Description

This classic Eastern North Carolina Pulled Pork recipe features tender, slow-cooked pork shoulder seasoned simply with kosher salt and served with a tangy, vinegar-based BBQ sauce. The sauce combines distilled white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper for a perfectly balanced kick. Slow cooking the pork in a crockpot ensures melt-in-your-mouth texture, making it ideal for sandwiches or served on its own with extra sauce on the side.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Pork:

1 fresh pork shoulder (or Boston butt), about 4-5 lbs
Kosher salt, to taste

For the BBQ Sauce:

1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Texas Pete hot sauce (more to taste)
2 tablespoons sugar (any variety)
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine distilled white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, Texas Pete hot sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Transfer the sauce into a squeeze bottle or airtight container and let it sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours to develop the best flavor. No refrigeration needed.
Cook the Pork: Place the pork shoulder into the crockpot. Sprinkle kosher salt lightly and evenly over the meat. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or on LOW for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is tender and easily shreds with two forks.
Shred and Serve: Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred finely or chop as preferred. Serve pulled pork topped generously with the prepared BBQ sauce, either directly on plates or piled onto buns. Offer extra sauce on the side for added tang and spice.

Notes

For best flavor, allow the BBQ sauce to rest for at least 24 hours before serving.
The sauce keeps well at room temperature for several days; larger batches can be made ahead.
You can adjust the hot sauce quantity to control the heat level of the BBQ sauce.
Use a fatty pork shoulder or Boston butt for juicy pulled pork.
Serving with classic sides like coleslaw and baked beans complements this dish well.