North Carolina-Style Pulled Pork

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/4/22
North Carolina style pulled pork

The Spruce Eats / Nita West

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 7 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

This pulled pork is a North Carolina version, made with a vinegar sauce with crushed red pepper. It makes a great weekend meal with beans, potato salad or fries, and slaw. Or use the pulled pork in sliders for an excellent party snack.

Warm the reserved sauce and pass at the table for people to spoon over their pork. You may want to serve the pulled pork with some barbecue sauce for guests who prefer the alternative.

Serve with slaw, pickles, buns, and baked beans or your favorite sides.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 (3 1/2-pound) boneless pork shoulder, or pork butt

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for North Carolina style pulled pork
    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  2. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, red pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil; remove from heat.

    Combine vinegar, sugar
    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  3. Save about 2 cups of the vinegar mixture for serving, and use the rest for basting.

    Vinegar
    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  4. Sprinkle the pork roast with salt and pepper; place on a foil-lined baking or roasting pan.

    Sprinkle pork roast
    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  5. Roast, uncovered, at 275 F for about 7 hours, or until the roast reaches 200 F on a meat thermometer or oven probe inserted in the center of the thickest part of the roast.

    Roast uncovered
    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  6. Baste about every hour with the sauce saved for basting. The roast should be very tender.

    Baste
    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  7. Remove the roast and shred with 2 forks, discarding large pieces of fat.

    Remove the roast
    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  8. Warm the reserved sauce and pass at the table for people to spoon over their pork. (You can also serve barbecue sauce with this pork; it's delicious as a topping with coleslaw and pickle slices.)

    Warm sauce
    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

  9. Serve with slaw, pickles, toasted buns, and baked beans or your favorite sides.

    Serve with slaw
    The Spruce Eats / Nita West

 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
607 Calories
43g Fat
3g Carbs
46g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 607
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 43g 55%
Saturated Fat 16g 78%
Cholesterol 179mg 60%
Sodium 443mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 46g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 56mg 4%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 734mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)