Carolina Style Pulled Pork

North Carolina smoked pork, pulled or chopped, served the way it is at a pig pickin': piled high, splashed with a sharp vinegar and pepper sauce, with coleslaw and hushpuppies close at hand.

The Carolina way with pork

In the Carolinas, barbecue means pork. In eastern North Carolina the tradition centers on the whole hog, cooked slowly over coals, then pulled or chopped with meat from every part of the pig mixed together and seasoned with a thin sauce of vinegar, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt. In the Piedmont, around Lexington, cooks usually smoke pork shoulders instead and serve them with a "dip" that adds a little ketchup or tomato to the vinegar. South Carolina adds its own mustard-based sauce to the family. Read more in our Carolina barbecue guide.

What ties it all together is the idea that smoked pork should taste like pork and smoke first, with a sauce that cuts through the richness rather than covering it up.

Pulled vs. chopped

Pulled pork is shredded by hand or with forks into long strands. Chopped pork, the classic North Carolina presentation, is chopped with a cleaver into smaller pieces, often coarse or fine depending on the restaurant. Either way, the best pulled or chopped pork mixes tender interior meat with bits of the dark, smoky outer bark.

How to serve ready-smoked pulled pork

Ready-to-eat pulled pork usually ships fully cooked, chilled or frozen, often in tubs or vacuum-sealed packs. Follow the product's directions, and keep these tips in mind:

  • Thaw in the refrigerator. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) calls this the best way to safely thaw meat.
  • Reheat with moisture. Warm the pork in a covered pan on the stove or in a low oven with a splash of vinegar sauce, apple juice or broth, stirring now and then. A slow cooker works well for a crowd.
  • Reheat thoroughly. FSIS advises reheating leftovers and previously cooked food to 165 °F, measured with a food thermometer.
  • Hold it hot. If you are serving over a long party, FSIS says hot food should be kept at 140 °F or warmer, for example in a slow cooker or chafing dish.
  • Sauce lightly. Carolina vinegar sauce is thin and powerful. Toss the pork with a little, and put more on the table.

The classic Carolina barbecue sandwich

  1. Warm a soft hamburger bun.
  2. Pile on hot pulled or chopped pork.
  3. Splash on vinegar-pepper sauce.
  4. Top with a spoonful of coleslaw, right on the sandwich. In much of North Carolina that is simply how it is done.

Serve with hushpuppies, more slaw, and sweet tea.

Feeding a crowd

Pulled pork is the easiest barbecue to stretch across a big group. It reheats well, holds well in a slow cooker or roaster, and works for sandwiches, plates, sliders, tacos and nachos. Set out buns, slaw, pickles and two sauces (a vinegar sauce and a sweeter tomato sauce), and guests can build their own. For a full Carolina-style party, see our guide to the pig pickin'.

Storing leftovers

Refrigerate within two hours of serving (within one hour above 90 °F), in shallow covered containers. FSIS says leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, or 3 to 4 months in the freezer for best quality. Freeze pulled pork in portions with a little of its juice or sauce so it reheats evenly.

Make your own

Smoking a pork shoulder is one of the most forgiving big cooks in barbecue and a great first project. Our pulled pork guide covers choosing a Boston butt, the rub, the fire, the stall and pulling the meat. Then make a batch of Carolina vinegar sauce, which takes just minutes.

Related reading

Pulled pork beyond the bun

  • Barbecue nachos: tortilla chips, pulled pork, cheese, jalapeños and a drizzle of sauce.
  • Pork tacos: warm tortillas, pulled pork, slaw and pickled onions.
  • Stuffed baked potatoes: topped with pork, butter, cheese and green onion.
  • Breakfast hash: crisp the pork in a skillet with diced potatoes and onions, then top with an egg.
  • Barbecue fried rice: day-old rice, pork, vegetables and a splash of vinegar sauce.

Always reheat leftover pork to 165 °F, as FSIS advises, before adding it to a dish.

How much to serve

Appetites vary, so plan generously and have buns and sides to stretch the meat. Leftover pulled pork freezes well in portions, so it is better to have extra than to run short.

Sources

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