Pulling My Shoulder
Pulled Pork
Pot Pie
Pig Sand Dry-Rubbed Pulled Pork Pot Pie with Blackeyed Peas, Sweet Potato, Scallion, Puff Pastry
I had planned to make a dish of pulled pork over grits a few weeks ago. But being laid up with an injury that kept me from leaving the apartment, I sent a friend to pick up the pork, who then returned with a pork butt roast instead of a pork shoulder.
No loss, since using our Pig Sand™ as a dry rub for the roast and slow-cooking it in the oven still gave me a wonderful result of a delicious "pork 'n' grits" dish.
On my way back from the physical therapy (that has been a result of my injury) I briefly eschewed doctor's orders, stopping by the supermarket to pick up the pork shoulder I originally wanted, brining it overnight, brushing it with a mustard and soy sauce mixture, dry-rubbing it with our lovely Pig Sand, cooking it low & slow in the oven for 8 hours, and hand-pulling to add to a pot pie mixture started — with pan drippings and water — with sweet potato, blackeyed peas, and scallions (instead of peas, carrots, and potatoes) — finally topping it off with puff pastry.
The shreds of pork were a sublime collection juicy, tender, lean pork, melt-in-your-mouth streaks of flavorful fat, and the knowing texture of cracklin'-crispy skin, abetted by a pot pie filling made slightly earthier and sweeting with the blackeyed peas and sweet potato, and brightened by verdant scallions.
In true Cheeseboro kitchens fashion, it was a treat to enjoy not just one, but two comfort food staples, in a newly realized iteration.
