Carolina Pulled Pork

My first taste of Southern Bbq was in September of 1994, a month after I moved to Durham NC from Toronto Canada.  Right away I loved that slight tangy flavor of vinegar, peppers and smoke.

I remember my first “pig pickin” where a whole hog sat in full display on top of the bbq just begging to be eaten.  People stood in line aching to pull the pork from the hog and sink their teeth into that first bite of warm juicy flesh.  The feast included sides of slaw, baked beans, hushpuppies and sweet tea (of course).  This was my introduction to something very Southern and very special and was a great way to spend an afternoon with friends.

Since that first bite 15 years ago, I have eaten my fair share of bbq from a multitude of bbq joints all over the South.  Unlike most people I don’t have a favorite spot or style, I just love it for what it is.

Recently I decided to try making my own bbq pork.  I experimented with several recipes before coming up with the recipe below.  It’s a combination of several I came across and it is really good.

I don’t have a smoker or the time to tend to one, so I adapted the recipe to use in a Crockpot.

Just remember, It’s all about “low and slow”. Enjoy!

Jojo’s Carolina Pulled Pork Recipe 
                                                             Ingredients

 1 8-10 lb Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt

The Rub

2 Tbs Chili Powder 
3-4 Tbs Brown Sugar

      1 ½ tsp salt

      1 Tbs Dry Mustard

      1 Tbs Garlic Powder

      1 Tbs Onion Powder

Crockpot Liquid

     1/3 Apple Cider Vinegar

      3/4 Cup Apple Juice

      5-10 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce

      5 Cloves Garlic, smashed

      Preferred Liquid Smoke to taste

Barbeque Sauce

 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar or to taste

1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp Dry Mustard
1 tsp garlic

1 ½ tsp sugar (experiment with taste)

·      Cayenne Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Lay enough plastic wrap on a cutting board (plastic will extend over the edges) to wrap up pork

2. Wash pork, pat dry and place pork on the plastic

3. Mix the rub ingredients together and rub over entire pork. (I added a small amount of oil to the fat side to help it adhere)

4. Wrap pork tightly and refrigerate 12-24 hrs

5. Take pork out of the fridge and let it sit for about half an hour

6. Set Crockpot on low

7. Sear pork on all sides in a pan

8. Place pork in the Crockpot

9. Mix Crockpot liquid (except garlic) and add to pot

10. Add garlic

11. Cover tightly with foil and place the lid over the foil (this ensures the pot is sealed completely)

11. Let the pork cook on low for 10 hrs, then turn the dial to warm and let it rest like this for another hour or two.

12. Take the pork out of the Crockpot and place in a glass dish.

13. Using two forks, shred the pork

14. Pour bbq sauce over the pork

15. Eat & Enjoy