Carolina-Style Pulled Pork Barbecue & Sauce

I got this recipe from my Uncle Joe, who was a butcher for over 60 years in Virginia and the Carolinas. He would make this for every family reunion and picnic, and it always disappeared.

• Ready In: 10 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 20 sandwiches

Ingredients

• Carolina Style Sauce

• 1  quart apple cider vinegar
• 7  ounces ketchup
• 5 1⁄2 ounces brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon garlic powder
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 1⁄2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3  drops liquid smoke (optional)

• Pulled Pork

• 7  lbs  pork shoulder, pork butt or 7  lbs country-style pork ribs

Directions

1. Sauce:
2. Combine all ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. Cover and remove from heat, let stand for 30 minutes.
3. Using funnel, return sauce to vinegar bottle and store in refrigerator.
4. Shake well before using.
5. PORK:
6. Wrap pork shoulder in wide, heavy duty aluminum foil. Meat may be basted with about 1/4 cup of the Carolina sauce before wrapping.
7. Place in shallow roasting pan. Bake at 325℉ for 1 hour per pound.
8. If cooking a whole pork shoulder, 10 - 13 pounds, wrap as directed, and.
9. bake at 300℉ for 1 hour per pound.
10. OR if using slow cooker, wrap as directed, and cook on low for 10 hours.
11. When done, remove meat from oven and open foil a little to vent. Rest until cool enough to handle. Remove meat to cutting board. There will be quite a bit of liquid inside the foil; pour into quart jar and refrigerate. Remove fat from top after it has hardened.
12. Using 2 large forks or your gloved hands, pull fibers of meat apart. Meat may be sliced or chopped if you prefer. Remove and discard bones and large pieces of fat and membrane. Place pulled meat in a large bowl, and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of Carolina Style Sauce. Stir to blend, taste, and add more sauce as desired. Commercial bottled barbecue sauce may be used if you prefer.
13. Serve hot, in sandwich buns, with Carolina cole slaw.