Carolina Pulled-Pork Sandwiches with Carolina Sweet Coleslaw

In this recipe, a "dry rub" of brown sugar, pepper, paprika and salt flavors the meat before it is cooked, and a vinegary "mop" is brushed onto the pork to add more taste as it is smoked. Once cooked, the meat is "pulled," that is, shredded into slivers that are just the right size for piling onto a bun. The sandwich —drizzled with a bit of the vinegary sauce, which cuts the richness of the meat — is the ultimate in Carolina barbecue. Cook this in a smoker or a barbecue that has been converted to a smoker.

( OR GO AHEAD AND COOK IT IN A CROCKPOT with the Mop Sauce - best to let it sit with the rub overnight then go head and brown it in the oven or dutch oven)

For dry rub

• 3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 untrimmed boneless pork shoulder halves (also known as Boston butt; about 6 pounds total)

For mop

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 

Smoker  Preparation 

• 8 pounds (about) 100% natural lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes
• 6 cups (about) hickory wood smoke chips, soaked in cold water at least 30 minutes

• 12 soft hamburger buns with seeds, split

Make dry rub:
Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend.

Place pork, fat side up, on work surface. Cut each piece lengthwise in half. Place on large baking sheet. Sprinkle dry rub all over pork; press into pork. Cover with plastic; refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Make mop:
Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Following manufacturer's instructions and using lump charcoal and 1/2 cup drained wood chips for smoker or 1 cup for barbecue, start fire and bring temperature of smoker or barbecue to 225°F. to 250°F. Place pork on rack in smoker or barbecue. Cover; cook until meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 190°F., turning pork and brushing with cold mop every 45 minutes, about 6 hours total.  (Fat doesn't break down until at least 175 degrees so trying to pull it early is a waste of time)

Add more charcoal as needed to maintain 225°F. to 250°F. temperature and more drained wood chips (1/2 cup for smoker or 1 cup for barbecue with each addition) to maintain smoke level.

Transfer pork to clean rimmed baking sheet. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size pieces. Mound on platter. Pour any juices from sheet over pork. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer pork and any juices to baking dish. 

Cover with foil; chill. Before continuing, rewarm pork, covered, in 350°°F. oven about 30 minutes.)

Divide pork among bottoms of buns. Drizzle lightly with barbecue sauce. Top with coleslaw. Cover with tops of buns.

I'm also a cook from the South, and want to tell all y'all yankees that it's absolutely FINE to cook it in the crockpot or in your oven! This recipe is super, and since I've been cooking it this way for years, want to point a couple things out. Do make sure you cook this fat side on top, and if you let it cook to about 195 degrees, you won't have to do any pulling at all, it'll fall right apart in your hands.

I recently served this to a bunch of my friends from up North, and talked them into adding sweet cole slaw to the top of the meat on the bun, and they all loved it!

Carolina Sweet Coleslaw - 

head of cabbage, shredded
 1/4 C vinegar,
1/3 C sugar,
1 C mayo.

That's it