Quest
Pig Tales
Where to find pulled pork in the city By Shaun Smith
'Cue the pig: Black Camel's perfect pulled pork
Pork shoulder consists of the picnic ham and the incongruously named Boston butt roast. Though it’s full of nasty fat and gristle, long, slow cooking (six to 12 hours) melts the fat and breaks down collagen, releasing sugars and tenderizing the meat. Prepare it with a dry rub, baste it with a vinegary “mop” sauce or simply cook it plain. Add smoke from hardwood coals and you’ve got what folks in the Carolinas call “barbecue,” so tender it pulls right off the bone. We’ve picked four of Hogtown’s best.
| The Place | The Pork | The Fixings | The The Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beerbistro, 18 King St. E., 416-861-9872 |
Braised in coffee porter and macerated to a pulp in a smoky, tomato-based barbecue sauce. $13.25. | Served on pizza with aged gouda, roasted onions, mango and pineapple. The crust is made with oatmeal stout. | Delicious crispy crust and good pork flavour, but wants some heat and chunkier meat. |
| Cumbrae’s, 1636 Bayview Ave., 416- 485-5620 (not available at Church St. location) |
Dry rubbed overnight, browned, then braised 10 hours. Shredded in its own jus. $8.99 per container (about a pound). | Comes vacuum packed in a takeout container. Strictly a DIY affair, to be tarted up (or not) at home as you see fi t. | The tender, chunky meat wants a bit more jus, but still a winner with insanely addictive tangy-rosemary-salty flavour. No heat or sweet. |
| Big Mamma’s Boy, 554 Parliament St., 416-927-7777 |
Tender and shredded in a gooey, sweet, ketchupy barbecue sauce. $10.95. | Served on three miniature cornbread buns with a thick slice of sweet pickle on each; comes with sides of chunky slaw and housecooked baked beans. | A bit too much sweet and sticky at the cost of smoke and chipotle. Cornbread is a nice variation. |
| Black Camel, 4 Crescent Rd., 416-929-7518 |
Tender, succulent, chunky and shredded in chipotle-tomato barbecue sauce. $6.50. | Generous portion on a soft, white roll, served with optional toppings like caramelized onions (75 cents extra) and sauces including Moroccan charmoula mayo. | The platonic pulled pork sandwich. Immensely satisfying. Full of heat and smoky chipotle fl avour. Sloppy but not sticky. |
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