SOUTH CAROLINA PULLED PORK

South Carolina Pulled Pork image

Why this recipe works:This regional recipe, nicknamed Carolina gold, demands more than just a last-minute dose of bold flavors. A combination of grilling and oven-roasting reduces the cooking time from all day (as is common in traditional South Carolina pulled pork recipes) to just four or five hours. We used the spice rub to jump-start the mustard flavor of the sauce-dry mustard gave us the solid mustard punch we wanted and cooked into a rich, spicy crust on the grill. Most authentic South Carolina barbecue sauce recipes use regular yellow mustard, which our tasters praised for its bright, assertive tang. Brushing the pork with the mustardy barbecue sauce before it goes into the oven produces a second hit of mustard flavor; tossing the shredded pork with the remaining sauce gives the meat a final layer of mustard flavor. Relying on the fork test, not time, to determine doneness is key: Just stick a fork straight into the top of the roast and lift. If the fork comes out with little or no resistance, the meat is fork-tender (just right).

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

Spice Rub and Pork 3 tablespoons dry mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 boneless pork shoulder roast (4 to 5 pounds) (see note)
4 cups wood chips, soaked for 15 minutes
Mustard Barbecue Sauce 1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Steps:

For the spice rub and pork: Combine dry mustard, brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne, breaking up any lumps. Dry pork with paper towels and rub all over with spice mixture. (Roast can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for 24 hours.)
Seal wood chips in foil packet and cut vent holes in top. Open bottom vent on grill. Light 50 coals; when covered with fine gray ash, pour in pile on one side of grill. Arrange foil packet directly on coals. Set cooking grate in place and heat, covered, with lid vent open halfway until wood chips begin to smoke heavily, about 5 minutes. (For gas grill, place foil packet directly on primary burner. Heat all burners on high, covered, until wood chips begin to smoke heavily, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and shut other burner[s] off.) Scrape and oil cooking grate. Place pork on cool side of grill and barbecue, covered, until exterior of pork has a rosy crust, about 2 hours.
For the mustard barbecue sauce and to finish: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in bowl until smooth. Transfer pork to roasting pan and brush 1/2 cup sauce over meat. Cover roasting pan tightly with foil and bake until fork inserted into pork can be removed with no resistance, 2 to 3 hours. Remove from oven and rest, still wrapped in foil, for 30 minutes. Unwrap pork and, when cool enough to handle, pull meat into thin shreds, discarding fat, if desired. Toss pork with remaining sauce. Serve.
Pork shoulder-usually labeled pork butt or Boston butt-comes both boneless (usually wrapped in netting) or on the bone. The boneless roast is easier to handle, but either one can be used in this recipe. If your roast weighs more than 5 pounds, plan on an extra 30 to 60 minutes of oven time. The cooked meat can be shredded or chopped.