CAROLINA PULLED PORK

CAROLINA PULLED PORK image

Categories Pork

Yield 12 - 14 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 23

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Ingredients

1 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
One 12- to 14-pound bone-in pork shoulder, with skin
FOR THE BARBECUE SAUCE:
1 cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste
1 cup ketchup
6 ounces ( 1/2 can) your favorite beer
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons grainy mustard
1 tablespoon molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, or to taste
1/2 red onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
Salt.
50 hardwood charcoal briquettes
8 cups small hardwood smoking chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a heavy casserole sear the shoulder on all sides. Roast the shoulder uncovered in the casserole for 30 min. 2. In a med bowl, whisk the mustard with brown sugar, s&p, paprika, onion powder.Remove shoulder from the oven, lower heat to 250 and brush the pork with the mustard mixture. Roast, covered, for 8 hrs, till the meat is very tender and pulling from the bone. 4. Tilt the pan and pour the juices into a bowl; you should have about 1 1/4 c. Refrigerate the juices for 30 min. Skim off the fat. 3. Prepare the sauce. Place the balsamic in a lge nonreactive pan. Bring to a boil over med heat and cook til reduced by 1/3 (watch carefully). Add the remaining sauce ingredients with 1/4 c water or accumulated juices from pork, leaving fat behind, bring back to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer til thick, 30 - 40 min. If the sauce thickens too much, add a little water. It should be highly seasoned; adjust to taste by adding vinegar, brown sugar or salt. 5. Optional: Light 10 of the charcoal briquettes. When they're hot, cover them with the remaining 40 briquettes. When all the coals are hot, arrange 6 c. of the wood chips around the coals. Cover the grill, partially open the air vents and smoke the pork shoulder for 30 min. 6. Remove the pork and the grill grate and stir the coals. Scatter the remaining 2 c. of chips over the coals. Replace the grill and return the pork to the grill. Cover and smoke for 30 min. 7. Pull the meat off of the bones; discard the bones, gristle, skin & fat. Finely shred the meat and transfer it to a lge bowl. Toss the shredded meat with the reserved juices. Mix in the barbecue sauce.