Sarah Tiong’s Pulled Pork Pasta

Serves: 4 | Preparation time: 4 hrs | Cooking time: Slow-cooked pulled pork 4 hrs (see recipe) | Meal Options cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Pulled Pork Base Recipe:
2.5-3kg Tasman pork shoulder
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons ground toasted coriander seed
2 tablespoons ground toasted fennel seed
2 tablespoons ground toasted black pepper
2 large brown onions, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-2L Boiling water or stock

Pasta Sauce:
2 large brown onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 tins of peeled whole tomatoes
500ml passata 350g
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper
1 bunch fresh basil

Pasta of choice

Method Slow-cooked Pulled Pork:

Adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 150°C. Bring the stock or water up to a boil in a separate pot.
Combine salt, sugar, coriander, fennel seed and black pepper in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Season pork with spice mixture, making sure to rub it on all sides.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stove. Once the oil is hot, add pork and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and mix well.
Turn off the stove and add boiling water or stock about ½ way up the shoulder in the Dutch oven. Place the Dutch oven into the oven and cook for 4 hours at 150°C.
Transfer pork to a large bowl, reserving liquid in the Dutch oven. Skim off excess fat and discard.
Using 2 forks, shred (be careful not to shred too finely as this can cause it to dry out).

Method Pasta:

In a large saucepan, sweat the onions and garlic in a little bit of oil.
Add the whole peeled tomatoes, and use the spatula to break up the tomatoes.
Add the passata to the saucepan and stir thoroughly.
Add the pulled pork, salt and pepper.
Thin sauce with a few ladles of the reserved pulled pork cooking liquid.
Simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
Serve with your favourite pasta and fresh parsley or basil

More meal options with pulled pork, see recipes here: