📍 North Carolina

North Carolina-style pulled pork BBQ

Name: North Carolina-style pulled pork BBQ
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 380 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2.5 kg pork shoulder; 2 tablespoons salt; 1 tablespoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon paprika; 1 teaspoon brown sugar; 1 cup apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon chili flakes; 1 teaspoon hot sauce; Soft buns to serve

· Lunch

Slow-cooked, pulled pork dressed with a tangy, spicy vinegar sauce, the hallmark of North Carolina barbecue.

Editorial content by WorldBites · 2026-10-04 · Contact

⏱ 380 min🍽 8 servings📊 Intermediate🏷 Commonly associated

Preparation: 20 min
Cooking: 360 min
Waiting and resting: 0 min

History

Whole-hog barbecue is one of the oldest culinary traditions in North Carolina, with colonial and African American roots. The eastern style of the state uses the whole hog dressed only with vinegar and chili flakes, no tomato, unlike the western style, which uses the shoulder and a sauce with a touch of tomato.

Ingredients

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Preparation

1
Rub the shoulder with the salt, pepper, paprika, and sugar.
2
Cook over very low heat (smoker or oven at 120 °C) for several hours until the meat falls apart.
3
Make the sauce by mixing the vinegar, chili flakes, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt.
4
Let the meat rest, then pull it apart with two forks.
5
Dress it with the vinegar sauce to taste and mix well.
6
Serve on its own or on soft buns, with extra sauce on the side.