Carolinas BBQ

Carolina-Style Pulled Pork

Slow-smoked pork shoulder served with a thin, tangy vinegar-and-pepper sauce.

Ingredients

For the pork

  • 1 bone-in pork shoulder, approximately 8–10 pounds
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, for spritzing
  • ¼ cup apple juice, for spritzing

Dry rub

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Carolina vinegar sauce

  • 1½ cups apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pork:
    Trim away loose pieces and excessive surface fat, leaving approximately ¼ inch of fat.
  2. Season:
    Coat the pork shoulder lightly with mustard. Combine the dry-rub ingredients and apply generously over the entire roast. Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat the smoker:
    Heat the smoker to 250°F. Hickory, oak, apple, or pecan wood works well.
  4. Smoke:
    Place the pork in the smoker with the fat side facing the heat source. Smoke until the outside develops a dark, firm bark.
  5. Spritz:
    Combine the apple juice and vinegar. After the first three hours, lightly spritz the pork every 60–90 minutes when the surface appears dry.
  6. Wrap:
    When the internal temperature reaches approximately 165–175°F, tightly wrap the pork in butcher paper or foil.
  7. Finish cooking:
    Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches approximately 195–205°F. It is ready when a probe slides into the meat easily and the bone pulls out cleanly.
  8. Make the sauce:
    Combine all sauce ingredients in a jar. Shake until the sugar and salt dissolve. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
  9. Rest and pull:
    Rest the wrapped pork for at least one hour. Remove the bone, shred the meat, discard large pieces of fat, and mix in some of the vinegar sauce.
  10. Serve:
    Pile the pulled pork onto a soft bun and top it with coleslaw. Serve additional Carolina sauce on the side.

Carolina Variation

For a South Carolina twist, replace the vinegar sauce with mustard sauce made from yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and a little hot sauce.