Classic North Carolina Pulled Pork Food

NORTH CAROLINA-STYLE PULLED PORK

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.

NORTH CAROLINA PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Preheat slow cooker on Low for 15 minutes.
• Season pork shoulder with salt and pepper; place pork in preheated slow cooker. Mix ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar in a bowl; pour over pork.
• Cook on Low for 8 hours. Transfer pork to a large platter and slice into 3 to 4 pieces. Shred meat with 2 forks and return to slow cooker. Continue to cook for 1 hour.

NORTH CAROLINA-STYLE PULLED PORK

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.

CLASSIC NORTH CAROLINA PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Season pork all over with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day, stir together garlic and oil. Mix together sugars, paprika, pepper, mustard, and thyme. Rub oil mixture over pork, then sugar mixture. Let stand while you heat grill.
• Open grill vents. Prepare a chimney with 80 charcoal briquettes; place on small lower grate. Ignite; let burn until top layer is turning ash gray, about 20 minutes. Place a small disposable roasting pan on one side of grate. Add 2 cups hot water. Pour coals in on other side. Top with main grill grate.
• Place pork on grill, over pan of water. Cover grill with lid, keeping top and bottom vents halfway open. Every hour, add briquettes (about 16) as needed to keep grill temperature at a steady 300 degrees. Cook until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of pork registers about 200 degrees, 7 to 8 hours.
• Let meat stand 20 minutes before pulling apart with two forks. Meanwhile, whisk together sauce ingredients in a bowl. Toss pulled pork with 1 cup sauce. Pile pork on buns, then top with slaw and cucumber. Serve, with pickles and remaining sauce on the side.

NORTH CAROLINA PULLED PORK

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.

NORTH CAROLINA-STYLE PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, red pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil; remove from heat.
• Save about 2 cups of the vinegar mixture for serving, and use the rest for basting.
• Sprinkle the pork roast with salt and pepper; place on a foil-lined baking or roasting pan.
• Roast, uncovered, at 275 F for about 7 hours, or until the roast reaches 200 F on a meat thermometer or oven probe inserted in the center of the thickest part of the roast.
• Baste about every hour with the sauce saved for basting. The roast should be very tender.
• Remove the roast and shred with 2 forks, discarding large pieces of fat.
• Warm the reserved sauce and pass at the table for people to spoon over their pork. (You can also serve barbecue sauce with this pork; it's delicious as a topping with coleslaw and pickle slices.)
• Serve with slaw, pickles, toasted buns , and baked beans or your favorite sides.

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA BARBECUE

Steps:

• Add hickory, oak, and maple chunks or chips to your smoker. Refer to the directions for your smoker to determine the correct amount of chips for the meat and for lighting instructions. When the chips are ready, add the pork and smoke it for 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 250 degrees F. Remove the pork and wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Cook the pork for 6 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender and falls apart when the bone is removed. Chop the pork coarsely and mix in salt and Barbecue Sauce, to taste. Serve with more Barbecue Sauce on the side.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, red pepper, garlic, and salt over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-high. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes and then remove from the heat. Let cool then add the black pepper.

NORTH CAROLINA PULLED PORK

Steps:

• Make the sauce one or two days ahead.
• Roll the pork in the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
• Bake like you normaly would, usually low and slow.
• At this point the rest is up to you-you can shred the pork now with forks, and chop some (this is what you would do if you had been grilling or smoking the roast), adding sauce of choice.
• Or, if you have a good amount of leftover pork butt roast you can --
• Get a large pot and place the pork in it.
• Add water up to half way up the pork-cut up 3 or 4 onions and a whole head of garlic and add to water along with the bay-bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer-I simmer for around 3 hours or until the pork is falling away from the bone.
• Remove the meat (reserve the broth for something else like beans or soup) Shred the pork and add to sauce of choice.
• Serve on toasted buns, some folks put slaw on it or on the side and Southern Barbecued Beans.
• For the Lexington style sauce add all ingredients to a pot, bring to a boil and simmer to desired thickness.
• For the NC firey style bring to a boil-reduce and simmer for 15 minutes-this will keep for 6 months in the fridge.

AMERICAN KITCHEN CLASSIC WESTERN CAROLINA STYLE PULLED PORK BBQ

Steps:

• Combine 1 quart of water with the salt, soy sauce, honey, molasses and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in the remaining 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 them 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 from the smoker to a cutting board and shred when cool enough to handle.
• Arrange on a serving platter and serve with your choice of BBQ sauce.

CAROLINA BBQ RUB

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a small bowl, combine paprika, salt, white sugar, brown sugar, ground cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Use as a dry rub on pork, chicken, beef, lamb, and vegetables. Make sure that the rub has a fine consistency and that the brown sugar leaves no clumps.
• To apply the rub, gently pat it on all surfaces of the meat and cook as directed.