North Carolina Chopped Barbecued Pork

Y’all, this is Carolina ‘cue the way it’s supposed to be done. Pork shoulder gets browned, then braised low and slow in a vinegar-forward sauce until it’s tender enough to pull from the bone and chop fine.

The sauce blends cider vinegar and ketchup with a spice lineup you might not expect: celery seed, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chili powder. It sounds unusual, but those warm spices round out the sharp vinegar tang and add a complexity you won’t find in a sauce that’s just vinegar and pepper. The roast bakes covered in this mixture, basted occasionally, until the meat practically falls apart.

Once chopped, hit it with more cider vinegar and hot sauce to taste. In North Carolina, the meat gets dressed, not drowned. You want tang and heat in every bite without losing the pork flavor underneath.

Pro Tips

• Brown the roast well on all sides before braising. That seared crust adds a layer of flavor that the sauce alone can’t provide.
• Baste every 30 minutes or so. The sauce concentrates as it cooks and the basting keeps the top from drying out.
• Chop the meat fairly fine. This isn’t pulled pork with big shreds. Carolina chopped barbecue has a finer texture.
• Season the chopped meat while it’s still hot. It absorbs the vinegar and hot sauce better when warm.

Variations

• Skip the ketchup entirely for an Eastern NC-style, vinegar-only sauce.
• Add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the sauce for a slightly sweeter, Piedmont-style version.
• Pile the chopped pork on soft buns with coleslaw on top for classic Carolina barbecue sandwiches.