Pulled Pork in a Vinegar Bath


 
Michael Richards

Michael Richards

TVWBB Emerald Member
My son's favorite pulled pork is this super soft no bark pulled pork we get in South Carolina. So to try to recreate this I made a 24 oz Carolina style vinegar mopping sauce a few days before the cook and then last night I got the pork shoulder in a foil pan and then added the vinegar mop.
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Planned on using the WSM 14 and I really thought the pan I bought was going to fit, I was wrong, so the Master Touch and the diffuser plate got the call. Been researching how to start up the charcoal and I just lit two Weber light cubes right in the kettle with the charcoal and wood and it worked great. Two big chucks of hickory for smoke. Went on last night at 10 pm, cruised between 245 to 265 all night. I pulled it at 6 am it was reading at 201 to 203 and probe tender thoughout. I think it took less time because it braised? Got wrapped in foil and into the cooler.
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Now when it come time to pull the pork, the pork by itself was underwhelming, like roasted pork.
However, this stuff below was amazing and made the meal.
Here is what was left in the foil pan after I pulled the pork.
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I was literally able to skim off the layer of fat to reveal the vinegar goodness.
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Strained it.
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And got this amazing vinegary/porky/smoky/salty/peppery goodness.
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I warmed up some of that goodness and poured in onto the pork. Oh my that changed everything!!! The flavor of the pork and that liquid together, mixed and dripping, was heavenly!
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Served with homemade baked mac and cheese.
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No need for a bun for me. My son ate 3 Sandwiches and raved about it. It did not have any bark but the smoky-ness and the punch from liquid was great!
 

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Sounds like a cool way to do pulled pork - sure looks good too! So does that Mac & Cheese.
 
Pulled pork is SO GOOD. There are many different ways to enjoy it. I'm planning to do more of that in 2021 for sure. My next WSM cook will probably be baby backs. Just need a Saturday or Sunday with a clear weather forecast...
 
Cooking for loved your loved ones tastes is the best. And most people’s ultimate goal. I know that it’s mine. If my baby likes it, it’s perfect.
‘However, posting the Mac&Cheese pic without a recipe or link might be a reportable offense. That is a serious violation. ;)
 
BryanO said:
Cooking for loved your loved ones tastes is the best. And most people’s ultimate goal. I know that it’s mine. If my baby likes it, it’s perfect.
‘However, posting the Mac&Cheese pic without a recipe or link might be a reportable offense. That is a serious violation. ;)
Click to expand...

LOL "Git a rope!"

Just kidding, Michael! The pork and mac 'n cheese both look wonderful. I usually like a lot of bark with my pulled pork,
but your sauce sounds amazing. And your son's reaction says it all. :)
 
ChuckH said:
That sauce looks and sounds amazing. You have a recipe that you would be willing to share?
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Timothy F. Lewis said:
Yeah, sauce recipe?
Click to expand...

OK so I started with this recipe:

  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1 cup cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper
Now you can mess with the red pepper flakes and the cayenne depending on your desire of heat. This was a good bit of red pepper flakes and I liked how that come through in the final product.

But then here is where I cheated a little. The pork that my son and I love so freaken much from South Carolina comes from a Place Called Hog Heaven in Pawlyes Island. Then sale there sauces and ship them. I have never tasted anything close to their sauces no matter how many recipes I try nor how many other bottles I buy. So I just keep a half gallon of the vinegar mild and the ribs and chicken (which is their tomato based sauce) on hand. Then also sale a vinegar hot and a tangy which is their mustard base. The hot has too much heat for my mild taste buds, but I really like the mustard sauce also, I just don't use it enough to have it sent up the east coast to me.

So....
to that above recipe above I added
  • 3/4 cup of the mild vinegar sauce
  • 1/4 cup of the ribs and chicken/tomato base sauce.
I added the tomato base sauce because some mops call for a little ketchup while other that would be sacrilegious, so I thought this would be a perfect middle point for me.

Mix it all together and do it a few days before you want to use it (my goal is two days) and put it in the frig. Every time you open the frig gently mix it up and put it back, this helps soften up those red pepper flakes and meld everything together.

I have done a very similar mop on a smaller scale to make "traditional Carolina style pulled pork" using salt only on the shoulder and then mopping that shoulder hourly through the cook.
 
You are killing it, Michael! That diffuser system looks like it's working well for you. Very interesting technique. I'm going to have to try it.
 
I love the cook, looks great Michael....I know nothing other than a tradition style pulled pork so kudos to you. I really do enjoy a vinegar based sauce over any sugar sauce when it comes to something like this for sure.
 
Michael Richards said:
OK so I started with this recipe:

  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1 cup cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper
Now you can mess with the red pepper flakes and the cayenne depending on your desire of heat. This was a good bit of red pepper flakes and I liked how that come through in the final product.

But then here is where I cheated a little. The pork that my son and I love so freaken much from South Carolina comes from a Place Called Hog Heaven in Pawlyes Island. Then sale there sauces and ship them. I have never tasted anything close to their sauces no matter how many recipes I try nor how many other bottles I buy. So I just keep a half gallon of the vinegar mild and the ribs and chicken (which is their tomato based sauce) on hand. Then also sale a vinegar hot and a tangy which is their mustard base. The hot has too much heat for my mild taste buds, but I really like the mustard sauce also, I just don't use it enough to have it sent up the east coast to me.

So....
to that above recipe above I added
  • 3/4 cup of the mild vinegar sauce
  • 1/4 cup of the ribs and chicken/tomato base sauce.
I added the tomato base sauce because some mops call for a little ketchup while other that would be sacrilegious, so I thought this would be a perfect middle point for me.

Mix it all together and do it a few days before you want to use it (my goal is two days) and put it in the frig. Every time you open the frig gently mix it up and put it back, this helps soften up those red pepper flakes and meld everything together.

I have done a very similar mop on a smaller scale to make "traditional Carolina style pulled pork" using salt only on the shoulder and then mopping that shoulder hourly through the cook.
Click to expand...
Thank you bud. I appreciate you taking the time and posting your recipe. Going to mix up a batch.
 
"Went on last night at 10 pm, cruised between 245 to 265 all night."

How do you know that it maintained those temps throughout the night?
 
EricV. said:
"Went on last night at 10 pm, cruised between 245 to 265 all night."

How do you know that it maintained those temps throughout the night?
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Because I had the wireless receiver with me from 10 pm until I went to bed at 2 am, then got up at 3 am, then got up at 4 am, then got up at 5 am, and then when I got up at 6 am I pulled it. Every hour when I got up the temp was between 245 and 265, and from midnight to 5 am it was always in the 250's. I find it hard to believe that the temps had huge swings while I slept and then fell right back into the target range when I woke up on the hour. For the above stated reasoning, I felt completely confident saying it cruised between 245 to 265 all night.
 
Excellent! Your a better man then me for staying up with the cook! Previously I had my doubts about this diffuser plate, mainly due to the fact of no-insulation in Weber Kettles. I am now a believer!
 
EricV. said:
Excellent! Your a better man then me for staying up with the cook! Previously I had my doubts about this diffuser plate, mainly due to the fact of no-insulation in Weber Kettles. I am now a believer!
Click to expand...
With the WSM I get up every two hours, but since I had never used my diffuser overnight I thought to check every hour. The only thing I did was every other hour move the ash sweep one sweep to make sure air flow did not get clogged then put the vents/handle back at the same spot. Waited a few minutes to makes sure it stayed stable and went back to bed.
 
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