CHERRY COLA PULLED PORK

● Prep time 15 mins

● Cook time 2hrs 35 mins

● Cals per portion 356

DON’T worry if you’re not a fan of this pop, the final result is a tasty BBQ sauce and you’d never guess how it was made! SERVES: 6

● 1.5kg pork shoulder joint (weight including fat)

● 4 white onions, peeled and roughly sliced

● 660ml diet cherry cola (or Dr Pepper)

● 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce or Henderson’s Relish

● 1 gluten-free pork stock cube, crumbled

● 1 tsp smoked paprika

● 1 tbsp garlic granules

● 1 tsp onion granules

● Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

● 4 tbsp tomato puree

● 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

● To serve: 80g steamed veg (add 38 kcal per serving)

PREHEAT oven to 170c (150c/gas 3). Remove visible fat from the pork, cut the meat into chunks (matchbox size), then put in an ovenproof dish. Add the onions, cherry cola, Worcestershire sauce, stock cube, paprika, garlic granules, onion granules and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the dish, lid on, in the oven for 2½ hours. Once meat is ready it will be tender and falling apart when you push your fork into it. There may be some fat that has risen to the top of the stock. Skim fat off and discard. Remove meat and place in a separate bowl. If your casserole dish can be used on the hob, remove from the oven and place over a medium heat. If it can’t, transfer onions and stock into a saucepan. Stir in tomato puree and balsamic vinegar and simmer the onions and remaining stock for 5 minutes. Use a stick blender to blend the onions and stock. You should be left with a thick BBQ sauce. If it’s too thin, reduce further over a medium heat. While the sauce is reducing, shred the pork using two forks. Pour the sauce over the pork — just enough to coat it well. Serve hot. The dish can also be frozen once cooled. Defrost fully then reheat until piping hot.

Freeze any leftover sauce; you can use it as a BBQ sauce with other dishes.