There are activities, events, work, recitals, places you promised to be at 5pm on a Tuesday but now can't remember why, and when you aren't getting home until after 6pm on a weekday, where is there time to cook when you have kids demanding food now???
I tried to get up early yesterday to throw a pork roast in the slow cooker, and discovered I forgot to buy BBQ sauce, couldn't find the seasonings, and had 10 minutes to get it ready. Not going to happen. I gave up on the attempt and realized I needed a new plan. Hello Order-to-go Pizza!
But ordering out isn't healthy and is expensive over time. So last night, I made a new plan. I picked up the BBQ sauce and resolved to pre-plan the night before (after my kids were in bed). Because if I started doing anything in the kitchen, this is what would happen:
They're really cute and love to help in the kitchen. But that mess took me an hour to clean up.
So I waited until they were dreaming sweet dreams about cookies and Paw Patrol, and I went into the kitchen to do something I've never done before: prepare ahead of time.
BBQ pulled pork is one of the easiest recipes I've ever found that my kids will actually eat. My secret is I buy rolls (BBQ pulled pork sandwiches) weeks before and freeze them (then put the rolls in the fridge that morning to thaw out).
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1
(4 pound) pork shoulder roast
- 1
cup barbeque sauce
- 1/2
cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2
cup chicken broth
- 1/4
cup light brown sugar
- 1
tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1
tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1
tablespoon chili powder
- 1 large onion, chopped (or 1 tablespoon onion powder)
- 2
large cloves garlic, crushed (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1
1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 8 hamburger buns or rolls
Now, you can't do everything the night before, but you can make it infinitely easier for yourself with these simple steps:
NIGHT BEFORE:
1) Place the frozen pork roast in water in the sink to thaw.
2) Get the slow cooker out so you're not fighting with pots and pans in the morning and drop one on your foot. It was so loud the dog went running. (I'm surprised the noise didn't wake up my whole family)
3) Get your seasonings ready. In a bowl, mix together the Worchester sauce, chili powder, chopped onion (or powdered onion is fine too), garlic (again, garlic powder will work too), thyme, mustard and brown sugar. Put the bowl back in the fridge for now.
4) If you have chicken broth in a can, remove the lid and place back in the fridge.
5) Grab a measuring cup, and measure out the apple cider vinegar and leave in fridge.
6) So you have very little to do the next morning, place the BBQ sauce and vegetable oil on the counter next to the slow cooker.
MORNING:
7) Pour vegetable oil in bottom of slow cooker.
8) Place pork roast inside and cover it with the seasonings bowl you put in the fridge the previous night
8) Pour in the BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar and chicken broth.
9) Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 7 hours.
HOME TONIGHT:
10) Shred pork roast with two forks and then spread the pulled pork on the thawed out rolls (or hamburger buns. Whichever you prefer)
11) Enjoy!
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