CAROLINA SMOKED PORK

Carolina Smoked Pork image

Pitmaster Jones applies his famous whole-hog technique to pork butt. Smoke, time, and Carolina BBQ Sauce are all you'll need for this succulent feast!

Provided by Sam Jones

Time 9h

Yield 20 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

10 pounds bone-in pork butt, also called pork shoulder
1/4 cup Carolina BBQ Sauce, plus more to taste, from Step 2
Carolina BBQ Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons hot sauce, preferably Texas Pete brand
1/4 cup Sweet BBQ Pit Sauce, from "Sweet BBQ Pit Sauce" recipe; or substitute another sweet BBQ sauce
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

Steps:

Preheat smoker to 250 F. Place pork butt in the center of the cooking grate, fat-side down. Cover and smoke 8 hours, undisturbed. Check smoker temperature hourly; add charcoal and use vents as needed to maintain a temperature of 250 F through the duration of cooking.
Make Carolina BBQ Sauce: In a mixing bowl combine sugar, black pepper, chili powder, crushed red pepper, and hot sauce to make a paste. Add the Sweet BBQ Pit Sauce, followed by vinegar; stir well to combine. The final consistency should be quite fluid, rather than thick. Makes about 2 cups of Carolina BBQ Sauce. (Store in a covered container at room temperature for several months.)
Check for doneness by placing a digital thermometer into the center of the pork, avoiding contact with the bone. Temperature should register 170 F. Use heat-proof gloves to remove pork to a large cutting board on a flat work surface. Chop the pork: As you chop, the pork will cool, so plan on doing this as the last step before serving. The meat should be tender and falling apart. Pull the bone out of the meat: it should come away smoothly, with no meat clinging to it. Discard bone. Pick through the meat and set aside any bits that you don't want to include in the final dish, such as the barky exterior or excess fat. (You may opt to include everything: Pitmaster Jones says the final mix is up to you!)
Using one cleaver, begin to chop the meat, using your free hand to carefully steady the pork butt. When the meat is in large chunks, use both cleavers at the same time to finish chopping. Use the cleavers to toss the meat on the board as you go; repeat the chopping-tossing process until the meat is bite-size and well mixed. Drizzle a small amount of Carolina BBQ Sauce on top of the meat; continue chopping and stirring to combine. Add more sauce to taste: the goal is to lightly complement the smoky flavor of the pork without overwhelming it. Makes about 7 lbs chopped pork. (Sam Jones's serving suggestion: Cool leftover pork in the fridge, then serve as a sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise.)