Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Real Carolina pulled pork takes time, about 5 hours in a low oven, but most of that is hands-off. Season a bone-in pork shoulder with a spice rub, cover tightly, and let it go at 300°F until a fork slides through without resistance. The connective tissue breaks down into gelatin, which is what makes the shredded meat juicy and silky instead of dry.

The vinegar sauce is the defining difference between Carolina and other styles of barbecue. It’s thin, tangy, and sharp, apple cider vinegar, a little brown sugar, red pepper flakes. It soaks into the pulled pork rather than sitting on top. Pile it on soft buns, top with coleslaw.

Seasoning and Braising the Pork

Mix smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne into a dry rub. Massage it all over the pork shoulder, getting into every crevice.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. This dry rub creates a flavorful crust and seasons the meat throughout.

Place the seasoned pork in a Dutch oven and pour chicken broth around it. Cover tightly with foil and then the lid.

Braise at 300 degrees for four to five hours until the meat reaches 200 degrees internally and the bone slides out cleanly.

Making the Vinegar Sauce

While the pork cooks, whisk together apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.

Let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour so the flavors meld. Taste and adjust the balance. It should be assertively acidic with a good hit of heat from the pepper.

This sauce is meant to be strong because it needs to cut through all that rich pork fat. Traditional Eastern Carolina sauce has no tomato, no sweetness beyond a touch of sugar. It is all about the vinegar.

Shredding and Assembling

Remove the pork and shred with two forks, discarding the bone and any large pieces of fat.

Strain the braising liquid and skim off most of the fat.

Toss the shredded pork with the vinegar sauce and enough strained braising liquid to keep it moist but not soupy.

Pile the dressed pork on soft hamburger buns and top with a generous mound of coleslaw.

The slaw adds crunch and creaminess that balances the tangy pork. Serve with extra vinegar sauce on the side and plenty of napkins.

Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches

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5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Honest Cooking
• Total Time: 310 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Description

Carolina pulled pork is a different animal from the sweet, Kansas City-style BBQ most people know. In Eastern North Carolina, the pork gets doused in a sharp, vinegar-based sauce that cuts through the fat and makes you want bite after bite. No thick, sugary sauce — just tangy, peppery vinegar, slow-cooked pork, and a soft bun topped with coleslaw. It is arguably the purest form of American barbecue.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 lbs bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt)
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 8 soft hamburger buns
• Coleslaw for topping

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Instructions

1. Mix paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, and cayenne. Rub generously over the pork shoulder, working it into all the crevices. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 300°F. Place the pork in a Dutch oven and pour the chicken broth around it. Cover tightly with foil and then the lid.
3. Braise for 4 to 5 hours until the pork is fall-apart tender and reaches an internal temperature of 200°F.
4. While the pork cooks, make the Carolina vinegar sauce: whisk together apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Let it sit at room temperature while the pork cooks.
5. Remove the pork and shred with two forks, discarding the bone and excess fat. Strain the braising liquid and skim the fat.
6. Toss the shredded pork with the vinegar sauce and enough braising liquid to keep it moist.
7. Pile the pork on soft buns and top with a generous mound of coleslaw. Serve with extra vinegar sauce on the side.

Notes

• The vinegar sauce is meant to be assertive — it should make you pucker slightly. That acidity is what cuts through the richness of the slow-cooked pork.
• Bone-in pork shoulder produces significantly more flavor and moisture than boneless. The bone also tells you when it is done — it should slide out cleanly.
• This freezes beautifully. Portion the dressed pork into freezer bags and it will keep for 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat in a covered skillet.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 290 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: BBQ

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 460
• Sugar: 6
• Sodium: 790
• Fat: 20
• Carbohydrates: 28
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 40
• Cholesterol: 115