Dinner on a budget

I usually don’t buy meat from warehouse-style grocery stores (e.g. Food Basics, No Frills, etc.) because they sell thawed, previously frozen meat or worse yet, they mix fresh and previously frozen meats together to make up their ground beef/chicken/pork. I prefer to buy meat that is either fresh or frozen because really, it can’t be both.

I made an exception this week when I saw the Food Basics flyer. They are selling a fresh, vacuum sealed pork picnic shoulder roast for only $0.88/lb. As I type, tomorrow night’s dinner is simmering in the slow cooker! The following is my recipe for pulled pork. No, it’s not the most exciting recipe in the world, but it’s definitely all mine. At an approximate cost of $10, this meal averages less than $1/serving.

Canadian Cheapo’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

• 1 pork picnic shoulder roast (try for a 4-5 lb roast, mine was 8 lb and had to be cut in order to fit the slow cooker)
• 2 large onions
• 2 bottles (500 ml size) of barbecue sauce (your choice of flavour)
• salt and pepper

Slice 1 onion and place on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the meat on the onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slice the other onion and put it on top of the meat. Pour 1 bottle of barbecue sauce on the meat. Put some water in the bottle and swish it around to get every drop of sauce out of the container. Add the watery mixture into the slow cooker. Open the second container of barbecue sauce and add as much as necessary to cover the meat. Put the lid on the cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours. (I am cooking the meat overnight, and I will put it in my garage to cool in the stoneware. That only works depending on your schedule and the temperature of your location.) After it cools, skim the fat and shred the pork using two forks. Time permitting, you can return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and reheat it that way. I will probably use another pot on the stovetop, and heat the meat through with the original juices along with more barbecue sauce. Serve the meat on some crusty buns or the side of your choice.

I cook this meal in two parts so that I can get rid of the fat and also ensure that the meat is cooked. I had a slow cooker disaster one time and I will never forget it. I thought I would be returning home to the delicious smell of my stew but instead, I had to order pizza and dispose of spoiled meat because I had forgotten to push “Enter” on the slow cooker!