Barbecue Pull Pork

In a post a few weeks ago, I talked about pull pork that I made. Well there is no real recipe for it, but all I did was season a pork shoulder (pork butt) with salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder and brown sugar. You can season it with other things depending on what you like. After this, put the shoulder in the crock pot on and fill it a third of the way full with water. This pork will need to cook for hours, maybe ten at the least. You will know when it is done because it will easily fall off of the bone.

Once the meat cools, pull it apart or even chop it with a metal spatula. Remove any bones. To season my pull pork, i used salt, crushed red pepper flakes and apple cider vinegar. It is easiest to season the meat little by little to make sure it isnt over seasoned.

The apricot barbecue sauce was made by reducing the juices from the pork first until it is a demi-glace (reduces by half and thickens). Add apricot preserves to the reduction as well as cider vinegar to taste. If you would like a sweeter sauce, add honey rather than sugar.

Both the pork and barbecue sauce recipes can be adjusted depending on what you like....Thats the best thing about cooking, you are allowed to modify anything as well as experiment. Enjoy this recipe and until later, love, peace, and cupcakes!

Update on life

So I definitely need to rearrange my life as I know it. I need to find more time to blog. Any who, as I told you I would, I entered a competition in hopes of winning a scholarship. My plates came out well, I did in fact submit beef strip loin sliders as well as seared lamb chops. And of course I have pictures!!! Today I received an update on the competition, however I'm not too thrilled. My strip loin sliders placed fourth overall, which is a good thing, but a scholarship would have been beneficial to my college career. I am still glad that I was able to participate in the competition because I did get experience in such a thing.

As far as the cupcakes I discussed, I will not be making them either. I'm fine with that, though because this will give me more time to practice. I want to be able to put anything on a cupcake if I want to. Plus my big sister (little sister) wants leopard print cupcakes...so you know I can't let her down. As usual, I had to make valentine's day goodies, although I'm not a valentine's day person. I made "bittersweet valentine cookies as well as some personalized valentine cookies for my friends. I used song titles (specifically rap songs) that they like. I also did some practice cookies for myself...you know the usual (eye♥ursole, adidas, love peace and cupcakes etc). I practiced my animal print, which I think is sooo cool. The cookies came out great. I want to make a portfolio, to show all of the things I've done thus far. I think during school, a good way to make money is to do custum made cookies. People would like them as gifts as well as for special occasions. I also want to do cupcakes, but I think I would need to practice more with that first.













As for my life outside of school, I am at a loss for words...stress seems to live in my bed. Everyday I seem to wake up with a new problem. Because of this, I have decided that prior to my 20th birthday, I will make a few changes for the better. My theory is that these changes will reduce my stress level.

I've still been looking for a job, but I haven't been very successful. At this point I will work anywhere. I have an information session with a company tomorrow, and I have recieved a few replies to my resume. Prayerfully, something will work in my favor.

The school term for me is ending soon, which is good. I started Classical French Cuisine today, which doesnt seem too bad..or at least as bad as they make it seem. I am excited because the food that we make in the class is delicious! The kitchen is run in a brigade system which means that each person is in charge of a specific thing. This is good because, it keeps people focused on their task. We have to learn French vocabulary, which is good too because it may help us later on. I will be sure to fill you in on that as well as this job hunting fiasco. Until then.....love, peace, and cupcakes!

Let me fill you in....

Well it has definitely been too long since my last post. I NEED to do better. School has been time consuming for the past couple of weeks but I am back and ready to do what eye do. This weekend, I did something awesome. I succeeded in making pulled pork which was something I had a taste for. I've seasoned this meat before but never have I cooked it. With the help of my genius crock pot, I slow cooked the pork butt for about 12 hours with the basic salt, paprika, chili powder, and brown sugar. The meat was very tender and fell right off of the bone, which was perfect.

To finish the meat off, I seasoned the pork with salt, crushed pepper flakes and cider vinegar. The perfect sauce for this pork was an apricot barbecue sauce. I reduced the pork juices until they formed a demi-glace and added apricot preserves, honey and vinegar. This was something different that I've never seen done, but compliments the pork very well.

Later on this week, I will use the pork and make barbecue spaghetti, which is something I have been dying to taste. This meal is something that is originally made at the Neely's restaurant and I would love to taste theirs. In the mean time I will try to make my own.

I am excited because I have been asked to do a major project. I will be baking and assembling a cupcake basketball cake for a family friend. I look forward to this because I LOVE CUPCAKES! I have to sketch out some ideas for that cakes as well as list supplies and find cases to transport them.

Schoolwise, I am entering a culinary competition in hopes to win a scholarship. I will be entering something similar to my blue cheese burger. Instead of a burger I will have a slider with sliced strip loin and I will add arugula. I will also enter seared lamb chops with carmelized apples on top of a bed of arugula. I am nervous about this competition but, I think my ideas are fresh and innovative so I stand a chance.

Life has me tired and stressed as usual, but thats all a part of being in college I guess. I look forward to this week even though it will be busy and I will keep my readers updated....

love, peace, and cupcakes!