Apple Cider Vinegar (and pulled pork)

CafeRacer808
CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
edited November 15 in Recipes
Let's talk about pulled pork! Since there's been a crazy amount of apple cider vinegar threads over the past week, I thought I'd use this opportunity to start an ACV pulled pork thread. I've been using this recipe exclusively and am interested in changing things up a bit. So, what are your favorite ACV pulled pork recipes? Also, if any of you are from the Carolinas, I'd love to know how this recipe I've been using compares to the BBQ you guys are known for. :#

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/148544/slow-cooker-carolina-bbq/
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Replies

  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    That. Looks. Fantastic.

    Sadly, I don't have access to a smoker, so I'm relegated to using the slow cooker recipe I linked to above. What kind of wood do you use to smoke it? Hickory? Mesquite? There's a place in Northern California that uses mahogany to smoke all their meats and I've gotta say, it's pretty great.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    Great timing! I am making pulled pork sandwiches for dinner tonight. We smoke pork on our pellet grill then shred and freeze it in dinner sized portions. I make a cole slaw that's a mix of shredded cabbage and carrots, or we go lazy and buy the mix from the bagged salad section, ACV, peanut oil, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add my nana's Korean chili flakes, but my husband complains that I'm turning it into kim chi. He's from North Carolina and therefore all about the vinegar sauces. I don't know his recipe for vinegar sauce, because he doesn't trust me not to make it California style, because I totally would, but it is delicious.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    shagerty777 wrote: »
    I cook mine on the smoker and use the ACV in the sauce I make...5pz6utcqko1b.jpg

    I have a smoker. Can I have the recipe/instructions?
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    CafeRacer808 wrote: »
    That. Looks. Fantastic.

    Sadly, I don't have access to a smoker, so I'm relegated to using the slow cooker recipe I linked to above. What kind of wood do you use to smoke it? Hickory? Mesquite? There's a place in Northern California that uses mahogany to smoke all their meats and I've gotta say, it's pretty great.

    We use Hickory and apple.
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    jennybearlv wrote: »
    Great timing! I am making pulled pork sandwiches for dinner tonight. We smoke pork on our pellet grill then shred and freeze it in dinner sized portions. I make a cole slaw that's a mix of shredded cabbage and carrots, or we go lazy and buy the mix from the bagged salad section, ACV, peanut oil, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add my nana's Korean chili flakes, but my husband complains that I'm turning it into kim chi. He's from North Carolina and therefore all about the vinegar sauces. I don't know his recipe for vinegar sauce, because he doesn't trust me not to make it California style, because I totally would, but it is delicious.

    I never thought to add Korean chili flakes to pulled pork. Great idea! I live in a loft building, which I generally love. The only downside is that my building doesn't have outdoor grills and our HOA has voted to ban cooking on our outdoor patios.
  • illusion2269
    illusion2269 Posts: 95 Member
    I don't have a smoker either, but I have had good luck with oven-roasted pulled pork. I mix ACV, apple juice or hard cider or beer, a bit of liquid smoke, and dry rub together and inject this into the pork butt. Cook it at 250 for 10-12 hours, and it is fall apart delicious... Sadly no pictures though.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    Saving recipe. Must make soon. I've also done a slower cooker pork shoulder in a mole sauce, which we then used for pork tacos, enchiladas, etc.
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    illusion2269 wrote: »
    I don't have a smoker either, but I have had good luck with oven-roasted pulled pork. I mix ACV, apple juice or hard cider or beer, a bit of liquid smoke, and dry rub together and inject this into the pork butt. Cook it at 250 for 10-12 hours, and it is fall apart delicious... Sadly no pictures though.

    Nice! Do you make a sauce as well, or do you find that the dry rub along with the liquids provides enough flavor for you?
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited January 2017
    I slow cook pork shoulders in my smoker (actually a kamado), using a dry rub and smoking over hickory and/or pecan wood. Sometimes I sauce them with a vinegar-based sauce, other times I'll use a thicker/sweeter Kansas City style sauce.

    Here are two great vinegar-based Carolina BBQ sauce recipes from probably the greatest BBQ site on the web (he has a wealth of information and recipes, all free):

    http://amazingribs.com/recipes/BBQ_sauces/lexington_dip.html

    http://amazingribs.com/recipes/BBQ_sauces/east_carolina_BBQ_sauce.html
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    I slow cook pork shoulders in my smoker (actually a kamado), using a dry rub and smoking over hickory and/or pecan wood. Sometimes I sauce them with a vinegar-based sauce, other times I'll use a thicker/sweeter Kansas City style sauce.

    Here are two great vinegar-based Carolina BBQ sauce recipes from probably the greatest BBQ site on the web (he has a wealth of information and recipes, all free):

    http://amazingribs.com/recipes/BBQ_sauces/lexington_dip.html

    http://amazingribs.com/recipes/BBQ_sauces/east_carolina_BBQ_sauce.html

    Thank you for this!
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    Bookmarking this thread! That slow-cooker Carolina Cooker BBQ recipe sounds amazing.
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    Bookmarking this thread! That slow-cooker Carolina Cooker BBQ recipe sounds amazing.

    It's pretty great! One thing the recipe doesn't call for is liquid smoke. I've tried it both with and without, and definitely prefer it with.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    I put the butt in a dry Dutch oven, cover, and roast slowly -- often with no spices beyond salt and pepper. I do it plain to be able to use the shredded pork for a wide variety of applications, from Chinese to Latin to barbecue. Yes, it lacks the smokiness of lovely pig that spent hours in a smoker but it's handy freezer fodder. Just last night, I pulled a meal-sized portion of pulled pork from the freezer and heated it in Sticky Fingers Memphis-style sauce to have beside red cabbage & beets that had been roasted in balsamic vinegar. Another night, it might turn into pork carnitas or char siu.
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »
    I put the butt in a dry Dutch oven, cover, and roast slowly -- often with no spices beyond salt and pepper. I do it plain to be able to use the shredded pork for a wide variety of applications, from Chinese to Latin to barbecue. Yes, it lacks the smokiness of lovely pig that spent hours in a smoker but it's handy freezer fodder. Just last night, I pulled a meal-sized portion of pulled pork from the freezer and heated it in Sticky Fingers Memphis-style sauce to have beside red cabbage & beets that had been roasted in balsamic vinegar. Another night, it might turn into pork carnitas or char siu.

    This is basically how I make Kalua Pig (Hawaiian style pulled pork), except I do add Hawaiian sea salt and liquid smoke. Sometimes I add banana leaves as well!
  • illusion2269
    illusion2269 Posts: 95 Member
    CafeRacer808 wrote: »
    illusion2269 wrote: »
    I don't have a smoker either, but I have had good luck with oven-roasted pulled pork. I mix ACV, apple juice or hard cider or beer, a bit of liquid smoke, and dry rub together and inject this into the pork butt. Cook it at 250 for 10-12 hours, and it is fall apart delicious... Sadly no pictures though.

    Nice! Do you make a sauce as well, or do you find that the dry rub along with the liquids provides enough flavor for you?
    The pork usually ends up very juicy with plenty of flavor, but I will sometimes take some reserved liquid and cook it a bit to marry the flavors. I'll sometimes add this to a homemade (or store-bought if time is an issue) BBQ sauce as well.
  • shagerty777
    shagerty777 Posts: 185 Member
    @Tacklewasher It's a pretty simple recipe. I hit the butt with Mad Hunky General Purpose Rub along with some added pepper and garlic then throw it in the smoker. I run it at 225-240 degrees with hickory smoke for about 6 hours. At that point I double wrap it in foil, throw it in the oven at 225 until the internal temp hits 198-205, cool for several hours and pull, removing as much fat as possible. I usually do 3 or 4 butts at a time then I vacuum seal one pound packages for the freezer for future meals.

    Sadly I don't reveal my sauce recipe... :smiley:
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    i dont eat meat anymore and its been a year since i ate pork.... BUT my pulled pork was one of my best meals. I would use the huy fong chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. the. i would add a little sweet baby rays when its done, but that chili garlic sauce is what made it.
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    *drools*

    Now there's an ACV thread I get get into...
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    fishshark wrote: »
    i dont eat meat anymore and its been a year since i ate pork.... BUT my pulled pork was one of my best meals. I would use the huy fong chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. the. i would add a little sweet baby rays when its done, but that chili garlic sauce is what made it.

    OK, that sounds awesome! Would you mind sharing the entire recipe?
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Never thought about doing it with ACV, but this is our go-to recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/25147/sarges-ez-pulled-pork-bbq/. I do add a tsp of liquid smoke. Perfect every time.

    I'd love a smoker! I'd smoke errythaing.
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    edited January 2017
    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    Never thought about doing it with ACV, but this is our go-to recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/25147/sarges-ez-pulled-pork-bbq/. I do add a tsp of liquid smoke. Perfect every time.

    I'd love a smoker! I'd smoke errythaing.

    You and me both! Salmon, bacon, baby back ribs...

    Thanks for the link, btw. Definitely adding this one to my "must try" list. :)
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
    Not pork, but I made some kicking pickled eggs with apple cider vinegar. It's my go to cooking vinegar because I had a bad experience with plain white vinegar and lamb... and i kinda associate white vinegar with cleaning too much.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    I am loving all these ideas! I love pulled pork!
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    When done with the pork you'll probably have extra ACV remaining. I recommend using some to make collards. Oh, and you can use some of that pork (before cooking) to help flavor the collards.
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    CooCooPuff wrote: »
    Not pork, but I made some kicking pickled eggs with apple cider vinegar. It's my go to cooking vinegar because I had a bad experience with plain white vinegar and lamb... and i kinda associate white vinegar with cleaning too much.

    I don't think I've ever had a pickled egg before, but that sounds really good. Do you use the ACV straight, or diluted?
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    edited January 2017
    TR0berts wrote: »
    When done with the pork you'll probably have extra ACV remaining. I recommend using some to make collards. Oh, and you can use some of that pork (before cooking) to help flavor the collards.


    Great idea. I imagine it would work pretty well with kale as well. Do you cook the collards down in ACV (like a braise?), or do you just add a splash at the end?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    All together. I like Sandra Lee's recipe.
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    TR0berts wrote: »
    All together. I like Sandra Lee's recipe.

    Wow, that looks really good. Thanks for the link!
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
    http://www.food.com/recipe/garlic-pickled-eggs-215049

    I used this recipe. It's a cup of vinegar and a cup of water or beet juice.

    I'd like to use beets next time, just didn't have any on hand.
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