Recipe: Flo's Kickass Pulled Pork

Today's world food that you can prepare at home is a fusion of French, Portuguese and the American South. In the USA pulled pork comes in many different ways and with a wide assortment of condiments. None though, are quite so easy nor nearly as delicious as Flo's Kickass Pulled Pork!

This is a recipe from my friend Andy's parents (and my friends as well) Chuck and Flo. For some reason my British and Antipodean friends always chuckle when they first hear the names "Chuck and Flo" but that is their quirk not my own. I'm adding this recipe to Chop Onions, Boil Water for three reasons: For one, it's a really good, crowd pleasing and delicious dish. Secondly, it is a breeze to prepare and most importantly I wanted an opportunity to write about Chuck and Flo.

I usually call this recipe "Flo's Kickass Christmas Pulled Pork" not because they only serve it at Christmas, but rather because that is how I associate it. You see, Chuck and Flo, really like Christmas and by that, I mean to say that they really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really LOVE Christmas (that's 50 really's in case you didn't count). I remember the first time Andy mentioned (warned) me about how they decorated their home:

Andy: "I have to help my parents string Christmas lights on the house this weekend."

Henry: "Oh, they like to decorate the house?"

Andy: "Yeah, they go nuts."

Henry: "Yeah, I've seen houses like that."

Andy: "No, I don't think you have."

I shrugged his last comment off. Thinking he was just internalizing and dramatizing the weekend task at hand.

I couldn't have been more wrong, the first time I visited their home around Christmas it was apparent. I was at least a half mile away from the house when I saw it. A glowing aura in the shape of a half-dome in the distance. NO LIE! Before I ever saw a single light on the house I could see the atmosphere around the property all a glow! In fact, there is a famous image of the first millisecond of a thermonuclear explosion that shared shocking similarities to the gigawatt induced luminescence that lay before me in the clear frosty cold Rhode Island night. My heart began to race.

I turned the final corner before their house - and there it was. It was overwhelming. A holiday display of such excess and surplus that I heard myself gasp. Imagine 279.533 (repeating) normal festively lit homes all physically inhabiting the same space. That is how it all looks (ordered and well executed of course). Electric glowing, festive, sparkly, splendor! Unfortunately, space restraints forbid a full inventory here, but trust me, it is an awesome spectacle. Plus it gets grander every year. Because through their generosity and charisma Chuck and Flo manage to cajole, influence or woo willing accomplices to their Christmas madness. In fact in the year 2004 they got a group of these goons to build a special Christmas train so that Choo-Choo-Christmas-Chuck can pull guests around the the Christmas yard and past all the Christmas lighting exhibits set-up in the yard. Even strangers showed up for rides. Where do they get these willing accomplices and participants from?

They've said that 2008 was the last Christmas in which they would create their seasonal spectacle. Some folks believe them, I'm wondering...

Flo's Kickass Christmas Pulled Pork

Fresh (unsmoked) pork shoulder
1 TBS. Gravy Master
1 TBS. Kitchen Bouquet
1 TBS. Garlic powder
12 ozs. hot crushed pepper (this is the "wet" variety that comes in a jar)

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Coat the pork with the combination of Gravy Master and Kitchen Bouquet.

Sprinkle all over with garlic powder.

Cover the pork with hot crushed red pepper.

Cover the pan and place in the oven for about 6-8 hours. If it looks like it is cooking too fast turn the oven down a little.

During the last 1-2 hours of cooking, baste the pork frequently to mix the crushed red pepper with the rest of the juices.

Shred (at this point the pork will just freely fall off the bone) and serve with fresh rolls or roasted potatoes.

Accept oohs, aahs, mmmms, yums, and praise from your family and guests.

Recipe: Flo's Kickass Pulled Pork from Chop Onions, Boil Water by Henry Krauzyk http://www.choponionsboilwater.com