North Carolina Chopped BBQ
Featured in
Carolina Soul
Servings:
Varies
Total time:
8-10 hours
Eastern Carolina BBQ is one of my favorite foods and a dish that we often have at Christmas, Thanksgiving or anytime we can see on another. Many methods of preparation have been passed through generations, but there’s nothing like sitting up half the night with the fellas telling funny stories about moments almost too embarrassing to repeat anywhere outside of that circle, while the meat cooks. That’s what chopped BBQ does. It brings people together.
Ingredients
Pork shoulder (bone-in, do not trim the fat)
Pork butt
5 Pounds of lump charcoal
1 Pound of hickory wood pieces
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
3 Cups of apple cider vinegar
1 Cup of water
½ Cup of brown sugar
1 Tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes
¾ Cup of ketchup
Directions
Wash the pork shoulder and pork butt with cold water. Place the pork shoulder and pork butt in a roasting pan. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Place the lump charcoal and hickory wood chips into the grill or smoker and light with a blow torch or lighter fluid. In the meantime, while the coals are getting hot, season the shoulder and butt with salt and pepper. Rub the salt and pepper over the meat as evenly as possible.
When the grill or smoker reaches 250°F, place the shoulder and butt onto the grill or smoker. Place the fat side down. Close the grill and cook for about 8-10 hours.
To create the sauce, place a small pot onto the stove. Add the vinegar, water, brown sugar, crushed red peppers, and ketchup into the pot. Mix well. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer. Turn off the heat. Cover and set aside for later use.
Once the pork is done, remove from the grill or smoker and place into a roasting pan. Cover with foil until cooled.
Once the pork is cooled, begin to pull the pork. Combine the shoulder and butt together and chop with a cleaver. Once the pork is completely chopped, pour the sauce over the pork. Mix well. Serve on a bun with coleslaw or with a side of hushpuppies.
