Carolina Pulled Pork

My parents were visiting from Memphis this weekend so we decided to invite the cousins over & do a some pulled pork on the grill. This really couldn't be much easier as you only have to put some rub on the pork, oil it & let it grill nice & low for 3-4 hours. The pork comes out juicy & tender (it was hard to keep people from picking at it while it stood waiting to be pulled it was so good). The Carolina Mop gets added after the pork has been pulled giving it that vinegar tang that Carolina BBQ is known for. We made 5 lbs of pork & six adults finished it in one sitting. After having it on buns we ended up just passing the bowl around nibbling until it was gone.


Carolina Pulled Pork
(from Mastering the Grill: The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking)

1 5lb boneless pork shoulder, have your butcher tie it up for you.
2 T canola oil

Fragrant Chili Rub

2 T kosher salt
2 T paprika
1 t brown sugar
1 T ground ancho chile
1 to 3 t ground chipotle chile (make it as hot as you like)
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground pepper

Combine all ingredients. Can be stored for 1 month in an airtight container at room temperature.

Rub the pork all over with 1/4 c of the rub. Then coat it with the oil & let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes.

Heat the grill to 325 - 350.
Put the pork on the grill over indirect heat, cover & allow to cook for 3 to 4 hours until a thermometer registers 185F.
When the pork is done remove it to a cutting board & cover with tin foil. Allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes.
Cut the strings off the pork & cut into slices. Then using your hands or two forks tear it into shreds.

South Carolina Vinegar Mop

3/4 c apple cider vinegar
2 T sugar
2 T Tabasco
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients. Mix in with the pork & serve on hamburger rolls. Matt likes them with creamy coleslaw on top.

Serves 6 - 8

Somehow I ended up with no pictures of the finished sandwiches. We all dove into these so fast it would have all been a blur.

Mastering the Grill: The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking also gives two other ways of flavoring this pork, a Pungent Vietnamese Sauce and a Sicilian Bath. I think we'll try the Vietnamese version next.