Pulled Pork in Paradise

 

I continued to puzzle over all the odd recipes on Youtube for pulled pork, but decided to put it in a pot and simmer it for five hours.  So why not go ahead and pressure cook it?  Because the only pot that seemed up to the job was the Instant Pot, however, the last time I washed it I put away the lid somewhere and can't find it.  I will, I'm pretty sure.  But I have a nice glass lid for it so it's easier to use the slow cooker function.  So I'm using my Instant Pot as a crock pot.  This seems wrong somehow.  

Well, at least I found the glass lid.   And the inside liner.  This is a nice way to do slow cooking because this is a six quart pot.  And it has the capability to cook.  

I started this project at around 8:00 am because a lot had to happen today to make pulled pork by dinner.  All kinds of things.  

I had to figure out where to plug the Instant Pot in.  It has a surprisingly long cord, so I set it on top of the stove and plugged it into the microwave outlet.  Well, how was I going to use the microwave?  Oh yeah.  There are two outlets.  

I had been ruminating over all the Youtube advice, and the advice of my siblings.  The Youtube video on the Instant Pot method assumed the pressure cooker mode would be used.  Well, in a perfect world.  

To my surprise, my pork tenderloin had already been cut in half lengthwise.  Nice.  I cut it into about six pieces.  You must, must, must put dry rub on the pork!  I think I saw the possible virtue of this idea, but the legion of dry rubs that I saw just added to the confusion.  Someone said something I found interesting.  Add orange juice to the recipe.  That's how they do it in South Carolina!  Wait.  That's not dry.  Ultimately I decided to use salt and garlic powder (to keep away the witches).  

One video insisted that the pork be seared first, another that it was not necessary to sear the pork.  Well, I went with searing in a little bit of oil.   Then what?  More trouble.  

Should the pork be simmered all day in water?  Oh, goodness no!  It should be simmered in some form of broth.  I don't actually have broth.  Oh!  I know the perfect thing!  It's called "Better Than Bouillon."  It really is good.  I have a jar in the refrigerator.  

It took a while to locate it in the refrigerator.  

So after about half an hour, the pork was sautéed, and the broth was ready.  "Now one must deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot, and for heaven's sake don't do it with a metal spoon or you will scratch your Instant Pot liner."  So what?  There was a lot of emoting on Youtube about ruining the pristine condition of the Instant Pot.  

And then, the big moment.  I poured in the broth.  Hey, I know.  I'll put a package of orange flavored Crystal Lite in here in a nod to South Carolina!  And some vinegar to convince the pork to surrender.  Who knows?  Maybe half a cup of BBQ sauce.  But what would be the point?  No, I'll save that for putting on pulled pork when it's hopefully done.  

So then I brought the whole thing to a boil before turning it on the slow cook.  In a while I checked it.  Not that slow!  Simmer!  I turned it up and set it for five hours.  

Since this stage had been reached at 10:00 am that would make dinner ready between 2:00 and 3:00 pm.  We'll see.  

And that's how pulled pork it done in Paradise.