Ultimate Spanish Pulled Pork Recipe

Many people enjoy the taste of pork but are tired of eating a simple chop or steak of pork.

If you are looking to take your meat recipes to the next level, then you should try and make Spanish pulled pork.

It is a different version of the American classic, but that doesn’t make it less delicious. 

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Continue reading to learn how to make pulled pork, a bit of its history, and some extra tips to make the recipe even easier for you.

Background of the Dish

The Spanish pulled pork is the Andalusian variant of the typical American pulled pork.

The main difference is that instead of using BBQ sauce, you have to use tomato sauce for the Spanish one, in addition to some changes in the seasoning and the addition of garlic in this version.

Like other Spanish pork dishes such as Spanish pork skewers, this recipe has African influences due to the type of seasoning used, so brace yourself for a lot of spices.

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Things You’ll Need for Spanish Pulled Pork

To make this pulled pork recipe you need pork (loin or scotch fillet), seasoning, and garlic among other ingredients.

This is one of the most famous slow cooker pork recipes, but you can turn it into an oven pulled pork recipe or make it in a regular pot for less time.

Ingredients

• 1.5kg pork (loin or scotch fillet)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cup (240ml) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup (120ml) broth (beef, vegetable, or chicken broth)
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon

How to Make Spanish Pulled Pork – Step by Step Guide

1. To start making the best pulled pork recipe, just cover the pork with olive oil and the seasonings. Don’t put too much salt here as you will add more later.

2. Next, turn the stove on and heat a non-stick pan over high heat (you can put a splash of olive oil just in case to prevent sticking).

3. Now brown the meat on every side, but be careful so the spices don’t burn. Set aside at room temperature.

4. In the same pan where you sealed the pork add minced garlic, broth, lemon juice, tomato sauce, and more salt if necessary. Bring to a boil cause this will be the sauce and liquid component of this slow cooker pork.

5. Once it’s ready, put the pork in the slow cooker and pour the sauce on top, cover everything with the lid of the pot.

6. Now program the slow cooker to be at medium temperature or intensity, for 7 hours (4 to 5 hours if it is high). The slow cooker will do all the work for you so you don’t have to worry. Remember that you can cook it in a normal pot for 50 minutes, using the double amount of broth plus 2 cups of water.

7. After that, let the pork rest for 15 minutes, and then shred the pork with forks or your fingers.

8. To serve drizzle the Spanish pulled pork with some of the sauce.

Substitution of Ingredients

If you are familiar with pulled pork recipes then you will know that they can be quite different, and that means that you can play with the ingredients.

You can make something more similar to the US version instead of the Spanish pulled pork, and use BBQ sauce instead of tomato sauce.

You can also play with the pulled pork seasoning according to your taste, making it more or less spicy.

Loin and scotch fillet are the perfect cuts of pork for this easy pulled pork recipe, so we do not recommend switching to others.

However, instead of Spanish pork, you can make a recipe for pulled chicken or beef (those would be more Mexican recipes).

Tips on Serving Spanish Pulled Pork

Unlike other Spanish pork recipes, this one is intended to be served as a main dish, preferably in a sandwich.

For this Spanish pulled pork you can use any type of bread you like, and since it is juicy meat, you just have to put it in the middle of the slices and that’s it.

The shredded pork can also be served as a taco, being a fusion with Mexican food.

The Spanish pork dish is the main dish (with these amounts you have 6 servings) but if you serve a smaller amount with smaller bread they can be appetizer sliders.

How to Store Spanish Pulled Pork

To store this Spanish pulled pork you should let them come to room temperature, then put them in a bowl or covered container (coon plastic bag or a lid).

Then, you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 15 days (allowing it to thaw the night before eating it in the fridge).

To reheat this slow cooker pork, add 1 cup of water (it will evaporate) and you can heat it in a pot on the stove, or a deep tray in the oven. 

Thanks to the added water, the pork won’t end up dry.

Some pork dinner ideas that can last longer in the freezer are the Spanish pork cheeks and the Spanish rice and beans with pork, so you can try those recipes too.

Recipe Card: Spanish Pulled Pork

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