Sunny Anderson's Unconventional Secret Ingredient For Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is a Southern staple on barbecue menus; the slow-cooked meat can be seasoned with dry rub, smoked, cooked down in sauce, or a combination of all of the above. While most of us don't have the time or equipment to smoke a pork shoulder, a slow cooker does the job beautifully, and if you have the right seasonings and ingredients, you can achieve some pit master-perfect pulled pork. You can use your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce, a pre-made pork rub seasoning like Traeger Grills, or throw together some simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. Food Network's Sunny Anderson, co-host of "The Kitchen," goes all-in on her pulled pork with only four ingredients, and the unconventional one is peanut butter.

Anderson starts with a pork shoulder, salt and pepper, and some cumin. She uses the spice as a dry rub, and recommends vigorously rubbing the meat on all sides before placing it in your slow cooker. In a separate bowl, she combines salsa, more cumin, and the peanut butter. It may seem unusual, but the addition will create a richness that will not only lend a creamy texture to the sauce, but also add a sweet, nutty flavor that complements the cumin as it cooks into the pulled pork. Anderson cooks the meat on high for eight hours, allows it to cool, and shreds it with forks before serving. You can throw on scallions for color, and serve it up with some of the extra sauce.

It seems like Sunny Anderson is onto something here, so we took a look at 8 pulled pork recipes you'll want on repeat, and chose a couple that would shine with the addition of peanut butter. If you're in a Mexican mood, try adding peanut butter to slow cooker al pastor. Al pastor is infused with earthy spices such as cumin, Mexican oregano, and chipotle powder. Incorporate a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to sweeten the sauce without getting aggressive with sugar. How about punching up some slow cooker carnitas with the secret ingredient? Why it works: Traditional carnitas boast citrus juice — usually lime or orange — and adding peanut butter balances the acid from the citrus. The combination also brings a slightly candied flavor to the carnitas that subtly cooks into the juices.

Pulled pork with peanut butter can also be the star of Thai or Vietnamese pork dishes, as peanuts and peanut butter are often found in both cuisines. Try this Thai ginger pork bowl recipe, and swap out the ground pork with pulled. Elevate a simple báhn mì sandwich by replacing cubed, grilled pork with some peanut butter-infused pulled pork. The sweet hint of peanut butter in the pork is a solid substitute for the honey and sugar in the original marinade, and the lush pulled pork is a great vehicle for the crisp toppings that the báhn mì sandwich is known for.