Sunday, May 20, 2012

North Carolina Barbecue

"Jesus has a cell phone," Wynne (age 4) proclaims. "How do you know?" her mom asks. "Because at the funeral, the minister said that Mr. X was called to Jesus."  I hope Jesus has a good cell plan because he has been busy. The latest casualty is GCB and I am in mourning. Now what am I going to watch on Sunday nights?  If the spirit moves you, you can sign the petition to ABC Entertainment.

On the episode "Adam & Eve's Rib," the members of Hillside Park Memorial Church compete in a Dallas Interfaith Barbecue Invitational. The men's team, Braise the Lord, competes against the women's team, Spicy Racks, and other teams, including one from a synagogue, "although there is no way they can win a barbecue competition without pork." Those writers from California did not conduct their research. Everyone else knows that Texas barbecue is all about beef.  It is North Carolina which believes that it is all about pork.  Perhaps that's why the show was cancelled - gross negligence of the facts!

Beef or pork, love thy neighboring state's cooking.  As we head into Memorial Day weekend, here is a NC BBQ recipe that will allow you to have fun with family and friends and guarantee a tasty meal for all (with minimal effort on the cook’s part - amen to that!). Come back on Tuesday for coleslaw and Thursday for blackberry cobbler recipes.

RIP GCB

Ingredients:
1.      1 Pork butt
NC BBQ
2.      2 C apple cider vinegar 
3.      2 T crushed red pepper
4.      ½ T chopped fresh garlic
5.      ½ T kosher salt
6.      1 T freshly ground black pepper
7.      1 T Texas Pete, optional

In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, red pepper, garlic, and salt (and TX Pete) over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-high. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes and then remove from the heat. Let cool then add the black pepper.

The meat can be cooked in the oven or in the crock pot/slow cooker.  For oven: preheat the oven to 225 degrees.  For crock pot: use the 8 hour setting. 

Place the pork and the cooled apple cider vinegar sauce in a roasting pan or in the crock pot .  Cook the pork in the oven for 6 to 8 hours or on the 8 hour setting for the crock pot or until the meat is tender and falls apart when the bone is removed. Chop the pork coarsely and mix in salt and barbecue sauce, to taste. Serve with more barbecue sauce on the side.  Other sandwich toppings to consider include pickles, cole slaw, and raw sliced onions.

Thanks Susan  B. for another winning recipe!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do I add the sauce to the crockpot or add it in after?

The Baker's Mann said...

Good point - I will clarify in the recipe too - - - place the pork and the apple cider vinegar sauce in the oven/crock pot to cook. After the pork is cooked and you have shredded it, add BBQ sauce to your liking.

Kim of Mo Betta said...

Being a NC girl, I have to say, our bbq is the BEST :) Of course, I should clarify and say Eastern NC bbq is the best! A good barbecue sammie topped with vinegar based slaw....mmmmmm, mmm! And now I'm hungry....