South Carolina Pulled Pork (in a crockpot)

[Grub]

I love the South. One of the first of many memorable meals I had there was at an old boarding-house that had slowly been converted into a restaurant, serving home-cooked southern food that was passed around the tables from customer to customer -- prix fixe. People were chatting like old friends; like a family. And when people got up, they'd say things like "Well, it's been real nice eatin' with ya, ya'll take care now!" It was really nice and friendly. The rest of the country should learn a thing or two from that -- hell, the rest of the world, too.

Another, even more memorable meal I had, was a South Carolina pulled pork sandwich. I was highly suspicious of it at first -- vinegar and mustard didn't seem like no damn barbeque flavor I'd ever heard of... You use ketchup, not mustard in a barbeque sauce, right? Oh boy, that was an eye-opener!

That South Carolina mustard & vinegar combo is ingenious.

Now, the tragedy is, I never see that style of barbeque anywhere. Texas style brisket, and ribs of all manner of shapes and styles, you got plenty of that. Even pulled pork -- but not the mustard vinegar style.

And cooking something like that, well that's just impractical. 16 hours minimum, right?

Well, a buddy of mine got a bright idea -- he decided to do the thing in a crockpot. He got a bone-in pork shoulder, cooked up some of that mustard-vinegar sauce, mixed it in with some vegetable stock and dumped the whole thing in the crockpot and left it overnight, on "low." For a total of 18 hours.

Served on buns. This stuff was A-freakin'-MAZING. It's so long since I first tasted that pulled pork sandwich in Charleston that I can't swear, as far as how they compare, but honestly, I think this was every bit as great, if not quite possibly quite a bit better.

Have you ever done this? I don't mean just slow-cooked pork, but specifically, the South Carolina style thing? I'd really like to hear from anyone who has.

I've tasted this as left-overs (it was a pretty big thing -- I'm sure there'll be an official period of mourning & crying & wailing once it's gone ) and normally, I always feel like adding something to a leftover dish, like salt, pepper, soy sauce -- just anything to sort of bring it to life again. But not with this. It's so intensely full of flavors, there's just no reason to do it.

But I did ponder the idea of accoutrements (we used none). Maybe some lettuce, and/or some very finely diced, red onions (or even shallots, unless that would be too delicate). What could be added to such a pulled pork sandwich, to improve it?

Would love to hear some opinions on this one...

[Basilgirl]

A pulled pork sandwich MUST have coleslaw on it. Serve with limeade.

[snowangel]

Yes to cole slaw.

One of the premises of pulled pork is to cook it very low and slow, which the crockpot would do well. I think it was Paula Wolfert who mentioned in one of her cookbooks that it is best cooked at the same temperature (oven, crockpot or grill) as the internal temp of the meat when it is done.

Anyway, I'm curious if the style of pulled pork to which you refer is cooked with the mustard and vinegar, or whether it is usually pulled and then mixed with the sauce.

Me, I prefer to do my butts "naked" -- no rub, no nothing (other than an olive oil mop if need be) and offer sauce on the side. One advantage of this is that it makes the leftovers much more versatile. A pulled pork taco is a thing of beauty.

[rooftop1000]

I just did the crockpot pulled pork a few nights ago but I use hot sauce onion powder and brown sugar in the pot....then the leftovers went into split pea soup last night.

t

[kangarool]

So, you just put the whole thing together as you would "normally" (as if you were going to slow cook it for hours in a smoker), and then just chuck it in a crock pot?

Forgive my scepticism, but it seems like it would seriously be lacking something... not least of all the depth of flavour and bite from a long infusion of smoke. But also little bits of caramelised bark, or crust.

Perhaps it could do for a depths-of-winter emergency approximation, but don't you end up with that crock-potty sort of limp insipidness that you generally find with most crockpot dishes other than soup?

Edited October 6, 2005 by kangarool (log)

[Patrick S]

Granted you'll never get BBQ from a crock-pot that is as good as what you can get from a smoker, I still would like to see some more advice on how to get the best approximation from a crock-pot or an oven.

Grub, I don't know if this is considered authentic or not, but eGullet member =Mark has a recipe for South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce that has elicited raves from everyone who's tried it.

[Curlz]

Different flavor, but I've got a great recipe for Crockpot Carnitas that involves all of about 5 ingredients...PM me for it!

[prasantrin]

Different flavor, but I've got a great recipe for Crockpot Carnitas that involves all of about 5 ingredients...PM me for it! 

←

I want it! I want it! Pleeeeeeaaaase! You could put it in recipe gullet to preserve it for life!

[Curlz]

Okay...it's officially in recipeGullet! I realized that the recipe I had is my version, so there aren't any copyright issues.

Click here for Crock Pot Carnitas!

[Grub]

... Forgive my scepticism, but ...

... long infusion of smoke. But also little bits of caramelised bark, or crust...

... don't you end up with that crock-potty sort of limp insipidness that you generally find with most crockpot dishes other than soup?

←

I'm quite fond of scepticism, and opposed to hype & bullshit, so I appreciate you calling me on it -- everyone should be so honest. And I've not had any genuine South Carolina BBQ for years, so I can't honestly compare it, considering the fragile nature of human memories...

And nope, I wouldn't really know anything about "putting the whole thing together as you would 'normally'... (as if you were going to slow cook it for hours in a smoker), and then just chuck it in a crock pot?" I've never done a proper Carolina BBQ/grilling/smoking thing -- well, other than eating it, hehehe.

I've grilled/bbq'd a lot of stuff. And I know there is a difference between grilling and barbequing, and smoking...

But I gots to say, this pork shoulder was fried, or sauteed in a pan, before being dumped in the crock-pot. Lots and lots of lovely bits of caramelised bark and crusty stuff. It was browned beforehand. And you could definitely find some great bits in that forked mess, that was crusted and caramelised and whatnot.

Granted you'll never get BBQ from a crock-pot that is as good as what you can get from a smoker, I still would like to see some more advice on how to get the best approximation from a crock-pot or an oven.

Grub, I don't know if this is considered authentic or not, but eGullet member =Mark has a recipe for South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce that has elicited raves from everyone who's tried it.

←

Very cool, thanks dude. I'll pass that one on!

[snowangel]

You can find the hot skinny on smokin' butt right here.

There is all kinds of info in Klink's class on Smoking Meat at Home.

Check it out! It's way easy to do.

[Darienne]

Another learning experience. Actually several yesterday and I feel a tad drained...

Started Pulled Pork late yesterday afternoon with the Mustard Sauce in a newer crockpot set on low. The recipe called for 18 hours. Lunch today.

Round about 2:30 am, I checked the pork and thought...'oh no, it's on its way to evaporating to dry and hence to burnt.' Dumped in about 12 oz of water...was not up to thinking at that hour.

End result. The butt is more than cooked this morning at 8 am and the sauce is boring in the extreme with the addition of the water. I'll rectify the sauce later.

This might tie into a discussion elsewhere on eG that the "LOW"setting on the older crockpots is set lower than it is in the newer crockpots. The recipe was posted in 2005...could have been an old recipe by then...could have been designed for the formerly lower "LOW". I have both new and old crockpots and I have been meaning to do a temperature test...which I somehow never got around to doing. Now I will.

Glanced at a recipe for Pulled Pork Enchiladas in a 2010 Mexican Cooking magazine this morning which a friend lent me yesterday...same crockpot idea...no, wait...only 10 hours set on low.

Interesting. Well, to me.

[DaleJ]

FWIW, Cook's Illustrated has a "Summer Grilling" magazine out that has a recipe for "South Carolina Pulled Pork" including a recipe for mustard sauce.

[Doodad]

The kitchen at my wife's work does an in pot method for theirs. It is okay, but I like to dog the chef about it. The sauce saves it and really is the only difference between it and carnitas. Which brings me to a point. I would apply rub and make carnitas. Shred it and sauce it and you are much closer than a crockpot. I have done both and like the carnitas method much more.

[Darienne]

The kitchen at my wife's work does an in pot method for theirs. It is okay, but I like to dog the chef about it. The sauce saves it and really is the only difference between it and carnitas. Which brings me to a point. I would apply rub and make carnitas. Shred it and sauce it and you are much closer than a crockpot. I have done both and like the carnitas method much more.

Thanks Dale for the information. Haven't seen a copy of Cook's Illustrated in either of our libraries but will check at Chapters. Can't afford most US magazines in Canada. The penalties are often horrendous.

And. Doodad, sir, just what is the difference between carnitas and pulled pork. You are instructing someone who has eaten neither. Thanks.

[Doodad]

Pulled pork is the manna from heaven that is blessed by rub, anointed by smoke and exalted through the South.

Kidding aside, pulled pork is bbq. Slowly cooked on wood until the collagen breaks down and it can literally be pulled apart with a fork or hands. It typically uses a whole pork shoulder or butt for the meat. I am partial to the portion of the shoulder with the blade bone. It develops a dark crispy crust and luscious interior. After pulling it is typicalyy sauced and served on plate or bun. Choice of sauce or slaw is optional but in East Carolina slaw is always at least on the plate so you can add.

Carnitas uses a similar cut of meat, but cut in cubes and cooked in a dutch oven or similar with some liquid and seasonings. The fat eventually renders out (like bbq) and the pork crisps up in its own fat. It too can then be pulled with fork or hand and served typically in tortillas with your fave condiments.

It is the crispness of carnitas that I think is closer to bbq and if seasoned as bbq makes a passable substitute.

IMHO

[Darienne]

Thank you. If I might ask another question. The pork butt had a thick layer of fat which was topped by the skin on one side. I left it on the pork because I didn't know what to do and I was at the time overwhelmed by other issues...yadda, yadda. Should I have left it on to cook? Or taken it off? My friend who was here said what are you going to do? (Never cook something new with a friend visiting) and I said...I have no idea. I'll leave it on. And then things got even more complicated which is more than you wanted to know...

[Doodad]

It will render given enough time, but in an enclosed container it will not go anywhere. For smoking bbq I leave it in place as it "bastes" the meat. For oven or such, I trim it to a reasonable thickness to protect the meat, but not swim in grease. The carnitas need a bit, but in a crockpot I think I would trim it almost to the meat.

Edited May 14, 2010 by Doodad (log)

[Darienne]

Many thanks.

I did drain the meat, and put the sauce into the freezer to let the fat coagulate, removed it, put the meat back into the now beefed-up sauce and all was well.

Just ate it with yesterday's failed sticky buns which became rolls (before any sticky was applied. But that is another story.) Next time, cole slaw for sure. Maybe even tomorrow when a guest plus 4-month old Bouvier is arriving for the weekend. For the human, not the dogs.

Thanks again.

[Doodad]

Some inspiration: Brisket and ribs bbq and all the fixins. And both Carolina sauce recipes

Recipes for sauce: (from the Jurassic Pork site which is great)

East Carolina Sauce:

1 cup vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water; optional

Pour it all in a wine bottle, stick the cork back in and give it a shake. No refrigeration necessary.

Yella Sauce:

3/4 cup yellow mustard

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

In a medium saucepan, combine ingredients, stirring to blend. Over low heat, simmer 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate unused sauce up to several weeks.

[Darienne]

Tomorrow's menu is now fixed. Ed will make his cole slaw and we'll have the meat on buns and I'll probably doctor the sauce somewhat, plus print out both of your sauces.

AND, of course, beans. I never thought of beans. Ed thought of rice, but red beans are better. Thanks. We'll pass on what looks like grits? or hominy? or something? What are the wilted greens?

And for dessert, Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream. Wrong pew, but it will work.

[Doodad]

LOL, mac and cheese casserole and collards. Make you slap yo mama they are so good.

Just an expression BTW.

I have never seen rice with bbq. Other than Asian bbq, but that is another delicious topic.

Good luck!

Edited May 14, 2010 by Doodad (log)

[Doodad]

As an added hilarity, the chef at my wife's work did indeed serve this today. She is trained in patisserie so I love to hound her about things like this.