Southern · Barbecue · main

Carolina Pulled Pork with Vinegar BBQ Sauce

Carolina Pulled Pork with Vinegar BBQ Sauce reads umami 6.1, sweetness 5.1 and sourness 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Southern · Barbecue main, about 6 hr. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 5.1 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.1 · Sweetness 5.1 · Sourness 5.0 · Richness 4.9 · Salinity 4.3 · Allium 3.3 · Heat 3.2 · Smoke 2.9 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.0 · Earthy 1.7 · Nutty 1.4 · Fruity 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Floral 0.9

What's in it (15)

• boneless pork — 1814 g
• dark brown sugar — 38 g
• smoked paprika — 15 g
• salt — 10 g
• black pepper — 5 g
• garlic — 5 g
• onion powder — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 3 g
• apple cider vinegar — 237 g
• water — 118 g
• ketchup — 44 g
• worcestershire sauce — 15 g
• red chili flakes — 5 g
• granulated sugar — 4 g
• whole wheat hamburger buns — 800 g

Time & effort: about 6 hr (5 hr active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 150.6 kcal, 14.7 g protein, 3.6 g fat, 13.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and rub the mixture over every surface. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes (or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours, then bring to room temperature before roasting).
2. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Set the pork fat-side up on a rack set inside a roasting pan and roast uncovered until the exterior is deeply browned and a firm bark has formed, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
3. Pour the water and 1/4 cup of the vinegar into the bottom of the pan (reserve the remaining 3/4 cup vinegar for the sauce), cover the pan tightly with foil, and continue roasting until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily at the edges, registering 203 F on an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 3 1/2 hours more.
4. While the pork finishes its covered roast, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, and granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Let the sauce sit at room temperature so the flavors meld.
5. Remove the pork from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and rest 30 minutes before shredding — this lets the juices redistribute so the meat stays moist.
6. Pour the pan drippings into a fat separator or bowl; skim off and discard the fat, then whisk 1/4 cup of the defatted drippings into the vinegar sauce.
7. Shred the pork with two forks, discarding large pieces of surface fat, and toss the meat with half of the vinegar sauce and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste.
8. Pile the pulled pork onto the buns and serve, passing the remaining sauce at the table.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Memphis Dry-Rub Baby Back Ribs — Southern · Barbecue
• Smoky Dr Pepper Pulled Pork — American · Barbecue
• Kansas City Style BBQ Ribs — American · Barbecue
• Classic Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs — American · Barbecue
• Barbecue Ribs — Southern

Keep reading: what umami, sweetness, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.