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I should probably, in the spirit of full disclosure, tell you that I am not from the South. I am from California, and to me, barbecue means meat cooked on a grill, over an open flame, ideally on the rare side. Heck, you could even throw some corn on there. Or artichokes. Or be really crazy and barbecue some avocados .
Fortunately for you all, this recipe is not one of my family recipes. It’s from my friend Mallory, who is from Illinois but LIVES in South Carolina, and she’s married to a North Carolinan (Carolingian?) to boot. Carolina Barbecue isn’t the style of barbecue most of you Yankees think of — there is no tomato, no molasses, no honey, no sweet and sticky sauce. Just vinegar, and lots of it. This is sour barbecue, and I love it. Hello, my name is Kate and I am addicted to things that are tart.
Of course, a real barbecue aficionado will point out that this is not barbecue at all because there is no fire or smoke, and that would be true, but let’s just ignore that, because I don’t know about you but I don’t have a barrel smoker in my yard – heck, I don’t have a yard – and a crockpot will just have to do.
I will further horrify barbecue aficionados by telling you that while I do make this with a pork shoulder or butt (and don’t try a loin, because it will be dry as dry and will be like sawdust. Sadly, you do need the fat here) I cut off the big piece of fat that is on top of that shoulder. You’ll know it when you see it. I’m no fat free nut (as my enduring love of bacon attests), but that big slab of fat kind of grosses me out, so it has to go. If you really love the lard, go ahead and render it. I won’t mind. After you cut off the fat, you rub the meat with spices, and set it atop some onions in your crockpot.
Then you mix up the kicker – the vinegar sauce. Vinegar, a little sugar, some salt, some seasonings. A little more vinegar. Did I mention I like things tart? You pour part of the vinegar mixture over the pork, you cover it, turn your slow cooker to low, and walk away for at least 8 hours.
When you come back, you will be confronted with something that looks like this:
If your mouth isn’t watering yet, then either your browser is set wrong or you don’ have a proper appreciation for the porky goodness that is about to ensue. Of course, you don’t stop here – what about the rest of that vinegar? This is the point at which you pull the pork. Start with two forks and pull the pork apart. Then use your fingers.
Looks good, huh? Maybe a little dry?
Deploy the shredded pork into a bowl, add the juices from the crock pot, and pour over the remaining vinegar sauce. (If your eaters aren’t vinegar addicts, you could always serve the sauce on the side, I suppose).
(I wished as soon as I took this that I had used a different bowl, but I wasn’t about to get another one dirty. This is reality folks).
The classic application for pulled pork is to eat it as a sandwich (though probably not so classic on ciabatta with parsley. I may have mentioned I’m from California). But don’t let your imagination stop there. Add it to chili, make it into nachos (tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream, ranch beans and pulled pork topped with cheese. Yes, I have eaten this), use as a filling for enchiladas, or eat it straight with cornbread.
But save some for me.
Recipe
Carolina Barbecue Pulled Pork
2 onions, quartered
2 T brown sugar
1 T smoked paprika
2 t salt
½ t ground black pepper
1 (4-6 lb) pork butt or shoulder roast
Sauce
1 c cider vinegar
1/3 c Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ t crushed red pepper flakes
2 t sugar
½ t dry mustard
½ t garlic salt
¼ t cayenne pepper
Place onions in crock pot. Blend brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper; rub over roast. Place roast in crock pot.
Combine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic salt and cayenne pepper and stir to mix well. Drizzle about 1/3 of mixture over roast. Cover and refrigerate remaining mixture. Cook roast on low for 8-10 hours. Remove meat and onions, discard onions and shred meat. Add juices from crock pot and remaining vinegar mixture (a portion may be reserved to pass). Serve plain or as sandwiches.
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oooh, that looks so yummy. Even at 10am, so that’s a sign that it really must be good, lol.
As someone with a smoker…well, three actually…who also is not from the south allow me one quick observation.
A pork butt in my smoker takes 12+ hours…I don’t see how it can be done in a crock pot in 8 unless you are on high.
Even if we are modifying the true Southern Q to work in our lives there is no substitution for long, low and slow.
Try it longer, on low…see if that doesn’t do something to the protein strands denaturing that will make it like angels dancing on your tongue.
It’s possible my shoulder (And I used a shoulder) was smaller than I noted in the recipe (though only slightly — it was in no way less than 3.5 lbs) bt it was definitely done after 8 on low. (I have a low tech crock pot which only allows me to set it for 4 or 6 hours on high, and 8 or 10 on low, and then switches to warm. ) I think the moist heat of the crockpot might influence the texture — there’s definitely an issue with mushiness if you let meats go too long in the crockpot — the corned beef I made earlier this week was definitely mushy.
That sandwich looks really tasty!
Picture made me think of a Donner kebap, so much so, I had to go and get one for lunch
Anyone, love the recipe and will try it when my vegetarian guests depart this week.
I made this today and it turned out great! Will definitely be making it again. I followed you from tastespotting.com Also the one I used was a little bigger than 3.5 pounds and was done in 8 hours on low in the crockpot. Yummy! Thanks for posting the recipe!
we always do ours slowly in the oven on a low temperature. using the crockpot sounds wonderful! thanks for sharing.
For the record, it’s North Carolinian (care-oh-LYNN-ee-en). And I appreciate your candor regarding your California-ness.
North Carolina-style barbecue on ciabatta with parsley…that just makes me smile!
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[...] crockpot meals that may be summer-appropriate include Black beans 3 ways and Carolina Barbecue Pulled Pork If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS [...]
I was looking for a flavor of home since I am living in Texas now. They do take the bbq serious here but its all beef! I don’t have a smoker so this sounded like a great alternative and it was. ONE suggestion…North Carolinians eat this on a bun with slaw (not fancy slaw…just cabage, salt, pepper, & mayo). YUMMO!
While attending school at East Carolina, I realized that there was a right and wrong way to serve bbq – your recipe is definitely the right way!
I added a little liquid smoke and served it with slaw – perfect for the crowds during a football game.
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[...] trust, the act of cooking that recipe connects you to the recipe’s giver. Every time I make Crockpot Carolina Pulled Pork, I think of my friend Mallory, whom I haven’t seen in person in FAR too long, and it feels [...]
I grew up in North Carolina and I know a thing or two about pulled pork, and this recipe has blown all of the bbq I have tasted before out of the water. It is amazingly good and even more so amazingly easy. Thank you for sharing such a gem. I am sure your friend from the south was charged with treason for giving away the family secret.
We made this recipe for a recent tailgate in Virginia and it was delicious. We got so many compliments and we can’t wait to make it again. Thanks for sharing!
I used to live in Goldsboro, NC and missed “Wilbur’s” after leaving there. Searched for a very long time for a suitable recipe that did not take building my own slow wood burning barbecue. Found a recipe very similar to this one but found it was missing something. After a visit back to “Wilbur’s” found I was missing the smoke flavor in my pork. Have since been using 2 Tablespoons of “Liquid Smoke” to my recipe. A very good friend of mine who grew up in Goldsboro states it is as good as “Wilbur’s” without the actual fire.
I grew up near Goldsboro, NC – eating Wilbur’s and now live overseas. I am always craving eastern NC barbeque! I will try this recipe!
I just made this today, it turned out fantastic! Thank you for the recipe, this one is a keeper. I have an old style crock-pot that has only a low and high setting. I cooked a 4lb pork butt for 8 hrs on low.
Oh man, I’m going to have to try this. I fill up on bbq every time I visit my mom in NC, but I miss it when I’m not there. I think we’ll put it on the classic NC hamburger bun with some cole slaw though
with your sauce , what do u mean by “C” I am not familar with this measurement.
Hansford, a “c.” is an abbreviation for a cup. 1 cup is 240 millileters or 8 fluid ounces.
it seems dry> i leave the oven on at 150 for ab9ut 18 hours> no ne dies its fine