Pulled Pork in BBQ Sauce

The barbecue tradition in the United States runs deep. There are as many kinds of barbecue sauce as there are regions that barbecue. But let’s be honest, in vast swathes of the country (mostly north and west), when people think of barbecue sauce, they think of that sweet ketchup you might get with your chicken nuggets at that fast food place or the overcooked baby back ribs you get at some chain restaurant. I’d say it’s vaguely reminiscent of a Kansas City style sauce, but I wouldn’t want to insult the barbecue masters of western Missouri.

But the very first recipe I ever developed, all the way back while I was in high school, was my version of a sloppy joe. It was just ground beef and a bottle of generic barbecue sauce. The sauce had so much sugar, it would start to caramelize while I cooked it, and I started calling it candied meat.

Over the next few years, I began experimenting with making my own barbecue sauce. It started as just ketchup with some spices and honey, but eventually I realized it wasn’t that much harder to make the whole thing from scratch. And instead of ground beef, I could use a pork shoulder. It took me about a decade, but here are my recipes for my spice rub, BBQ Sauce, and pulled pork.

Active Time: 2 Hours
Total Time: 6-8 Hours
Makes: 8-10 cups pulled pork

Ingredients - Spice Rub

2 tbsp kosher salt (or 1 tbsp table salt)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp clove
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp brown sugar (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Add the sugar if you plan on using the rub for a different application, such as if you are going to throw the shoulder on a smoker. If you’re just going to throw it into the barbecue sauce, you probably don’t need the extra sugar. I mean, unless you want it.

Ingredients - BBQ Sauce

2 six-ounce cans of tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 batch of spice rub (see above)
1 shot of whiskey (optional)

Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk together. If you just want to make the barbecue sauce, it needs to be cooked before it can be used. Add it to a medium saucepan and simmer gently about half an hour. Adjust for sweetness and salt to taste. If you’re making the pulled pork, you can skip this step since it’s going into a slow cooker for awhile.

Ingredients - Pulled Pork

4-5 lb. bone-in pork shoulder, trimmed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 batch Barbecue Sauce (see above)

1. Trim the pork shoulder of any skin or excess fat.

2. Add the oil to a large frying or saute pan over medium heat. Saute the pork shoulder on all sides, about 3-4 minutes a side until nicely browned.

3. In a slow cooker (or dutch oven), add half the barbecue sauce. Carefully transfer the pork shoulder to the slow cooker (or dutch oven). Add the remaining sauce over the top of the shoulder. Cover. Cook on very low until the meat holds mostly together, but can be easily shredded with a fork (you don’t want it completely falling apart), about 4-6 hours on the high setting of a slow cooker or in the dutch oven, about 8-10 hours on the low setting of a slow cooker. If using a dutch oven, stir frequently to make sure the barbecue sauce doesn’t burn. It’s a lot less likely to happen if you’re using a slow cooker, but you probably still want to stir occasionally or flip the shoulder a few times to make sure nothing gets burnt or stuck (maybe once per hour or so).

4. Once the meat is tender, place it in a large baking dish or tray, and shred with two forks, discarding any bones or excess fat.

5. Add the pork back to the pot. Cover. Turn off the slow cooker (or burner). Let the meat absorb the sauce for at least five minutes. Taste and adjust for salt and sweetness. Get some buns. Make some sandwiches.