Eastern Carolina Pulled Pork

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Growing up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, I was surrounded by Eastern Carolina pulled pork sandwiches. They are served at football games, festivals, cookouts -- so they always remind me of a good time. What differentiates the Eastern Carolina Pork from other BBQ recipes is the vinegar-based sauce that soaks into the pork. Though I eat mine topped with coleslaw and a little bit of BBQ sauce, the vinegar-based sauce provides all the flavor you'll need to make this pork the star of your sandwich. Oh, and its easy to make for large groups.

Ingredients

  • For the sauce:
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp. tabasco
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the sauce by mixing all the ingredients together, this should be done in at least one day in advance.

For the rub:
boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (boston butt)- we usually get a 3 to 5 lb. cut

Rub it on all sides with a mixture of paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and old bay. Stick it in the oven at 225 for 14 hours. Let it cool for about 20 minutes then take 2 forks and pull the meat apart, it will shred easily. Toast buns of your choice, serve with coleslaw on top.