Carolina champion BBQ pulled pork

The Cold, Hard Football Facts crew wanted to learn how to cook barbecue like the masters of North Carolina, the home of pulled pork.

 

So we hunted down a fella named Andrew Gage of Asheville, N.C., the champion of the 2006 Blue Ridge BBQ Festival.

 

He was happy to share several of his recipes with us. He gave us his dry rub recipe, his tips for making great pulled pork, and a bit of a Carolina barbecue history lesson. You see, not all Carolina barbecue is the same. In fact, it varies from region to region. So Gage gave us:

All his recipes are found below, and at the end, you'll find his method of making pulled pork. It's also worth noting that we have our own spectacular, mustard-based South Carolina-style barbecue sauce, too.

 

Barbecued pork dry rub 

1 cup salt   

1/2 cup pepper

1½ cups granulated garlic

3½ cups paprika

4 to 5 cups brown sugar

 

Mix all ingredients together and rub generously on raw pork butt before cooking. Unused portion can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks, or even months. Do not store spice that has touched raw pork. Makes about 11 cups.

 

1 quart cider vinegar

1 ounce dried red pepper flakes

Salt and black pepper to taste

 

Mix ingredients together well. Cook to a slow boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Makes about 1 quart of sauce.

 

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup minced onion

1 teaspoon liquid hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot, Texas Pete's, etc.)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

 

Mix ingredients well. Cook to a slow boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Makes about 1 quart of sauce.

 

1½ cups cider vinegar

10 Tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon sugar

A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Mix ingredients together well. Cook to a slow boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Makes about 1 quart of sauce.

 

Gage said his pork brine is one of the secrets to his success. He offered this "alternate" brine that should work just fine.

1 cup salt

1/2 cup sugar

3 to 4 cups water

 

Mix sugar and salt in just enough water to dissolve them (about 3 to 4 cups). Bring to a boil, and then cool completely.

 

Using a food grade needle, inject 5- to 10-pound pork shoulder or butt with brine. Generously apply dry rub to outside of meat. Cook in a smoker over indirect heat, with the fat side up, maintaining a 225 degree temperature, until internal temperature of pork reaches 180 to 190 degrees (about 8 to 10 hours). Remove meat from smoker and let stand for 30 minutes. If bone-in, it should come out easily if meat is cooked through properly. Meat should pull apart easily (use gloved hands), or chop to desired size and texture. Coat meat in sauce of your choice, serve on fresh white rolls and cole slaw.