A Southern tradition
The history of barbecued pulled pork is deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of the Southern United States, particularly in regions like the Carolinas and Tennessee, where barbecue holds a special place in the culture. Barbecue itself has a long history, with roots tracing back to Indigenous cultures in the Americas who used smoking and slow-cooking techniques to preserve and flavour meats. When
European settlers arrived in the Southern colonies, they encountered these cooking methods and adapted them to their own tastes and ingredients, resulting in the distinctive style of American barbecue that we know today.
Pulled pork likely originated as a practical way to utilize tougher cuts of meat, such as pork shoulder or pork butt. These cuts were slow-cooked over a low flame or smoked for several hours, allowing the tough connective tissues to break down and the meat to become tender and flavourful. The technique of “pulled” pork involves shredding the cooked meat into small pieces using forks or other utensils. Over time, different regions developed their own variations of barbecued pulled pork, each with its own unique flavour profiles and cooking techniques.
In this tradition, our recipe for barbecued pulled pork will not disappoint. So light up the barbecue, put on your chef’s apron, and let’s make barbecue pulled pork that will have everyone asking for seconds.
- Serves: 6 generous portions
- Serving size: 275 grams
- Calories: 651
- Fat: 39 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 1217 mg
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 29 g
- 2 kg (4-5 pounds) pork shoulder (also known as pork butt), boneless
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Hamburger buns or your preferred bread for serving
- Optional toppings: coleslaw, pickles, sliced onions
- Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder if desired, but leave some fat to keep the meat moist during cooking. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. This will be your barbecue sauce mixture.
- Place the thinly sliced onions and minced garlic in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Rub the pork shoulder with the barbecue sauce mixture, making sure to coat it evenly on all sides.
- Place the pork shoulder on top of the onions and garlic in the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- Once the pork is done cooking, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. Discard any large pieces of fat.
- Skim excess fat from the liquid in the slow cooker. If desired, you can strain the liquid to remove the onions and garlic, or leave them in for added flavour.
- Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and mix it with the remaining juices and onions. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Serve the pulled pork on hamburger buns or your preferred bread, topped with additional barbecue sauce if desired. You can also add toppings such as coleslaw, pickles, or sliced onions for extra flavour and texture.
- Enjoy your delicious slow cooked barbecue pulled pork sandwiches!