What’s for Dinner? North Carolina-Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Coleslaw and Pickled Onions

Pulled Pork Sandwich with Coleslaw and Pickled Onions - Now that's good eatin'!

The Occasion: Oh yes indeed, it’s always a special occasion when it comes to making pulled pork. This is a ritual, not a casual endeavor, requiring one to haul out the smoker, stock up on charcoal and wood chips, and babysit the meat cooking low and slow for nearly 12 hours.

Worth it? Mmmm yup.

This time the special occasion was another of our (in)famous themed dinner parties with The Foodies. The full story about that meal is coming in a few days, but I’ll tell you that the motto of our main course was Pig Out. We made pulled pork sandwiches with all the fixings plus babyback pork ribs – and beef ribs too because why not.

The Recipe: I did a lot of online research in preparation for this meal, comparing recipes and techniques. Good news – there’s a lot of awesome Q to be had out there! We wound up using recipes from the Barbecue King himself, Steven Raichlen. The man knows what he’s doing and, thanks to his easy to follow instructions, now so do I. Thanks, Steve!

This baby will be smoking up the yard (and neighborhood) for nearly 12 hours!

What Makes It Special: Hello! Low and slow. 12 hours in the smoker. I’m not sure what else needs saying. I guess ‘authenticity’ is a big part of what makes this special. As you know, there are many styles of barbecue from around the country. This recipe follows the North Carolina tradition of vinegar-forward ‘cue and slaw. I was worried it might be too vinegar-y, but nope, just right. 

(In case you’re interested, we did a Kansas City BBQ treatment for the ribs – sweeter and more tomato flavor. We’ve posted about our smoked ribs before. Find the story and recipe here.) 

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Serve With: Any of the traditional soul food or barbecue sides will be perfect with this sandwich. Baked beans, corn on the cob or tasty corn pudding, mac and cheese, collard greens. And of course the mandatory vinegar-based coleslaw sits right on top of the sandwich, where it belongs. 

These pork shoulders have just started smoking. See you in 12 hours, Porky!

Kitchen Tips: Smoking the pork shoulder will take a loooooong time. The guideline is 1 ½ hours per pound of meat, and it’s common to hit a sticking point where the internal temperature just refuses to rise. You either wait it out – continuing to keep the smoker fire going for as long as it takes – or you wrap the meat in foil and finish roasting it on the gas grill. After about 10 hours in the smoker, we opted to use the grill for the final 90 minutes. Turned out perfectly.  

There’s no harm in cooking the meat a day or two prior to mealtime, and in fact you almost have to, given the lengthy prep time. After the meat reached the optimal internal temperature (195˚F.) we let it cool a bit, then broke it into large chunks to store overnight in the fridge. On party day we shredded the pork using two forks. Heads up: this will take a looooooong time too. Do it anyway. (Some rebels prefer to chop the meat, but BBQ purists know that hand-shredding is the way to go.)
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The pickled onions can be made days in advance and will keep for 1-2 weeks. I shredded the cabbage for coleslaw and made the sauce the day before, stored them separately, and combined them several hours before dinnertime so the ingredients could get acquainted and cozy up to each other. 

The Verdict: Making pulled pork was a BIG production with many steps (rub, smoke, mop, sauce, and toppings) but - hallelujah! - it was most definitely worth the effort. Our guests were thrilled and satisfied in equal measures, and the leftovers left smiles behind when they were enjoyed the next day. I don’t have the stamina to do this more than once a year, but I’m already looking forward to next year’s porkapalooza. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

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North Carolina Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Recipe source: Steven Raichlen, The Barbecue! Bible 10th Anniversary Edition via Epicurious
 
Grilling Method

• Indirect grilling

Advance preparation

• 3 to 8 hours for marinating the meat (optional); also, allow yourself 4 to 6 hours cooking time

Special equipment

• 6 cups hickory chips or chunks, soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover and drained

INGREDIENTS:

For the rub (optional but recommended)

• 1 tablespoon mild paprika
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the barbecue

• 1 Boston butt (bone-in pork shoulder roast; 5 to 6 pounds), covered with a thick (1/2 inch) layer of fat
• Cider Squirt Mop Sauce – recipe below
• Vinegar Sauce – recipe below
• 10 to 12 hamburger buns
• North Carolina–Style Coleslaw – recipe below
• Quick Pickled Red Onions – recipe below

DIRECTIONS:
 

• If using the rub, combine the mild paprika, brown sugar, hot paprika, celery salt, garlic salt, dry mustard, pepper, onion powder, and salt in a bowl and toss with your fingers to mix. Wearing rubber or plastic gloves if desired, rub the spice mixture onto the pork shoulder on all sides, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, preferably 8.
• If not using the rub, generously season the pork all over with coarse (kosher or sea) salt and freshly ground black pepper; you can start cooking immediately.
• Set up the grill for indirect grilling and place a drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when smoke appears, reduce the heat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, preheat the grill to medium-low and adjust the vents to obtain a temperature of 300°F.
• When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1 cup of the wood chips on the coals. Place the pork shoulder, fat side up, on the hot grate over the drip pan. Cover the grill and smoke cook the pork shoulder until fall-off-the-bone tender and the internal temperature on an instant-read meat thermometer reaches 195°F, 4 to 6 hours (the cooking time will depend on the size of the pork roast and the heat of the grill). If using charcoal, you'll need to add 10 to 12 fresh coals to each side every hour and toss more wood chips on the fresh coals; add about 1/2 cup per side every time you replenish the coals. With gas, all you need to do is be sure that you start with a full tank of gas. If the pork begins to brown too much, drape a piece of aluminum foil loosely over it or lower the heat.
• Periodically, baste the meat with the cider mop sauce to keep the meat moist and tender - about once per hour. We like to use a spray bottle, but you can use a cloth or silicon brush to “mop” the meat if preferred.
• Transfer the pork roast to a cutting board, loosely tent it with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Wearing heavy-duty rubber gloves if desired, pull off and discard any skin from the meat, then pull the pork into pieces, discarding any bones or fat. Using your fingertips or a fork, pull each piece of pork into shreds 1 to 2 inches long and 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. This requires time and patience, but a human touch is needed to achieve the perfect texture. If patience isn't one of your virtues, you can finely chop the pork with a cleaver (many respected North Carolina barbecue joints serve chopped 'cue). Transfer the shredded pork to a nonreactive roasting pan. Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the vinegar sauce, enough to keep the pork moist, then cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it on the grill for up to 30 minutes to keep warm.
• To serve, mound the pulled pork on the hamburger buns and top with coleslaw and pickled onions. Let each person add more vinegar sauce to taste.

Excerpted from The Barbecue! Bible 10th Anniversary Edition. © 1998, 2008 by Steven Raichlen. Workman
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Cider Squirt Mop Sauce
Recipe source: Steve Raichlen’s Barbecue! Bible
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups apple cider
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine all the ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
• Let cool to room temperature.
• Transfer the squirt to a spray bottle and use right away or refrigerate.
• Use within 1 or 2 days of making.
• Tips: You wouldn’t want to eat this stuff straight, but spray it on roasting or smoking meat and it adds a world of flavor. I put the “squirt” in a spray bottle and spray it right on the meat. Alternatively, brush it on with a mop or basting brush. When cooking chicken or ribs, apply every 30 minutes. When cooking a large cut of meat (like a brisket or pork shoulder), apply every hour.

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Vinegar Sauce
Recipe source: Steve Raichlen’s Barbecue! Bible
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar, or more to taste
• 5 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
• 4 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine the vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and white pepper with 1 1/3 cups of water in a nonreactive medium-size bowl and whisk until the sugar and salt dissolve.
• Taste for seasoning, adding more brown sugar and/or salt as necessary; the sauce should be piquant but not quite sour.

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North Carolina Style Coleslaw
Recipe source: Steve Raichlen’s Barbecue! Bible
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small or 1/2 large head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored
• 1 cup Vinegar Sauce or more to taste – see recipe above
• Salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

• Finely chop the cabbage by hand or shred it on a mandoline or using the shredding disk of a food processor.
• Place the cabbage in a large bowl and stir in the Vinegar Sauce.
• Let stand for 10 minutes, then taste for seasoning, adding salt and/or more sauce as needed.

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Quick Pickled Red Onions
Recipe source: Steve Raichlen’s Barbecue! Bible
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt (sea or kosher)
• 1 large red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced crosswise

DIRECTIONS:

• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil.
• Add the onion and remove from the heat.
• Make sure the onion is submerged in the liquid. Let the onion sit for 1 hour before serving.
• Store any leftover onion in its brine in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

What's your favorite labor-intensive, once-a-year dish to make? Tell us in the Comments