How to pickle Southern Pickled Pork

Begin by cutting your pork shoulder into 2-inch cubes. If there are large pieces with an excess of fat, trim that off. You want the good meaty parts for pickling. It's a small tip that makes all the difference in the texture of the final product.

In a large pot, combine your apple cider vinegar, water, and sugar. Warm it over medium heat just until the sugar fully dissolves. No need to bring this to a boil; you want the pickling solution to be room temperature when you introduce the pork.

Into the pot, add the crushed garlic, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaves, and kosher salt. Stir until all these ingredients are well combined.

Add the pork cubes to the pot, ensuring they are fully submerged in the pickling solution. If there isn't enough liquid to cover the pork, you can add a bit more vinegar and water in equal parts.

Once the pork is fully covered in the pickling solution, cover your pot and refrigerate. While it's tempting to speed the process, it's important to let it marinate for at least one week—this is the key to making the meat flavorful and tender. The longer the marination, the better it is!

After the pork has been sufficiently pickled, remove it from the refrigerator. You can now use it immediately in your favorite dishes, or store it in the refrigerator, submerged in the pickling solution for up to two weeks.