Crock Pot Eastern Carolina Pulled Pork (Printer-Friendly)

Slow-cooked pulled pork infused with tangy vinegar sauce, perfect for flavorful Southern-style sandwiches.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pork and Rub

01 - 8 to 10 pounds boneless pork shoulder butt roast
02 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon mustard powder
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)

→ Eastern Carolina Vinegar Sauce

10 - 1 cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 1/4 cup ketchup
12 - 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
13 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
16 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

# Steps to Make This:

01 - Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, mustard powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and black pepper until combined. Rub the mixture evenly over the pork.
02 - Place the seasoned pork into an 8-quart or larger slow cooker. Pour liquid smoke over the meat if using. No additional liquid is required as the pork will cook in its own juices.
03 - Cover and cook on low heat for 10 to 12 hours until the pork is very tender and easily shredded.
04 - While pork cooks, combine apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until sugar and salt dissolve, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in red chili flakes and black pepper. Allow to cool.
05 - Remove pork from slow cooker and discard excess fat as desired. Shred the pork with forks, then chop into smaller pieces for texture.
06 - Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker. Drizzle desired amount of vinegar sauce over the pork and stir to combine thoroughly.
07 - Cook on low for an additional hour to allow flavors to meld together.
08 - Serve the pulled pork immediately on sandwich buns, optionally topped with coleslaw and extra sauce.

# Additional Notes:

01 - Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Save cooking juices to retain moisture when reheating.

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