Carolina Pulled Pork

Method

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1. Mix the rub ingredients. Pat the pork dry, score the fat cap in a diamond pattern and work the rub into every surface.

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2. Leave uncovered in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight — the salt draws moisture out and then back in, seasoning the meat through.

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3. Take the pork out an hour before cooking. Heat the oven to 140C fan.

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4. Sit the pork fat side up on a rack over a roasting tin with 200 ml water in the bottom. Cover the whole tin tightly with foil.

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5. Cook for 4 hours covered. Remove the foil and cook another 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until a probe slides in with no resistance and reads about 95C.

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6. While it cooks, whisk the sauce ingredients together and leave at room temperature for the flavours to meet.

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7. Rest the pork, loosely tented, for 30 minutes. Do not skip this — it reabsorbs its juices.

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8. Pull the meat apart with two forks, discarding any hard fat, and toss with the pan juices and half the vinegar sauce.

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9. Pile into buns with slaw, with the rest of the sauce on the table.

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Chef’s Tips

• Overnight in the fridge, uncovered. Dry surface, seasoned through, better bark.
• Cook to feel, not to the clock. When the probe meets no resistance, it is done.
• Toss the pulled meat with the juices in the tin — that is where the flavour collected.

Pairing Suggestions

• Cider vinegar slaw
• Cornbread
• An amber ale or sweet tea

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days in its juices, freeze 3 months. Reheat covered with a splash of stock.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.