South Carolina Pulled Pork Recipes

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:

• 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:

• Combine the onion salt, paprika, 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar, the chili powder, allspice and black pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the spice mix; rub the remaining spice mix all over the pork. Wrap the pork in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning to brown it on all sides; this will take about 16 minutes. Transfer to a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker.
• Add the vinegar, the reserved tablespoon of the spice mix and the remaining 3 tablespoons of brown sugar to the skillet; as the mixture begins to boil, use a wooden spoon or spatula to dislodge any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 10 hours, until the pork is fork-tender.
• To serve, remove the pork from the cooker and cut it into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then use 2 forks to shred the slices into bite-size pieces.
• Add the hot pepper sauce to the liquid in the cooker, then return the pork and any accumulated juices to the cooker and toss to coat with the liquid. Serve warm, or keep warm for up to several hours.

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:

• Cut the pork roast into large chunks. Season generously with the Cajun seasoning. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork, and brown on all sides. Remove from the skillet, and transfer to a slow cooker.
• Add the onion and garlic to the skillet, and cook for a few minutes until tender. Stir in the water scraping the bottom to include all of the browned pork bits from the bottom of the pan, then pour the whole mixture into the slow cooker with the pork. Stir in liquid smoke flavoring.
• Cover, and cook on High for 6 hours, or until meat is falling apart when pierced with a fork. Remove pieces of pork from the slow cooker, and shred. Return to the slow cooker to keep warm while serving.

Steps:

• Make the rub: add the mustard, paprika, salt, peppers, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne in a bowl; stir to mix.
• Sprinkle rub all over the pork, patting it onto the meat with your fingertips; let the pork cure at room temperature while you make the mop sauce.
• Mop sauce: combine the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl; add in ½ cup water and whisk until salt dissolves.
• Set up grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium-low-for a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then decrease heat to medium low.
• When ready to cook, place the pork, skin side up, in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat, and cover the grill.
• Cook the pork until darkly browned on the outside and very tender inside, 4-6 hours.
• Test for doneness with an instant read thermometer; the internal temperature should be about 195°; if the pork starts to brown too much, cover it loosely with foil.
• Every hour, for the first 4 hours, swab the pork with some of the mop sauce, using a barbecue mop or basting brush.
• Make the mustard barbecue sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add in onion and garlic; cook until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, and hot sauce; add ½ cup of water; let sauce simmer, uncovered, until thick and richly flavored, 6-10 minutes.
• Taste for seasoning, adding more hot sauce as needed and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
• Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving.
• When the pork is done, transfer the cooked pork to a cutting board, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes.
• You could pull the pork or chop the pork, but Steven likes to thinly slice it across the grain.
• Place the pork slices in a foil pan if you are not quite ready to serve, cover the pan with foil and place it on a warm, not hot, grill or in an oven turned on low.
• To serve: brush the buns with melted butter and lightly toast them on the grill; load each bun with sliced pork and slather with mustard sauce.
• Top the pork and sauce with pickles and serve at once.

Steps:

• Dissolve 1 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons liquid smoke in 4 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge pork in brine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• While pork brines, combine 1/4 yellow mustard and remaining 2 teaspoons liquid smoke in small bowl; set aside. Combine 2 tbsp black pepper, 2 tablespoons paprika, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoons cayenne pepper in second small bowl; set aside.
• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle and heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Remove pork from brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub mustard mixture over entire surface of each piece of pork. Sprinkle entire surface of each piece with spice mixture. Place pork on wire rach inside foil-lined baking sheet. Place piece of parchment paper over pork, then cover with sheet of aluminum foil, sealing edges to prevent moisture from escaping. Roast pork for 3 hours.
• Remove pork from oven; remove and discard foil and parchment. Carefully pour off liquid in botton of baking sheet into fat separator and reserve for sauce. Return pork to oven and cook, uncovered, until well browned, tendeer, and internal temperature registers 200 degrees on instant-read thermometer about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer pork to serving dish, tent loosely with foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
• While pork rests, pour 1/2 cup of defatted cooking liquid from fat separator into medium bowl.
• Combine all sauce ingredients in medium bowl with cooking liquid and whisk to combine.
• Second Sauce: Lexington Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:.
• 1 cup cider vinegar.
• 1/2 cup ketchup.
• 1/2 cup water.
• 1 tablespoons sugar.
• 3/4 teaspoons salt.
• 3/4 red pepper flakes.
• 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper.

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:

• 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.