Barbeque is NOT a verb

I’m southern girl.  Shocking, I know. Southern folk aren’t often given the culinary credit they are due.  But thankfully, that does not apply to Barbeque.  The whole world knows that Barbeque is the crown jewel of the American South.

As so very eloquently sung by Rhett & Link & the Homestead Pickers…"Barbeque is not a verb. Barbeque is not a grill. Barbeque is meat, prepared in very special way, which varies on where you go."

This has got to be one of my most favorite videos of all time.  I can’t tell you how many times I have had to share it with others in order to correct their sad misconceptions of barbeque. Sorry sir, that hibatchi is not a barbeque.

The following is my recipe for our winter pulled pork barbeque that hails from a North Carolina pallet of flavors. I specified winter because we are forced indoors here in Seattle in the fall and winter so we don’t have access to our grill.  Our Summer barbeque is plentiful and nothing at all like this.  I'm sure you'll see some in due time. 

This recipe is prepared hands free in the slow cooker, with nearly no work at all.  I really hope you enjoy it.  We do!

North Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Coleslaw

Pulled Pork (Printable Recipe)

·                  5 pound pork shoulder roast

·                  2 cups of apple cider vinegar

·                  ½ cup brown sugar

·                  Garlic

·                  Salt

·                  Red pepper flakes ½ teaspoon to 2 tablespoons

·                  ½ cup barbeque sauce (optional - Stubbs or Sweet Baby Ray's)

·                  Soft dinner rolls

Pour the vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, red pepper flakes and two cups of boiling water into your slow cooker.  Mix until the sugar is dissolved. Then put the whole pork roast into the cooker and cover.  Cook on high for 10-15 hours. Pour off the cooking liquid into a mixing bowl. Let the meat cool and shred with a fork. Pour off the fat from the cooking liquid and mix the good drippings into the barbeque sauce. There should be about a cup of cooking liquid left so that at the end you have 1½ cup of sauce. Pour over the shredded meat. 

Coleslaw (Printable Recipe)

·         ½ head of green cabbage cut thinly or chopped - about 4 cups

·         ½ cup of shredded carrots (optional)

·         Sugar 1-2 tablespoons

·         Salt to taste

·         Celery seeds 1-2 teaspoons

·         Mayonnaise, sour cream or unflavored yogurt

·         1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

Mix the mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of celery seeds.  Taste and add salt more sugar, lemon juice, or celery seeds.  Then pour the mixture over the cabbage and carrots. Mix and chill.

At serving time pile some pork on a roll, top with coleslaw and extra barbeque sauce if you like then enjoy.