Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork shoulder (bone-in)
- 6 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces apple or hickory wood chunks
- 8 buns hamburger buns – split
- coleslaw – for serving
Instructions
1. Make the dry rub: In a bowl, mix kosher salt, brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper until evenly blended, 2 minutes.
2. Prep the meat: Trim away only hard surface fat from the pork shoulder (bone-in), leaving a thin cap. Coat all over with yellow mustard, then apply the dry rub generously, pressing to adhere. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature (or cover and refrigerate 2–12 hours, then return to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking).
3. Make the vinegar mixture: In a small saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, water, and red pepper flakes. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat and cook 3 minutes to mellow; cool 10 minutes. Pour half into a spray bottle for spritzing and reserve the rest for moistening the meat later.
4. Heat the cooker: Preheat a smoker to 250°F. Add the apple or hickory wood chunks and let the smoke run clean, 15 minutes. (Oven option: Heat to 300°F; you will skip the wood.)
5. Smoke to the stall: Set the meat fat-side up on the grate and insert a probe thermometer. Cook at 250°F until a dark, well-set bark forms and the internal temperature reaches about 160°F, 4–6 hours; spritz the surface lightly with the vinegar mixture every 45–60 minutes after the first 2 hours.
6. Wrap and finish: Wrap the meat tightly in unwaxed butcher paper or double foil, adding 2 tablespoons of the reserved vinegar mixture before sealing. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 195–203°F and the probe slides in with little resistance, 2–3 hours more. Rest the wrapped meat in a warm spot or insulated cooler 45–60 minutes.
7. Pull and moisten: Unwrap over a pan and reserve the juices. Shred the meat by hand or with forks, discarding large pockets of fat, 10–15 minutes. Moisten to taste with some of the remaining vinegar mixture and the reserved juices; the meat should be juicy but not wet.
8. Warm the buns: Place the hamburger buns cut-side up on a baking sheet and warm in a 300°F oven until soft and pliable, 3–5 minutes.
9. Assemble and serve: Pile the pulled pork onto warm buns and add a spoonful of pan juices. Top with coleslaw if desired and serve immediately while hot and steamy.
Pulled pork sandwiches are all about tender, shreddable pork tucked into soft buns with a balance of smoke, seasoning, and tang. The meat is cooked low and slow until it pulls into strands, then lightly dressed so it stays juicy without becoming saucy. In the sandwich, rich pork meets a gentle vinegar snap and the cool crunch of slaw for contrast.
Rooted in American barbecue, this sandwich is most closely tied to the Carolinas where whole hog and shoulder traditions run deep. Over time, regional styles shaped the details—vinegar-forward dressings in the east, a touch of tomato or sweetness farther west. Today, pulled pork is a backyard staple across the U.S., but its soul remains in pit-cooked pork shoulder served on a bun, often crowned with slaw.