In the heart of North Carolina, lies a culinary treasure passed down through generations: Grandma's North Carolina Pork Barbecue. This mouthwatering dish, often referred to as the state's culinary gem, is not just a meal; it's a testament to the rich history and vibrant flavors of the region. As you embark on a journey to recreate Grandma's legendary pork barbecue, let this article be your guide. We'll delve into the secrets behind the perfect blend of spices, the art of slow cooking, and the techniques for achieving that smoky, tender, and irresistibly juicy pork that has become synonymous with North Carolina's barbecue legacy. So, gather your ingredients, prepare your taste buds, and let's embark on a culinary adventure that will transport you to the heart of North Carolina's barbecue tradition.
Let's cook with our recipes!
CAROLINA-STYLE PORK BARBECUE
I am originally from North Carolina (where swine is divine) and this recipe for the slow cooker is a family favorite. My husband swears my authentic Carolina 'cue is the best BBQ he has ever eaten! -Kathryn Ransom Williams, Sparks, Nevada
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 6h30m
Yield 14 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Cut roast into quarters. Mix brown sugar, salt, paprika and pepper; rub over meat. Place meat and onions in a 5-qt. slow cooker., In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and seasonings; pour over roast. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until meat is tender., Remove roast; cool slightly. Reserve 1-1/2 cups cooking juices; discard remaining juices. Skim fat from reserved juices. Shred pork with two forks. Return pork and reserved juices to slow cooker; heat through. Serve on buns with coleslaw.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 453 calories, Fat 22g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 85mg cholesterol, Sodium 889mg sodium, Carbohydrate 35g carbohydrate (14g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 27g protein.
GRANDMA'S CHOPPED BARBECUE
Provided by Sunny Anderson
Time 6h15m
Yield 16 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
- With the tip of a knife, make 8 (2-inch) pockets all around the pork and insert a smashed garlic clove in each.
- In a small bowl, combine the seafood boil seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning all over the pork then let rest at room temperature up to 2 hours.
- Place the pork in the bottom of a roasting pan and add enough vegetable stock to fill it to an inch deep. Cover very tightly with several layers of aluminum foil, getting the seal tight is really key here. The steam being locked in breaks down the pork to make it pull-worthy.
- Roast the pork, covered, in the oven for 2 hours then pull back the aluminum foil a bit and prick with a fork. If it is tender, remove the aluminum foil and a place back in the oven for 1 more hour. If it isn't tender yet, cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour more, making sure to add more stock if needed. Once tender remove the aluminum foil all together. If the liquid evaporates here, it's ok; it has done its job. Remove from oven then let rest at room temperature, then chop down to small chunks and mix with enough of Sunny's Pork Sauce, recipe follows to make it wet or dry to your taste.
- In a saucepot on medium-low heat, add the oil. Add the onions, garlic, and season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook until both are tender, but not browned and then add the ketchup, vinegar, orange juice, and Sriracha. Taste and then add the sugar, to taste. This should be a loose sauce. Refrigerate or use right away.
NORTH CAROLINA PULLED-PORK BARBECUE
This classic pulled pork is the ultimate holiday weekend grilling project.
Provided by Ruth Cousineau
Categories Backyard BBQ Summer Grill Grill/Barbecue Gourmet Graduation
Yield Makes 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Bring vinegar to a boil with sugar, red-pepper flakes, 2 tsp salt, and 1 Tbsp pepper in a small nonreactive saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then cool. Set aside 2 cups vinegar sauce to serve with sandwiches.
- While sauce cools, score pork skin in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife (forming 1-inch diamonds), cutting through skin and fat but not into meat. Pat meat dry and rub all over with 1 Tbsp each of salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before grilling.
- Prepare grill for indirect-heat cooking over low heat, leaving space in middle for disposable roasting pan.
- When coals have cooled to about 300°F (45 minutes to 1 hour; when most coals will have burned out), put disposable roasting pan on bottom rack of grill between the 2 remaining mounds of coals, then fill pan halfway with water. Add a couple of handfuls of unlit charcoal to each charcoal mound, then put grill rack on so hinges are over coals.
- Oil grill rack, then put pork, skin side up, on rack above roasting pan. Grill pork, with lid ajar (for air, so coals remain lit), basting meat with sauce and turning over every 30 minutes (to maintain a temperature of 250 to 275°F, add a couple of handfuls of coals to each side about every 30 minutes), until fork-tender (a meat fork should insert easily) and an instant-read thermometer inserted 2 inches into center of meat (avoid bone) registers 190°F, 7 to 8 hours total.
- Transfer pork to a cutting board. If skin is not crisp, cut it off with at least 1/4 inch fat attached (cut any large pieces into bite-size ones) and roast, fat side down, in a 4-sided sheet pan in a 350°F oven until crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
- When meat is cool enough to handle, shred it using 2 forks. Transfer to a bowl.
- Serve pork, cracklings, and coleslaw together on buns. Serve reserved vinegar sauce on the side.
SLOW COOKER CAROLINA BBQ
Miss the tarheel tradition of a pig pickin'? Then find yourself a crock pot, a big pork shoulder, some cider vinegar and get cooking! While ground and crushed red pepper will provide the basic heat - go the extra mile and find some Texas Pete (or Trappey's) pepper sauce to bring the taste of Carolina to your kitchen.
Provided by coolmonkshoes
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork Pork Shoulder Recipes
Time 12h15m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place the pork shoulder into a slow cooker and season with salt and pepper. Pour the vinegar around the pork. Cover, and cook on Low for 12 hours. Pork should easily pull apart into strands.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and discard any bones. Strain out the liquid, and save 2 cups. Discard any extra. Shred the pork using tongs or two forks, and return to the slow cooker. Stir the brown sugar, hot pepper sauce, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes into the reserved sauce. Mix into the pork in the slow cooker. Cover and keep on Low setting until serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 292.8 calories, Carbohydrate 3.6 g, Cholesterol 90.5 mg, Fat 17.3 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 27.6 g, SaturatedFat 6.2 g, Sodium 775.5 mg, Sugar 2.9 g
EASY NORTH CAROLINA BARBEQUE
I just love vinegar-based barbeque. I looked high and low for an easy recipe for North Carolina barbeque; this is it! Be warned; your friends will want the recipe. Eat it with a fork or on rolls with coleslaw.
Provided by Phil
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork Pork Shoulder Recipes
Time 9h10m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Trim the fat from the roast; place in slow cooker and cook on Low overnight, at least 8 hours.
- To make the sauce, whisk together the vinegar, melted butter, salt, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, hot sauce, black pepper, and sugar in a bowl.
- Carefully remove the roast to a cutting board. Pull the meat from the bone with a fork. Return the pork to the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the pulled pork. Simmer for 1 hour more.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 448.6 calories, Carbohydrate 4.2 g, Cholesterol 134.1 mg, Fat 37.5 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 23.4 g, SaturatedFat 18.6 g, Sodium 1630.3 mg, Sugar 2.8 g
EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA BARBECUE
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 10h50m
Yield 6 large servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Add hickory, oak, and maple chunks or chips to your smoker. Refer to the directions for your smoker to determine the correct amount of chips for the meat and for lighting instructions. When the chips are ready, add the pork and smoke it for 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 250 degrees F. Remove the pork and wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
- Cook the pork for 6 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender and falls apart when the bone is removed. Chop the pork coarsely and mix in salt and barbecue sauce, to taste. Serve with more barbecue sauce on the side.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, red pepper, garlic, and salt over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-high. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes and then remove from the heat. Let cool then add the black pepper.
NORTH CAROLINA-STYLE PULLED PORK BARBECUE
Steps:
- Prepare the barbecue sauce the day before cooking the meat.
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
- In a large (6- to 8- quart) ovenproof casserole or flameproof roasting pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add meat, and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes a side. Remove meat and wipe out casserole.
- Place a rack in the bottom of the casserole. Put the meat on the rack, and cover with 2 1/2 cups barbecue sauce. Cover and cook for about 4 hours, basting occasionally, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 150 to 180 degrees. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.
- Gently heat remaining barbecue sauce. When meat is cool enough to handle, trim and discard fat. Shred meat coarsely by hand, or pull it with two forks. Put shredded meat in a large bowl, and toss with warmed sauce. Serve on rolls or slices of white bread, with coleslaw and bread-and-butter pickles on the side.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 315, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 34 grams, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 16 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 838 milligrams, Sugar 24 grams, TransFat 0 grams
CAROLINA PORK BBQ
This was given to me by my MIL. I hope this recipe turns out half as good as what she makes. She never measures anything and we spent a good hour trying to figure out how she actually does it.
Provided by stimied
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 6h15m
Yield 6-20 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine salt, pepper and garlic powder and season pork roast on all sides.
- Bake roast in covered pan 4-6 hours, checking often during the last 2 hours.
- Roast should be falling apart when finished.
- While roast is baking start the sauce by sweating the onions and garlic in the olive oil.
- Add red pepper flakes and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add all of the vinegar and 1 1/4 cups of the beer.
- Simmer over low heat, use remaining beer to maintain approximately 2 cups of liquid in the sauce.
- Sauce should cook at least 3 hours.
- You may not have to use all of the beer.
- When roast is falling apart, remove from the oven, pull meat into shreds, and pour the sauce over the shredded meat.
- Return to the oven for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Serve on hamburger buns with coleslaw and Tabasco sauce.
GRANDMA'S SLOW COOKER BARBECUE PORK CHOPS
These tasty pork chops bring back memories of Grandma's home cooked meals. You will never taste a pork chop quite like this one. The homemade sauce is simple, yet it is one that has not been matched by any other.
Provided by Daisy Girl
Categories Pork
Time 3h5m
Yield 2-4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Mix tomato sauce, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Pour half of the sauce mixture into the crock pot.
- Layer pork chops in crock pot, and pour the rest of the sauce mixture on top. Make sure that the sauce is covering the pork chops.
- Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 hours.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 834.2, Fat 26.1, SaturatedFat 9.1, Cholesterol 247.9, Sodium 1315.9, Carbohydrate 65.6, Fiber 3.2, Sugar 62.5, Protein 82.6
GRANDMA'S NORTH CAROLINA PORK BARBECUE
This pork roast is so good and tender. What really makes this pork roast recipe different is the homemade sauce. It's tangy and sweet with a little bit of spice. The meat soaks up all the sauce after being cut up and infuses the flavor. This was great on a bun with a side of coleslaw, but the meat is so good it can be eaten without a bun. We used the traditional method and this pulled pork was perfect!
Provided by Barbara Gabriel @potluck
Categories Pork
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Place roast in roasting pan. Combine remaining ingredients. Stir well and pour over roast.
- Cover and bake for 5-6 hours at 325 degrees.
- After cooking time remove meat and chop with knife and fork.
- Return to meat to sauce, discarding bone and fat. Serve on buns.
- Roast can also be cooked in a slow cooker on Med-High setting for 3-4 hours, check for tenderness and turn roast halfway through cooking time. When done remove meat and chop with kinife and fork. Return to meat sauce, discard bone and fat. Serve on buns.
Tips:
- Choose the right cut of pork: Pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) is the best cut for barbecue as it has a good amount of fat that will keep the meat moist during cooking.
- Use a flavorful rub: The rub is what will give your pork barbecue its unique flavor. Experiment with different spices and herbs to create a rub that you love.
- Cook the pork low and slow: Barbecue is all about low and slow cooking. This allows the meat to cook evenly and develop a delicious smoky flavor.
- Don't overcook the pork: Overcooked pork will be dry and tough. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork and remove it from the heat when it reaches 195 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the pork rest before serving: Once the pork is cooked, let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it more tender and flavorful.
Conclusion:
North Carolina pork barbecue is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With its smoky flavor and tender texture, it's the perfect meal for any occasion. Whether you're cooking it for a backyard barbecue or a special event, following these tips will help you create a mouthwatering pork barbecue that everyone will love.
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