Carolina Pulled Pork Recipes

Steps:

• For the Carolina BBQ sauce: Combine the cider vinegar, ketchup, sugar, molasses, mustard, soy sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and a pinch ground black pepper in a stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool before using. If not using immediately, pour it into a bowl or jar. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• For the BBQ pulled pork: Combine 1-quart water with the soy sauce, salt, sugar, honey and molasses in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in 1 gallon plus 3 quarts water. Pierce the meat with a boning knife in several places, then add the meat to the brine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the meat from the brine, coat lightly with salt and pepper, and arrange in a smoker. Load 2 boxes filled with applewood chips into the smoker. Set the smoker at 250 degrees F and smoke for 8 hours. Remove the meat from the smoker to a cutting board and shred when cool enough to handle. Arrange on a serving platter and serve with the BBQ sauce.

Steps:

• Mix together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, black pepper, dry mustard, granulated garlic, cayenne and 2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl. Rub the pork all over with the spice mixture.
• Heat an electric multi-cooker on the browning or sear function. Add the olive oil. When hot, add the pork and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Pour in the apple juice and 1/4 cup of the cider vinegar. Cover, lock the lid, and set the multi-cooker to High Pressure; cook for 40 to 45 minutes. Release the steam according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Remove the pork to a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and tent with foil; let cool slightly. Skim off any excess fat that has risen to the top of the braising liquid, then stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cider vinegar and the ketchup. Pass some of the sauce through a strainer into a serving vessel or cruet.
• With two forks, pull the pork into shreds, discarding any large pieces of fat. Add the pork back to the remaining sauce in the multi-cooker and keep warm.
• Serve the pulled pork on rolls, topped with Cider Vinegar Slaw. Pass the extra sauce on the side.
• Whisk together the vinegar, ketchup, sugar, celery seeds, hot sauce and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the oil to make a smooth dressing.
• Add the cabbage and red onions to the dressing, and toss well. Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes to wilt the cabbage slightly. (The slaw can also be made several hours ahead and refrigerated.)
• Sprinkle the slaw with the parsley; toss and serve.

Steps:

• For the Carolina BBQ sauce:
• Combine the cider vinegar, ketchup, sugar, molasses, mustard, soy sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and a pinch ground black pepper in a stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool before using. If not using immediately, pour it into a bowl or jar. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• For the BBQ pulled pork:
• Combine 1-quart water with the soy sauce, salt, sugar, honey and molasses in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in 1 gallon plus 3 quarts water. Pierce the meat with a boning knife in several places, then add the meat to the brine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the meat from the brine, coat lightly with salt and pepper, and arrange in a smoker. Load 2 boxes filled with applewood chips into the smoker. Set the smoker at 250 degrees F and smoke for 8 hours. Remove the meat from the smoker to a cutting board and shred when cool enough to handle. Arrange on a serving platter and serve with the BBQ sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium low and prepare for indirect cooking: On a gas grill, preheat the grill, then turn off the center burners. On a charcoal grill, light the coals, then push to the edges of the grill, creating an open space in the middle; put a disposable aluminum drip pan in the middle of the grill under the grates.
• When the grill registers 250˚ F, place the pork on the grill grates over the cooler part. Cover the grill and cook the pork until the skin is crisp, the meat easily falls off the bone and a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork (away from the bone) registers 190˚ F to 200˚ F, 7 to 10 hours (if using charcoal, adjust the air vents and add more coals as needed so the temperature stays around 250˚ F).
• Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce: Combine 1 cup water, the vinegar, hot sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, 2 1/2 tablespoons salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar and salt dissolve. Let cool.
• If using a gas grill, turn off the heat and carefully transfer the pork to a cutting board. If using a charcoal grill, do this quickly, as the grease may cause the coals to catch fire. Let the pork rest at least 30 minutes, then pull the meat off the bone with tongs and a large fork; discard the bones and any large pieces of fat. Chop the crispy skin and stir into the meat. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 to 2 cups of the barbecue sauce. Serve on buns with the remaining sauce.

Steps:

• The Meat --.
• Place the quartered onions in a crock pot.
• Combine brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper: rub over the roast.
• Place the roast over the onions in the crock pot.
• Combine the vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic salt and cayenne; stir to mix well.
• Drizzle about 1/2 of the vinegar mixture over the roast and cover. Refrigerate the remaining vinegar mixture.
• Cook on low for 8 hours. Drizzle the other half of the vinegar mixture over the roast during the last 1/2 hour of cooking.
• While the meat is cooking, prepare the barbecue sauce. Mix all ingredients except soy sauce, butter and smoke. Simmer, uncovered, on low heat for 30 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Remove the meat from the crock pot and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. (Very important step -- longer is better).
• Remove the onions and chop to a fine consistency.
• Pull apart the meat with a couple of forks. Meat should have a shredded look to it.
• Mix chopped onions and shredded pork along with a little bit of juice from the crock pot to taste. Add sufficient barbecue sauce to the mixture to achieve desired taste. Meat should have distinctive barbecue flavor.
• To serve, spread barbecue sauce on bottom of a hearty bun.
• Put layer of pulled pork on bun. Spread barbecue sauce over meat.
• Add layer of your favorite cole slaw on top of meat. Layer some more barbecue sauce over cole slaw.
• Spread top of bun with more sauce.
• Grab a fist full of napkins, and enjoy.

Steps:

• Add vinegar, ginger ale, brown sugar, pepper, salt and mustard to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
• Add pork to the crock pot.
• Set crock pot on high until the liquid starts to bubble.
• Lower crock pot to low and cook for 8-10 hours until the internal temp is 190 or the pork easily falls apart.
• Take the pork out of the crock pot and set aside.
• Strain the liquid and set aside. Let the liquid separate. Spoon out the grease off the top.
• When the pork cools a bit, pull the pork apart by hand.
• Add liquid back to the pulled pork as needed to keep the pork moist.

Steps:

• 1. If using the rub, combine the mild paprika, brown sugar, hot paprika, celery salt, garlic salt, dry mustard, pepper, onion powder, and salt in a bowl and toss with your fingers to mix. Wearing rubber or plastic gloves if desired, rub the spice mixture onto the pork shoulder on all sides, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, preferably 8.
• If not using the rub, generously season the pork all over with coarse (kosher or sea) salt and freshly ground black pepper; you can start cooking immediately.
• 2. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and place a drip pan in the center.
• If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when smoke appears, reduce the heat to medium.
• If using a charcoal grill, preheat the grill to medium-low and adjust the vents to obtain a temperature of 300°F.
• 3. When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1 cup of the wood chips on the coals. Place the pork shoulder, fat side up, on the hot grate over the drip pan. Cover the grill and smoke cook the pork shoulder until fall-off-the-bone tender and the internal temperature on an instant-read meat thermometer reaches 195°F, 4 to 6 hours (the cooking time will depend on the size of the pork roast and the heat of the grill). If using charcoal, you'll need to add 10 to 12 fresh coals to each side every hour and toss more wood chips on the fresh coals; add about 1/2 cup per side every time you replenish the coals. With gas, all you need to do is be sure that you start with a full tank of gas. If the pork begins to brown too much, drape a piece of aluminum foil loosely over it or lower the heat.
• 4. Transfer the pork roast to a cutting board, loosely tent it with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.
• 5. Wearing heavy-duty rubber gloves if desired, pull off and discard any skin from the meat, then pull the pork into pieces, discarding any bones or fat. Using your fingertips or a fork, pull each piece of pork into shreds 1 to 2 inches long and 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. This requires time and patience, but a human touch is needed to achieve the perfect texture. If patience isn't one of your virtues, you can finely chop the pork with a cleaver (many respected North Carolina barbecue joints serve chopped 'cue). Transfer the shredded pork to a nonreactive roasting pan. Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the vinegar sauce, enough to keep the pork moist, then cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it on the grill for up to 30 minutes to keep warm.
• 6. To serve, mound the pulled pork on the hamburger buns and top with coleslaw. Let each person add more vinegar sauce to taste.

Steps:

• combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper, and rub the mixture over the roast. wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate a few hours, overnight is best.
• in a bowl, combine the vinegar, worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. mix well.
• place the quartered onions in the bottom of the crock pot. unwrap the roast, and place on top of onions. drizzle most of the vinegar mix over the roast, reserving some to add to the shredded meat at the end.
• cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or high for 4 to 5 hours.
• remove the meat and onions to a cutting board. remove skin and set aside. using two forks (or your fingers, if you have asbestos hands), pull and shred the pork. chop the onions, and mix into the shredded meat. using a fork, remove some of the fat from under the skin, mince, and add to the shredded meat and onions as needed for moisture and flavor.
• serve on warm buns or crusty hard rolls, with the remaining vinegar mixture on the side.

Steps:

• Preheat smoker to 250 F. Place pork butt in the center of the cooking grate, fat-side down. Cover and smoke 8 hours, undisturbed. Check smoker temperature hourly; add charcoal and use vents as needed to maintain a temperature of 250 F through the duration of cooking.
• Make Carolina BBQ Sauce: In a mixing bowl combine sugar, black pepper, chili powder, crushed red pepper, and hot sauce to make a paste. Add the Sweet BBQ Pit Sauce, followed by vinegar; stir well to combine. The final consistency should be quite fluid, rather than thick. Makes about 2 cups of Carolina BBQ Sauce. (Store in a covered container at room temperature for several months.)
• Check for doneness by placing a digital thermometer into the center of the pork, avoiding contact with the bone. Temperature should register 170 F. Use heat-proof gloves to remove pork to a large cutting board on a flat work surface. Chop the pork: As you chop, the pork will cool, so plan on doing this as the last step before serving. The meat should be tender and falling apart. Pull the bone out of the meat: it should come away smoothly, with no meat clinging to it. Discard bone. Pick through the meat and set aside any bits that you don't want to include in the final dish, such as the barky exterior or excess fat. (You may opt to include everything: Pitmaster Jones says the final mix is up to you!)
• Using one cleaver, begin to chop the meat, using your free hand to carefully steady the pork butt. When the meat is in large chunks, use both cleavers at the same time to finish chopping. Use the cleavers to toss the meat on the board as you go; repeat the chopping-tossing process until the meat is bite-size and well mixed. Drizzle a small amount of Carolina BBQ Sauce on top of the meat; continue chopping and stirring to combine. Add more sauce to taste: the goal is to lightly complement the smoky flavor of the pork without overwhelming it. Makes about 7 lbs chopped pork. (Sam Jones's serving suggestion: Cool leftover pork in the fridge, then serve as a sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise.)

Steps:

• Place meat in slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray.
• Mix remaining ingredients until blended; pour over meat. Cover with lid.
• Cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours (or on HIGH 4 to 5 hours). Remove meat from slow cooker; pull into shreds. Return to slow cooker; stir to evenly coat meat with sauce.

Steps:

• Make dry rub:
• Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend.
• Place pork, fat side up, on work surface. Cut each piece lengthwise in half. Place on large baking sheet. Sprinkle dry rub all over pork; press into pork. Cover with plastic; refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Make mop:
• Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
• Following manufacturer's instructions and using lump charcoal and 1/2 cup drained wood chips for smoker or 1 cup for barbecue, start fire and bring temperature of smoker or barbecue to 225°F. to 250°F. Place pork on rack in smoker or barbecue. Cover; cook until meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 165°F., turning pork and brushing with cold mop every 45 minutes, about 6 hours total. Add more charcoal as needed to maintain 225°F. to 250°F. temperature and more drained wood chips (1/2 cup for smoker or 1 cup for barbecue with each addition) to maintain smoke level.
• Transfer pork to clean rimmed baking sheet. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size pieces. Mound on platter. Pour any juices from sheet over pork. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer pork and any juices to baking dish. Cover with foil; chill. Before continuing, rewarm pork, covered, in 350°°F. oven about 30 minutes.)
• Divide pork among bottoms of buns. Drizzle lightly with barbecue sauce. Top with coleslaw. Cover with tops of buns.

Steps:

• Place boston butt pork roast in a dutch oven with enough water to come up to middle half of roast. Add salt and black pepper.
• Boil covered on middle low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until flaky tender. Lift roast out of water onto a plate and allow to cool.
• Shred or cut into small pieces resembling pulled pork. Put into a serving bowl and add sauce to one's own taste.
• SAUCE: Mix ketchup, water, lemon juice, oil, brown sugar, vinegar, worcestershire and red pepper flakes. Put in a small saucepan and boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Cool and use to season boston butt roast.
• Serve with vegetables or serve in a sandwich bun.
• Note: See recipe #310662 (coleslaw) and recipe #307995 (fried cornbread) for good suggested side dishes.

Steps:

• Cut roast into quarters. Mix brown sugar, salt, paprika and pepper; rub over meat. Place meat and onions in a 5-qt. slow cooker., In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and seasonings; pour over roast. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until meat is tender., Remove roast; cool slightly. Reserve 1-1/2 cups cooking juices; discard remaining juices. Skim fat from reserved juices. Shred pork with two forks. Return pork and reserved juices to slow cooker; heat through. Serve on buns with coleslaw.

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, fry half of the bacon pieces and the chopped onion in 1 tablespoon melted butter until the onions are golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add honey, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce and Worcestershire and simmer until the sauce thickens and slightly reduces, about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• While the sauce is cooking, fry the remaining bacon pieces until crisp then drain on paper towels. In a small mixing bowl, combine both paprikas, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder and celery seeds with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
• Lightly knead the ground pork with the bacon and liquid smoke (if you are using/ I didn't use) in a bowl. Loosely make 4 patties about 3/4" thick and place on a plate covered with saran wrap. Sprinkle the spice mixture on the top, bottom and sides of burger, patting it into the meat till it sticks. Brush the spice covered burgers and both sides of the bread with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.
• Light your grill and brush the grate with oil once it is heated. Grill the burgers for 12 minutes, turning once, until just cooked through. Remove the burgers from direct heat and grill the bread on both sides until toasted and the grill marks appear.
• Set each burger on a toast slice and top with the shredded cabbage and a generous helping of the honey-mustard sauce. Cover with the remaining toasted bread and serve immediately, passing the extra sauce separately.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix mild paprika, light brown sugar, hot paprika, celery salt, garlic salt, dry mustard, ground black pepper, onion powder, and salt. Rub spice mixture into the roast on all sides. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.
• Prepare a grill for indirect heat.
• Sprinkle a handful of soaked wood over coals, or place in the smoker box of a gas grill. Place pork butt roast on the grate over a drip pan. Cover grill, and cook pork until pork is tender and shreds easily, about 6 hours. Check hourly, adding fresh coals and hickory chips as necessary to maintain heat and smoke.
• Remove pork from heat and place on a cutting board. Allow the meat to cool approximately 15 minutes, then shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks. This requires patience.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together cider vinegar, water, ketchup, brown sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and white pepper. Continue whisking until brown sugar and salt have dissolved. Place shredded pork and vinegar sauce in a large roasting pan, and stir to coat pork. Serve immediately, or cover and keep warm on the grill for up to one hour until serving.