Ingredients
Blueberry BBQ Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup frozen blueberries, rinsed
- 1⁄3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
Pulled Pork
- 3 1⁄2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1⁄4 cup + 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
Blueberry BBQ Sauce
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened.
- Stir in tomato paste, oregano and chili powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in blueberries and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes or until softened.
- Using a potato masher or fork, crush berries to release juices. Stir in vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Let cool slightly.
- Transfer sauce to blender and purée until smooth; set aside.
Pulled Pork
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut pork shoulder in half and transfer to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together oregano, 1 tablespoon salt, black pepper, chili powder and garlic powder.
- Drizzle 3 tablespoons of oil onto pork shoulder and rub to coat. Rub spice mixture all over pork.
- In Dutch oven or large oven-safe saucepan set over medium-high heat, add remaining oil. In batches to avoid crowding, cook pork shoulder, turning, for 12 to 18 minutes or until seared on all sides; remove from Dutch oven and set aside.
- Add onions, smashed garlic and thyme to the Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes or until fragrant and softened. Return pork shoulder to Dutch oven and add chicken broth.
- Cover and transfer to oven. Cook for 3 to 4 hours, flipping pork halfway through. When pork is tender, let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer pork to another large bowl. Using 2 forks, shred pork and season with remaining salt; set aside.
- Return Dutch oven with cooking liquid to medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half; set aside.
- Add 2/3 cup reduced cooking liquid to pulled pork. Set aside remaining cooking liquid for future use.
Recipe Tip
Serve pulled pork with coleslaw in toasted burger buns with blueberry BBQ sauce.
About This Recipe
Infuse your BBQ with a boost of blue … and fill your house with the fragrant flavor of Blueberry Barbecue Pulled Pork. To make the sauce, you simply simmer frozen blueberries, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, onion, garlic and seasoning. Prepare your pork shoulder, then toss in the savory-sweet sauce and serve with coleslaw. It’s ideal for cookouts in the summer sun – or chilly days that call for a little extra warmth.