Maple Sriracha BBQ Pulled Pork

Next time you want something in a bun for a potluck or summer outdoor dinner, dig out the Dutch oven or slow cooker, and get yourself a pork shoulder.  When the summer gets hot, put the slow cooker out on the back porch and keep your cool.  Serve with your favorite buns and a side of your favorite cole slaw.  When summer brings you crowds to feed, please a crowd with this.
7-8 lb Boston Butt, pork shoulder
1 large onion, diced finely
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh (1 tsp dry) rosemary

Maple Sriracha BBQ Sauce:
18-oz bottled favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp Sriracha or other hot sauce

Preheat oven to 400F. Bone the pork and remove skin (save for soup!) Cut the pork into 4-6 large pieces. In a large Dutch Oven, brown the pork in a bit of canola oil, in batches, and then remove to a bowl. Salt and pepper generously to taste.

Add the onions and peppers to the same pot, adding a bit more oil if necessary. Cook the onions for about 8-10 minutes, until softened and beginning to color. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile whisk the sauce ingredients together. Return the meat to the Dutch oven and add the sauce. Stir to distribute sauce well and bring to a boil.

Cover pot and place in oven. Bake for 4 hours, folding the meat in the sauce every 1-1/2 hrs. Remove from oven and take meat out of sauce and onto a serving platter. Skim the oil on top of the sauce. Adjust the consistency of the sauce with some water if necessary.

Remove remaining solids from the sauce with a slotted spoon or by passing through a coarse strainer.

Using two forks, pull pork apart and drizzle with sauce. Serve with sandwich buns and pickles, passing extra sauce on the side.

Serves 8.

Cook's Note: There is no question that cole slaw is the side dish indicated here, to cut through the richness of the pork with a refreshing crunch.

I have also made this in a crock pot. So long as you brown the pork first, this is a convenient way to cook pulled pork, which requires long cooking to be able to pull apart easily. Make sure you scrape up all the browned bits and even deglaze with a dash of water, and transfer all that wonderful flavor to the crock pot!