Pulled Pork Potato Skins with Carolina BBQ Sauce

Pulled Pork Potato Skins with Carolina BBQ Sauce are incredibly delicious!

Slow, oven roasted pork seasoned in essential BBQ flavors and tossed in Carolina mustard style BBQ sauce. Yes. Put that on your potato and eat it!

I have some of the strangest cravings during Winter. I wanted potato skins. Not just any potato skins. These potato skins.

But it’s cold outside. I don’t do cold or cooking outside when it’s cold. Sigh.. I may be a hibernating, cold-fearing, wuss but when I have a craving, I can be quite inventive to get what I’m after. Off to the trusty oven we go.

Today’s post is brought to you by… I have a craving and if I can’t smoke the pork on the barbie (like the stars and heavens above intended it to be cooked), I’ll put smoke in it. Brine. Yes, we must brine the pork.

Though it doesn’t really have the same effect as real fire and wood, liquid smoke can be a smokey craving’s savior. Taking a big ol’ butt, slicing it in half and soaking it in a brine for a couple hours does give the meat some good flavor, inside and out. It also helps retain that much loved moisture as well.

Add another couple layers of smokey flavoring to the outside and I think we’re in business. So, we need to rub the butt. Hey, ya gotta take care of the butt.

A two level rub, a wet one and a dry one will really help seal the deal for our long oven haul. Some more of that liquid smoke mixed with some mustard (yellow and Dijon) and a bit of honey goes on the pork first. Then the dry rub, which is a generous portion of smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt and some freshly ground pepper. Cover both sides well.

For the oven, the pork will go on a rimmed baking sheet, fitted with a wire rack. That’ll keep it from sitting in a pool of liquid and boiling.

Before the pork is covered tightly with foil, a sheet of parchment paper is placed on top to keep the seasonings in tact.

In a 350 degree F. oven she goes for three hours. Low and slow!

After three hours, the juices will be tipped off and reserved for the BBQ sauce.

Then it’s back in the oven, uncovered for another hour and a half to get that nice crust.

At the same time, some big russet potatoes will need to go in on the bottom rack of the oven uncovered. At that low, 350 degree F temp, an hour and a half cooking time is perfect to get them done. To get the outer skin nice and crisp, coat the potatoes with a little olive oil and a dash of salt.

Once the pork is done, it’ll be fork tender and delicious. Tent with foil and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes before shredding.

That’s just the right amount of time to prepare the potatoes. Simply slice in half and scoop out the middle with a spoon. Save the scooped out potatoes for another recipe (like gnocchi!).

Brush with a little bit of olive oil or melted butter.

Place under the broiler on high for 2 to 3 minutes to toast.

Transfer the pork to a deep dish, shred apart and mix to distribute the fat and flavor evenly.

Remember the reserved juices from the bottom of the pan we saved? Drain the fat off and use a cup of the liquid to mix with some mustard, honey and a few seasonings and you’ve got the perfect Carolina mustard style BBQ sauce. No cooking required!

Load some of that tender pork onto the potato skins with a drizzle of the BBQ sauce and top with your favorite cheese(s). Place under the broiler for a minute or two on high to melt.

A dollop of sour cream and a few chives finishes them off and it’s time to satisfy that craving! Dig in!

Of course, if you’ve already got some pulled pork on hand, you’ll be in business a bit sooner. So these loaded potato skins are a great treat to use up those left overs for. Just use some chicken stock for the BBQ sauce, in place of the reserved juices from the pork.

Sometimes, you just gotta give in and have what you’re hankerin’ for!

Have a beautiful day and as always, keep it delicious!

Till next time ~ much love, Connie

Pulled Pork Potato Skins with Carolina BBQ Sauce

Connie Taylor

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Servings 12 Potato Skins About 1 1/2 C BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

  

• 1 4-5 lb pork shoulder cut in half legnthwise
• 4 quarts water
• 1 C salt
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 3 tbsp liquid smoke
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp liquid smoke
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large russet potatoes rinsed, dried, rubbed with olive oil and seasoned with salt
• 2 tbsp oil or melted butter for brushing the potato skins.
• cheese of your choice for topping
• sour cream and chives for topping
• Carolina Style Mustard BBQ Sauce
• 1 C pork juices can use chicken stock
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 C honey
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp hot chili sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• salt to taste

Instructions

 

• In a large pot, combine 4 quarts water, 1 C salt, 1/2 C brown sugar and 3 tbsp liquid smoke.
• Place the pork in the brine and cover.
• Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp mustard, 2 tbsp Dijon, 1 tbsp liquid smoke and 1 tbsp honey.
• Cover the pork on all sides with the mustard mixture.
• In another small bowl, combine the 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
• Cover the pork with the dry rub mixture on all sides.
• Place the pork, fat side up on a rimmed baking sheet that has been covered in foil and fitted with a rack.
• Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the pork to cover and tightly cover the entire pan with foil.
• Bake in oven for 3 hours.
• Remove from oven and drain off excess juice.
• Place back in oven, uncovered for 90 minutes more.
• At this time, place the potatoes on the bottom rack of the oven to bake.
• Remove the pork and the potatoes from the oven.
• Tent the pork with foil for 20 minutes to let it rest.
• Slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise and scoop out the middles.
• Reserve the scooped out potatoes for another recipe.
• Brush the inside of the potato skins with oil or melted butter and place on a baking sheet, cut side up.
• Place under the broiler on high for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp around the edges.
• Shred the pork apart and mix to evenly distribute fat and seasonings.
• Top each of the potato skins with some of the pork (per your preference), a drizzle of bbq sauce and cheese.
• Melt the cheese on the skins under the broiler on high for 1 minute.
• Top with sour cream and chives to taste.
• Carolina Style Mustard BBQ Sauce
• Place all ingredients in a mason jar.
• Cover with a lid and shake vigorously to combine.

Notes

Recipe by: Connie Taylor @Happybellyfoodie.com