You don’t always have to have an outside smoker, hickory smoke, charcoal, or even indirect heat to create delicious pulled pork. The secret lies in the smoked paprika and the fruit flavor from the apple juice; the lid should stay tight on your Dutch oven to keep in the tenderness. We don’t need much of a dry rub for our pork, because the hot sauce, Worcestershire, and soy already make the Spice Fairy’s presence known!

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　One 2-pound chunk pork butt

　　Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

　　1 tablespoon smoked paprika

　　1/2 cup Neely’s BBQ sauce (see page 37)

　　1/2 cup apple juice

　　2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar

　　1 dash of hot sauce, preferably Tabasco

　　1 dash of Worcestershire sauce

　　1 dash of soy sauce

　　

Step 1

Season the pork butt with salt, pepper, and the smoked paprika, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

　　

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

　　

Step 3

Place the pork butt in a small Dutch oven. Pour the BBQ sauce, apple juice, vinegar, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and soy sauce over the meat. Cover the pot with a secure lid, and put it in the oven. Cook until the pork is extremely tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove the pot from the oven, and let the pork cool slightly before shredding.

　　

Step 4

Shred the meat in the Dutch oven, using two forks, so the meat can absorb more of the flavors of the cooking liquid. Let cool.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends.Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.