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North Carolina Style Pulled Pork

Source of Recipe

The Barbecue Bible


Recipe Introduction

AUTHOR’s NOTE: “My friend and barbecue buddy, Elizabeth Karmel, makes the best pork shoulder I’ve tasted. Elizabeth comes from Greensboro, North Carolina, where she grew up on pulled pork. Her secret is to cook the pork to an internal temp of 195*f ~ higher than is recommended by most books. But this is the temp needed for the pork to separate easily into the fine, moist tender shreds characteristic of true Carolina barbecue. Elizabeth doesn’t use a rub, although many of her compatriots do. {I personally like the rub, but I’ve made it optional in the recipe.} “The following recipe calls solely for Boston butt {5~6#} which, thanks to its generous marbling, gives you superb barbecue.”

List of Ingredients

FOR THE RUB {optional see “Note” at end}

1 Tb mild paprika
2 tsp firmly packed light brown sugar
1-½ tsp hot paprika
½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp garlic salt
½ tsp dry mustard
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp salt

FOR THE BARBECUE

1 Boston Butt {bone~in pork shoulder roast; 5~6#} covered with a layer {1/2 to 1 inch thick} of fat.
Vinegar sauce {see recipe following}
10~12 hamburger buns
North Carolina style coleslaw {see recipe following}



Recipe

If using the rub, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss with our fingers to mix. Wearing rubber or plastic gloves if desired, rub this mixture into the pork should on all sides, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hrs, but preferably 8.

Set the grill up for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan in the center.

If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when smoke appears, lower the heat to medium~low.

If using a charcoal grill, preheat to medium~low and adjust the vents to obtain a temp of 325*f.

When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1 cup of wood chips on the coals. Place the shoulder, fat side up, on the hot grate over the drip pan. Cover the grill and smoke~cook the shoulder until full~off~the bone tender and the internal temp on an instant~read therm. Reaches 195*f, 4~6hrs. {The cooking time will depend on the size of the piece of meat and the heat of the grill.}

If using charcoal, add 10 to 12 fresh coals per side every hour, and toss more wood chips on the fresh coals, adding about 1C chips {1/2 C 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.

Transfer the pork roast to a cutting board, tent w/aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 min’s.
After the resting period, wearing heavy~duty rubber gloves, if desired, pull off and discard any skin from the meat, the pull the pork into pieces, discarding any bones/fat. Using your finger tips, or a fork, pull each piece of pork into shreds 1 to 2” long and 1/8 to 1/4” 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 cleaver. {MANY RESPECTED NORTH CAROLINA BARBECUE JOINTS SERVE CHOPPED ‘CUE.}

Transfer the shredded pork to a nonreactive roasting pan.

Stir in 1 to 1 ½ C of the vinegar sauce {recipe following} ~ enough to keep the pork moist, then cover the pan with foil and place on the grill for up to 30 minutes to keep warm.

To serve, mound the pulled pork on the hamburger buns, and top with coleslaw. Let each person add vinegar sauce to taste.

SERVES: 10~12

NOTE: 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.

VINEGAR SAUCE

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This peppery piquant VINEGAR SAUCE IS THE PREFERRED condiment of EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. In the WESTERN PART of the State, the sauce becomes MORE TOMATOEY, while in the SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE CAROLINAS , MUSTARD SAUCE REIGNS SUPREME.

2 C cider vinegar
1 & 1/3 C water
½ C + 2Tb ketchup
¼ C firmly packed brown sugar; or more to taste
5 tsp salt, or more to taste
4 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp freshly ground white pepper

Combine the vinegar, water, ketchup, brown, sugar, salt, hot pepper flakes, and peppers in a nonreactive medium~sized bowl and whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Taste for seasoning, adding sugar or salt as necessary; the sauce should be piquant but not quite sour.

Makes about 4 Cups

NORTH CAROLINA STYLE COLESLAW

1 small or ½ large head green cabbage {about 2#} cored
1 C vinegar sauce {see recipe above}
Salt {optional}

Chop the cabbage fine by hand or shred on a mandoline or using the shredding disk or a food processor. Place cabbage in large bowl and stir in vinegar sauce. Let stand for 10 minutes, then reseason as needed.

Makes about 6 Cups