Sarasota's Vernor's Spicy Crock Pot Pulled Pork

"From Michigan, and the Vernor's plant is in Flint, MI - so Vernor's was what many people drank. A great ginger ale and the only one for me. Well this was a popular dish back in the day, and honestly it was great. It is easy, spicy and great pulled pork."
 
Download
photo by FrenchBunny photo by FrenchBunny
photo by FrenchBunny
photo by FrenchBunny photo by FrenchBunny
Ready In:
12hrs 10mins
Ingredients:
13
Serves:
8-12
Advertisement

ingredients

  • 4 -5 lbs pork shoulder
  • 3 large onions (1 thick sliced the other 2 thin sliced)
  • 12 ounces vernos ginger ale
  • 1 orange, cut in quarters (lightly squeezed and the rest thrown in the crock pot)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • Sauce

  • 2 cups barbecue sauce (plain, you can just use a good store bought for this)
  • 13 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons chopped chipoltes in adobo seasoning (to taste, you can go less, is you don't want it spicy)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice
Advertisement

directions

  • Pork -- Season your pork well with salt and pepper. Add the thick sliced onion on the bottom and then top with the pork. Then top with the thin sliced onions.
  • Add the Vernors, cloves, bay leaves and squeeze the oranges and then throw in the pieces. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours until tender.
  • Pull -- The pork is done. Remove and let cool slightly. Then pull apart the pork.
  • Sauce -- A few minutes before I remove my pork, is when I start my BBQ sauce. In a small pot over medium heat add the sauce, honey, garlic, orange juice, chipoltes and about 1 cup of the Vernors broth. Bring to a light boil, reduce to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add a little more Vernors broth, not much and bring to a boil again and reduce until the sauce is rich and thick.
  • Pork -- As the sauce cooks, pull the pork. Add your sauce to your pork and enjoy. If you don't use all your sauce. Just put in a baggie and freeze. This is great just brushed over pork chops or a tenderloin. Don't throw it out.
  • Onions -- Don't forget about all those good onions. Scoop them out and serve on the side to serve on the sandwich.
  • Serve -- Well you know what to do. Your favorite buns, coleslaw and ENJOY!

Questions & Replies

Got a question? Share it with the community!
Advertisement

Reviews

  1. This was an excellent pork recipe. Had to use regular ginger ale, since we don't have Vernos. Cooked on low for about 11 hours. Was very moist and tender with such a delicious flavor. Made the pulled pork sandwiches the next day. Was wonderful stuff. Not too sweet. I used Jack Daniels bbq sauce with the other ingredients. Mixed some of the onions in the pork for the sandwich. Absolutely great stuff Sarasota. Had it with a corn salad instead of cole slaw. Thanks for sharing your recipe, this is a keeper.
     
  2. Another winning recicpe Sarasota! I made this for last nights dinner served on recipe #272006. Of course used the vernors..yay Flinttown! ;) and used Blood Oranges...I cooked in crock pot for 5 hrs on high and then 3 hours on low..perfect fall off the bone no need to "pull" pork recipe! It was complimented by recipe #47195. Thanks for sharing Sarasota..WONDERFUL!
     
  3. Made this last weekend and it was great. Simple and easy to put together, wonderful flavor. Could not actually taste the Vernor's, may try it next time with a regular high quality ginger ale and save my Vernor's for savoring on ice!
     
  4. This was delicious! I went light on the chipotles because we are wimpy like that. I would definitely make this again. Made for Sarasota's Cookathon. RIP Kim - you will be missed.
     
Advertisement

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
 
View Full Profile
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Find More Recipes