Go Back
Carolina Vinegar-Pepper Pulled Pork
Andre Lewis

Carolina Vinegar-Pepper Pulled Pork

This is sharp, peppery pork with enough brown sugar to round the vinegar rather than turn the meat sweet. The shoulder cooks over onion and a small amount of broth, then gets dressed after pulling so the sauce stays lively. Save the juices before shredding; they are the easiest way to correct dry pork.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder cut into 3 pieces
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion thickly sliced
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp hot pepper sauce
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Method
 

  1. Season the pork with the salt, paprika and black pepper and heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Brown the pork on its broad sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side, then set it over the onion in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  3. Pour the broth around the pork, cover and cook on low until a fork twists easily in the meat, 8 to 8 1/2 hours.
  4. Whisk the vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce, crushed red pepper and Worcestershire until the sugar dissolves.
  5. Move the pork to a rimmed pan, discard large fat pockets and pull the meat into bite-size strands.
  6. Skim the cooker juices, return 1/2 cup of them and the pork to the cooker, then fold in half of the vinegar sauce.
  7. Cover on warm for 10 minutes and serve with the remaining sauce for adding at the table.