I included this pulled pork recipe (made in a slow cooker) in my free Summer Newsletter (see here) and have been very heartened by its popularity. Did you miss it or be slow on the uptake? I have to admit to cooking it at least once a month and making many bariatric perfectly-portioned meals from it. So much so that I think it is worth repeating here as a blog – this time with
a cauliflower mash topping, as a pie. It’s just the thing for a family meal, dish to come home to after an arduous day, and a welcome addition to the freezer for when you just can’t face cooking from scratch of an evening. I have made quite a few, portioned them into small baking dishes, and frozen for later use. They are just the ticket when we return home after watching a sporting fixture and prove most comforting or celebratory whatever the score!
The recipe for the pulled pork is below with a quick and easy way to make cauliflower mash – you could of course use potato (white or sweet as liked) or any other root potato mash or combination – try carrot, swede/rutabaga or parsnip for example. Serve with a simple green vegetable like courgette/zucchini, shredded cabbage, peas or broccoli for seasonal freshness and great nutrition.
SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK MEXICAN STYLE
I’m fortunate that I don’t have a problem with meat post-surgery but recognise that some do. I have come across a few patients who haven’t touched meat again after a painful or regrettable episode which I find sad. I often recommend that they give it another go and opt for a meat dish that is cooked meltingly tender. When pressed to suggest one I often say a slow cooker cooked casserole, pot roast or stew. This is one of them – a slow cooked pork shoulder (trimmed of fat so as lean as possible) cooked in a fabulous sauce that really does deserve the moniker of being ‘pouch-friendly’.
We sometimes have it with mashed potatoes (as you can see loaded below in the right proportions on our bariatric portion plate); occasionally in a bun like the American classic; as a filling for tortillas; and also often without the carb on the side as a one pot dish topped with avocado and seasoned yogurt. If you leave out the chilli powder you will have a basic BBQ sauce pulled pork, so you have the choice of two options. We don’t always use all the sauce for serving with the meat, it’s generous in quantity – any leftover can be mixed with canned beans to make a side dish or with extra stock and beans or vegetables to make a soup. I guarantee once you’ve made this dish you’ll make it again … and again.
Pulled Pork on the Bariatric Portion Plate (details here)
Ingredients
METRIC/US
500 g/1 lb passata (smooth crushed tomatoes)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tbsp mild chilli powder (optional and to taste)
3 tbsp granulated sweetener
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.7 kg-2 kg/3½ lb shoulder of pork, trimmed of all visible fat, leaving a piece of meat weighing about 1.5 kg/3 lb
Method
- Mix the passata with the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, mustard, chilli powder if used, sweetener and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Place half in the base of a slow cooker.
- Add the trimmed pork shoulder (in one piece) and pour over the remaining sauce mixture. Cover and cook on MEDIUM for 8 hours. Alternatively, cook on HIGH for 2 hours and then on LOW for 6 hours.
- To serve, remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Allow to cool slightly then shred into bite-sized pieces with two forks or slice thickly with a knife into thick chunks, as preferred.
- Serve hot, drizzled with the sauce from the slow cooker.
VARIATION: I find I am quite happy with the colour and flavour of the meat without searing prior to putting in the cooker but go ahead and sear in a hot pan until brown on all sides if you prefer. Likewise, if you would prefer a thicker sauce then simmer the sauce ingredients in a small pan for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly, before adding to the pork. Your choice.
SERVES 6
WLS PORTION: ½
CALORIES: 425
PROTEIN: 51.8g
CARBOHYDRATE: 10.8g
FAT: 18.2g
CAULIFLOWER MASH
So simple to make and just as good (if not better) than the ‘real thing’. Cut 1 medium head of cauliflower into small florets (you get about 6-7 cups). Add to a pan of boiling salted water and cook until very tender – about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving about 3 tbsp. of the cooking liquid. Place in a food processor with 1 tbsp. extra virgin oil or 2 tsp butter and reserved cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Alternatively mash with a potato masher or hand-held mixer. season to taste with salt and pepper to serve or use. Add chopped herbs if liked.
Frances says
Dear Carol: This is a great recipe but I have a question. I recently discovered your website and I have already tried three recipes all delicious, but when reading the nutritional values I am unclear whether they pertain to the full portion or the WLS portion. I tried to find a guide on the site but was unsuccessful. Hope you can fill me in.
CAROL says
Hi Frances, Glad that you’re enjoying the recipes! The recipes nutritional information follows the same advice as that given in my books (and I’ll ensure it is better displayed on the website). Underneath each recipe you will see there are details relating to the Serves Calories, Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats in the recipe and each relate to the ‘NORMAL SIZE’ PORTION – this is the portion a non-WLS person could eat (i.e. the rest of the family etc) and underneath that is the recommended or what I have found to be the ideal WLS portion (or the amount as a post-op patient – well out of surgery) can eat. So, for example if a recipe says it serves 4 then it’s for 4 normal appetites (non WLS) and if the WLS portion is 1/2 then that recipe would serve 8 WLS patients and the calories, protein, carbs and fat stats would also be halved. Hope that clears things up. C x
Frances says
Thanks that was the information I needed