by Diana Rattray
The perfectly seasoned vinegar sauce is what sets this North Carolina pulled pork apart from the rest of the crowd. It’s a welcome departure from the usual barbecue sauce-slathered pork, and you can always serve barbecue sauce on the side. Serve the pulled pork with coleslaw and dill pickle slices for an irresistible meal.
PrintSlow Cooker North Carolina Pulled Pork
This is a classic North Carolina pulled pork for the slow cooker. Instead of a sweet, thick barbecue sauce, the pork is served with a hot and spicy apple cider vinegar sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 to 10 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Slow Cooker, Pulled Pork
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (approx. 7 to 8 pounds) fresh pork shoulder (pork butt, Boston butt, or shoulder)
- Ground red pepper
- 1 3/4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Texas Pete’s or Frank’s
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Sprinkle the pork roast with the ground red pepper.
- Place the roast in the slow cooker with about 1/2 cup of water and cook for 8 to 10 hours or until very tender. Drain thoroughly and discard excess liquids.
- In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, hot sauce, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and kosher salt. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Chop, shred, or slice the tender cooked pork.
- Return the pork to the slow cooker and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinegar sauce, or to taste. Heat the pork until hot and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Serve with the vinegar sauce and your favorite barbecue side dishes.
