Josh’s birthday was Monday. He took it off. I am off today, the 4th, and he is working. So, while he works, I am making his mother’s peach pie – only with nectarines – and a first time try at pulled pork in the crock pot. Let’s begin!
Pulled Pork a la Moi
I’ve looked at numerous web sites for crock pot recipes for pulled pork. Most call for premade items, such a smoke flavoring and barbecue sauce, and lots of it. I decided, instead, to put together a fairly dry recipe, and create a rub.
3 lbs boneless butt roast
2 small brown onions
Wash and pat dry roast. Slice into it in thin layers. Set aside. Slice onions fine, and place on bottom of crock pot.
2 tsp. powdered mustard
2 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. chipotle powder
Salt to taste
1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
Mix together mustard, sugar, chipotle, salt and pepper. Pat into sliced areas of roast and then pat remainder onto outside of roast. (If you want to make more, or use a larger roast, make more of this.)
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1 t. powdered chili flakes
1 T. brown sugar
2 t. dried mustard
1 t. garlic powder
In bowl, mix together all of the above ingredients, and then pour into crock pot.
Set crockpot on high for 8 hours, or lower heat to low after 3-4 hours. Continue to cook another 6-10 hours. Baste as necessary with liquids in the pot. Rotate roast, too, to settle on onions and in sauce.
When done, remove pork and onions from crockpot. Chop or shred meat and onions. Serve plain, on rolls, with slaw and with vinegar sauce below.
Vinegar Sauce
2 c. cider vinegar
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. ketchup
1 T. Huy Fong Rooster Sauce (Sriracha)
Chiles, pepper, salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in sauce pan, bring to simmer. Simmer 3-5 minutes. Remove from flame; set aside in dish with lid and refrigerator. Shake off and on. Serve cool over pulled pork.
* * * * *
Now that we have the main meal out of the way, time to move onto the pie. This is the pie that Josh’s mother and grandmother have both made, and he considers it to be the epitome of peach / nectarine pies. My own pies tend to be more spicy, and any crumb crust I do has nuts in it as well. But, it is his birthday, so he has final say!
Birthday Nectarine Pie
Preheat oven to 400 F. Make sure temperature is accurate.
Crust
2 c. flour
pinch salt
2/3 c. sweet butter, chopped fine and chilled
Blend all above together with pastry cutter or in food processor to make coarse crumbs. Set aside 1/2 of mixture for crumb topping – about 1 1/3 c. – in another bowl. Into remaining mix, stir in 4-7 T. ice water, using smaller amount first and then more as needed. Roll out to fit 9-inch pie plate, form edge, trim, and put trimmings in with crumbs set aside. Chill pie crust wile preparing filling and crumb crust.
Fruit
4 c. sliced peaches or nectarines. (Remove skin if using peaches.)
1/2 c. white sugar
2 T. tapioca
Mix all together in stainless bowl. Let juice up as you make the crumb crust.
Crumb Crust
To crumbs and trimmings add:
2 T. chopped cold butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg
Work all ingredients together to make crumbs. Do not overwork or you begin to make dough!
Assembling Pie
Pour fruit into prepared crust. Sprinkle crumbs on top of fruit, distributing evenly.
Bake pie in oven for 40 minutes at 400 F. Check pie every 20 minutes; rotate if necessary, and cover edges of crust with foil to keep from burning. When bubbling and crumbs are brown, remove from oven. Cool at least 2 hours before serving.
I bake my pies on a foil-covered cookie sheet. If anything spills, or bubbles over, it is easy enough to clean up.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 