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Carolina Pulled Pork with Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Our Sweet Basil Kitchen" by Cade and Carrion Cheney


Recipe Introduction

"Any real Southerner knows that the best pulled pork cooks low and slow. And since this dish must be started two days ahead of serving, it clearly is the best recipe ever. Don't worry, though, it really doesn't take much work, and most of the time is so the pork can soak in a brine before being slipped into the oven. And, oh, the wait is so worth it! Just remember that it is as important to let the meat rest as it is to cook slow, so don't skip that step."

List of Ingredients

◦  1 (5- to 8-pound) pork shoulder or butt roast, bone in and fat pad on top
◦  4 cups water
◦  4 cups apple cider
◦  ½ cup kosher salt
◦  ½ cup dark brown sugar
◦  Dry Pork Rub (recipe follows)
◦  1 pinch red pepper flakes
◦  2 bay leaves
◦  Carolina Vinegar Sauce (optional; recipe follows)
â—¦ Mustard BBQ Sauce (optional; recipe follows)


Recipe

Two days before serving, combine the water, apple cider, salt, sugar, 3 heaping tablespoons of the Dry Pork Rub, pepper flakes, and bay leaves in a large stockpot. Rinse off the pork and place it in the pot, making sure it is completely covered by the brine. Lid the pot and place it in the refrigerator 12 to 24 hours.

The day before serving, preheat the oven to 225° F.
Remove the pork from the brine and place in a roasting pan or 9x13-inch baking pan, fat pad up. Make sure the sides of the roast do not touch the sides of the pan. Pat roast very dry with paper towels. Remove 2 tablespoons of the Dry Pork Rub to a small Ziploc bag and set aside for later use. With your hands, rub the remaining Dry Pork Rub all over the pork and in any cracks or flaps.

Return roast, fat-side facing up, to the pan, insert an oven thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, and roast 12 to 14 hours, until the thermometer registers 200° F. Some ovens turn off automatically after 12 hours, so make sure to check yours and turn it back on if needed.

When the temperature reaches 200° F, turn off the oven and leave the pork in there to rest 2 hours. If you need the oven for other purposes, remove the pan, cover the meat with foil, and allow it to rest on the counter for 2 hours.

Once the meat has rested, remove the fat from the top. Drain off and reserve half of the pan juices. In a large bowl or dish, using two forks, shred the meat and remove the bone. Pour some or all of the reserved pan juices and the reserved Dry Pork Rub to taste over the meat and toss to coat. Serve as is or on buns with either Carolina Vinegar Sauce or Mustard BBQ Sauce drizzled over everything.

Serves 12



DRY PORK RUB:

â—¦ 1 tablespoon onion powder
â—¦ 1 heaping tablespoon smoked paprika
â—¦ 1 tablespoon garlic powder
â—¦ 1 tablespoon chili powder
â—¦ 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
â—¦ 1 tablespoon pepper
â—¦ 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
â—¦ 2 teaspoons dry mustard
â—¦ 1 tablespoon cumin
â—¦ ½ cup dark brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and transfer to a mason jar. Screw lid on tightly and store until ready to use, or up to 2 months.



CAROLINA VINEGAR SAUCE:

â—¦ ½ cup apple cider vinegar
â—¦ ½ cup white vinegar
â—¦ ¼ to ½ cup brown sugar
â—¦ ½ teaspoon chili powder
â—¦ 2 pinches red pepper flakes
â—¦ Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.



MUSTARD BBQ SAUCE:

◦ ¾ cup yellow mustard
◦ ½ cup honey
◦ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
◦ 2 tablespoons ketchup
◦ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
◦ 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
◦ 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
◦ 2 tablespoons butter, melted
◦ Pinch of nutmeg
◦ Dash liquid smoke

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour sauce into a jar with a lid and refrigerate for 1 day to 1 week prior to serving, as this builds the best flavor. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 months.