Pulled Pork BBQ Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Yellow cornmeal, for sprinkling the baking sheet
• 1 recipe Basic Pizza Dough, recipe follows
• 2 1/2 cups Pulled Pork, recipe follows
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, yellow mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, salt, red and black peppers. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Allow sauce to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Set aside to cool.

Place a pizza stone on the lowest rack of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F.

Sprinkle about 2 to 3 tablespoons of yellow cornmeal on a baker's peel or baking sheet. Place the rolled out pizza dough on the prepared baker's peel or baking sheet.

Spoon 1 cup of the cooled barbecue sauce over the pizza dough, leaving about 3/4-inch of dough uncovered around the edge. Spread the pulled pork over the sauce, then top with the onion slices and chopped bell pepper. Spread the cheeses evenly over the top. Using a quick flick of the wrist, slide the prepared pizza onto the hot pizza stone and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and golden and cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with remaining barbecue sauce, if desired.

Basic Pizza Dough:

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)

1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, honey, and 1 tablespoon oil, stirring to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until the dough is smooth but still slightly sticky. You may not need all of the flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.

Oil a large mixing bowl with remaining olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place, free from drafts until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15-inch circle.

Yield: dough for 1 (15-inch) pizza

Pulled Pork:

1 pork shoulder roast (Boston Butt or Picnic roast), about 6 to 8 pounds

4 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence, recipe follows

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before proceeding.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Season the roast well on all sides with the Essence, salt, and cayenne pepper. Place a roasting rack inside the roasting pan and place the seasoned pork on the rack, fat side up. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 4 hours.

Remove the foil from the roast and continue to bake until the roast is very tender and will pull apart easily with a fork, about 2 hours longer. Remove the pork from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Remove any excess fat from the roast and discard. Using two forks or your hands, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces.

Yield: about 10 servings

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.