My Prairie Homestead Cookbook learning 3 and 4 (chicken stock, pulled pork)

It seems that I am feeling like a cookbook challenge approximately once a week - at least, so far.  I had never made pulled pork before.  I had this at family gatherings on a bun, a bbq version, and always loved it.  But I needed chicken stock as part of it, which was on my list to try (I make that lots but wanted to try her technique as I was always guessing how long to cook it).

I am back to work after the lockdown, so my time and energy for cooking is drastically cut smaller.  I made chicken stock out of a roasted chicken carcass I had frozen a few days ago the night before, following Jill Winger’s directions which was super cool - using a crockpot overnight, spices, and a little bit of vinegar to help extract collagen from the bones.  I loved knowing how long to do it for (overnight or longer!), what the definition of success was (jelly-like after it cools due to collagen having been extracted, also being able to just leave it and sleep (I usually use a pot on the stovetop), and how healthy collagen is for you (and possibly other stuff from the bones?).

The next morning I strained the stock through a mesh strainer, put the bones aside for the compost bin (yes I know that attracts rats but the earth wants her stuff back), swooshed out the crockpot and put  pork shoulder into the crockpot, added the  required stock (froze the rest in several containers) and left it for the day!  Lots of great food made with minimal effort!

[Later note: I like to reduce the stock in an open pot after the slow cooker thing.)

I will admit at the end of the day, my partner Shane helped me spice and turn into what it was supposed to be, he has an instinct for spices and meat.  He said it was very bland, but after it was seasoned better, All the weird bits taken out, he also added teriyaki sauce through it, it was amazing.

But reading about the range is different than doing it many times and experiencing different outcomes; she said if it was a bit frozen you just add a few more hours of cook time, knowing when it is perfectly done I think will require more trials!

But loved the rich, easy filling food for my family (a warm meal for our baby dog too).  Amazing.  Going to now ask my sister for that pulled pork recipe I had growing up at family events!  Now that I know where it comes from.....