, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150°C / 130°C fan / Gas 2. In a small bowl, mix the chipotle paste, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of the cider vinegar with a generous pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper to form a thick, glossy paste.
2. Pat the pork shoulder bone-dry with kitchen paper — water means steam, and steam means no browning. Score the surface all over in a shallow crosshatch and season the meat itself generously with salt before you rub the paste over every surface, pushing it into the cuts. If you have time, sit the pork uncovered in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight — the rub will set into a sticky lacquer and the salt will work its way in.
3. Heat the oil in a large, lidded cast iron casserole over a high heat until shimmering — you want the pan properly hot so the sugar in the rub catches rather than sweats. Lower the pork in and brown on all sides for 8–10 minutes, turning with tongs, until you have a deep mahogany crust on every face. If your pan is on the smaller side, cut the shoulder in half and brown in two batches — crowd the pan and the juices come out, the temperature drops, and you'll stew the meat instead of searing it. Lift onto a plate.
4. Drop the heat to medium and add the onion to the same pot. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring through the dark sticky bits on the base — that fond is where half your flavour lives — until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Don't let it colour past pale gold; burnt garlic turns the whole braise bitter. As the onion softens, the cumin and paprika clinging to the pan will toast and bloom in the oil — you'll smell them shift from dusty to warm and savoury within a minute.
5. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and chicken stock, scraping up every last brown shred from the base. The stock is what breaks the tomatoes down over the long braise so they taste of fruit and smoke rather than tin. Bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Nestle the pork back in — the liquid should come about halfway up the meat. Clamp on the lid and slide into the oven.
7. Braise for 3 hours 30 minutes, turning the pork every hour, until it surrenders to two forks and pulls apart in long, glossy strands. If a fork meets any resistance, give it another 20 minutes — collagen takes the time it takes. Lift onto a board and shred, discarding any large pieces of fat or sinew.
8. Stir the remaining tablespoon of cider vinegar into the sauce along with a splash of lemon or extra vinegar if it tastes flat — the acid cuts through the rendered fat and makes the smoke sing. If it looks thin, simmer hard on the hob for around 10 minutes until reduced and clinging to the spoon. Tip the shredded pork back in and toss until every strand is slick with sauce. Taste, season, taste again — adjust the salt now, not at the table.
9. Pile the pulled pork into warm brioche buns, tortillas or over steamed rice. Squeeze a lime wedge over each portion, scatter generously with torn coriander and a pinch of chilli flakes, and tuck the pickled red onions or jalapeños alongside. Freezes brilliantly for up to 3 months.