Best 11 North Carolina Barbecue Sandwich Sauce Recipes

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In the realm of barbecue, few regions can claim a legacy as rich and distinctive as North Carolina. With its eastern and western styles, the state offers a diverse tapestry of smoky, tangy, and vinegar-based sauces, each with its unique flavor profile. Embark on a culinary journey through North Carolina's barbecue traditions, discovering the secrets behind the perfect pulled pork sandwich and tantalizing sauces that elevate any backyard barbecue to legendary status. Whether you prefer the bold, spicy flavors of the eastern style or the sweet, tangy embrace of the western style, this article has something to satisfy every palate. We present a collection of carefully curated recipes that capture the essence of North Carolina's barbecue heritage. From the classic vinegar-based sauce to the smoky, tomato-based Lexington dip, these recipes provide a roadmap to barbecue bliss. So, gather your ingredients, fire up your grill, and prepare to immerse yourself in the delectable world of North Carolina barbecue.

Here are our top 11 tried and tested recipes!

NORTH CAROLINA PULLED-PORK BARBECUE



North Carolina Pulled-Pork Barbecue image

This classic pulled pork is the ultimate holiday weekend grilling project.

Provided by Ruth Cousineau

Categories     Backyard BBQ     Summer     Grill     Grill/Barbecue     Gourmet     Graduation

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

3 1/2 cups cider vinegar (20 fluid ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons hot red-pepper flakes
1 (8- to 10-pound) bone-in pork shoulder roast (preferably butt end) with skin

Steps:

  • Bring vinegar to a boil with sugar, red-pepper flakes, 2 tsp salt, and 1 Tbsp pepper in a small nonreactive saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then cool. Set aside 2 cups vinegar sauce to serve with sandwiches.
  • While sauce cools, score pork skin in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife (forming 1-inch diamonds), cutting through skin and fat but not into meat. Pat meat dry and rub all over with 1 Tbsp each of salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before grilling.
  • Prepare grill for indirect-heat cooking over low heat, leaving space in middle for disposable roasting pan.
  • When coals have cooled to about 300°F (45 minutes to 1 hour; when most coals will have burned out), put disposable roasting pan on bottom rack of grill between the 2 remaining mounds of coals, then fill pan halfway with water. Add a couple of handfuls of unlit charcoal to each charcoal mound, then put grill rack on so hinges are over coals.
  • Oil grill rack, then put pork, skin side up, on rack above roasting pan. Grill pork, with lid ajar (for air, so coals remain lit), basting meat with sauce and turning over every 30 minutes (to maintain a temperature of 250 to 275°F, add a couple of handfuls of coals to each side about every 30 minutes), until fork-tender (a meat fork should insert easily) and an instant-read thermometer inserted 2 inches into center of meat (avoid bone) registers 190°F, 7 to 8 hours total.
  • Transfer pork to a cutting board. If skin is not crisp, cut it off with at least 1/4 inch fat attached (cut any large pieces into bite-size ones) and roast, fat side down, in a 4-sided sheet pan in a 350°F oven until crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • When meat is cool enough to handle, shred it using 2 forks. Transfer to a bowl.
  • Serve pork, cracklings, and coleslaw together on buns. Serve reserved vinegar sauce on the side.

NORTH CAROLINA EASY CHOPPED BARBECUE



North Carolina Easy Chopped Barbecue image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 8h1m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

7 pound pork shoulder, bone in
1 pint Al's barbecue sauce, recipe follows
1 gallon apple cider vinegar
1 (28-ounce) bottle ketchup
22 ounces light brown sugar
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Wrap pork in aluminum foil and place in a broiler pan. Cook for 7 hours, about 1 hour per pound. Remove from oven and let stand for 1 hour.
  • Wearing heavy rubber gloves, pull skin from the meat and discard. Remove most of the fat and all of the bone. Cut meat into 8-ounce chunks and place in large pan.
  • Place meat on a charcoal fire and cook, covered, for another 30 to 45 minutes, until well smoked, turning meat over every 10 to 15 minutes. Pour barbecue sauce over meat during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking.
  • Remove meat from the grill and chop into bite size pieces. Serve with additional barbecue sauce if desired.
  • Mix all ingredients in a 6-quart stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand, about 30 minutes. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

HOMEMADE CAROLINA BBQ SAUCE RECIPE



Homemade Carolina BBQ Sauce recipe image

This Carolina BBQ Sauce recipe is easy to make and tastes delicious with everything! Thick, tangy and slightly sweet, you will want to make this homemade sauce again and again!

Provided by Cheyanne Holzworth

Categories     Condiment     Sauce

Time 23m

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
¾ Cup Ketchup
¼ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 TBS Yellow Mustard
1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Hot Sauce ((Preferably Texas Pete's))
1 tsp Kosher Salt
½ tsp Ground Pepper
½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Steps:

  • Combine all ingredients in a medium sized sauce pan. Whisk well to combine.
  • Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is glossy and thickened, about 15-18 minutes.
  • Remove from heat. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Allow to cool to room temperature before using. Or, allow to cool to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy with pork, chicken, ribs, on sandwiches - whatever!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 81 kcal, Carbohydrate 18 g, Sodium 743 mg, Sugar 15 g, ServingSize 1 serving

NORTH CAROLINA-STYLE BBQ PULLED-PORK SANDWICHES



North Carolina-Style BBQ Pulled-Pork Sandwiches image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 15h30m

Yield 8 to 10 servings, with leftovers

Number Of Ingredients 21

1 (8-pound) bone-in pork shoulder, with skin
1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
3/4 cup Memphis Shake, recipe follows
5 cups apple or other wood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes and drained
2 batches North Carolina-Style Vinegar BBQ Sauce, recipe follows
8 to 10 soft hamburger rolls
Dill pickles
1/4 cup sweet paprika
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
3 cups cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Make small holes all over the pork shoulder with a thin sharp knife and stuff in garlic cloves. Rub the meat all over with the Memphis Shake; cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Prepare an outdoor grill with an indirect medium-hot fire with a mix of briquettes and hardwood charcoal in half of the grill. Set grate over coals. Place pork, skin side up, in an aluminum pan with about 1 1/2 cups water on the cooler side of the grate. Toss 1 cup of the soaked and drained wood chips onto the coals and cover the grill, making sure the lid's vents are directly over pork.
  • When the coals cool to medium-low heat, preheat a chimney-full of hot briquettes and hardwood charcoal. Whenever smoke stops coming out of the vents, about every hour, add more hot coals and 1 cup of soaked and drained wood chips to the fire. The goal is to maintain a medium-heat, smoky fire (but don't worry if it is hotter when the coals are added and cooler while preheating the coals). Rotate the pork when you add coals so it cooks evenly. Cook the meat until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 180 degrees F, about 6 hours.
  • Set aside 1 quart of the North Carolina-Style Vinegar BBQ Sauce. Once the pork reaches 180 degrees F, begin mopping the entire surface of the meat every 20 minutes with some of the remaining sauce and the pan drippings. Continue to cook the pork, covering the grill between mopping, until an instant-read thermometer registers 200 degrees F, about 1 to 2 hours more.
  • Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for at least 15 minutes. Remove the outer skin and discard. Cut large chunks from the bone and shred, using 2 forks or your fingers, (when cool enough to touch) or chop. Toss with about 1 cup of the reserved barbecue sauce for every 3 cups of meat. Tuck the pork into the soft rolls and serve with pickles.
  • Whisk paprika, brown sugar, oregano, garlic, ancho powder, salt, and celery salt in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months.
  • Heat the vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Off the heat, stir in the ketchup, honey, salt, red pepper, and black pepper.

NORTH CAROLINA-STYLE VINEGAR BARBECUE SAUCE



North Carolina-Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 40m

Yield about 1 quart

Number Of Ingredients 9

4 ounces applewood-smoked bacon (in one piece), cut into large chunks
3/4 cup beef stock or broth
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
Kosher salt

Steps:

  • Combine the bacon, beef stock, cider vinegar, white vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, red pepper flakes, chile powder and 1 tablespoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the bacon renders its fat, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside to let the flavors develop, 20 minutes. Remove the bacon. Reheat the sauce before serving.

VINEGAR BASED CAROLINA BBQ SAUCE RECIPE



Vinegar Based Carolina BBQ Sauce Recipe image

This simple-to-make tasty vinegar-based Carolina-Style BBQ Sauce has the perfect combination of tangy, sweet, and spicy for your BBQ.

Provided by Chef Billy Parisi

Categories     sauce

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 cups of apple cider vinegar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic granules
2 teaspoons onion granules
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/3 cup of ketchup

Steps:

  • Add the vinegar, brown sugar, and salt to a medium-size pot and bring to a boil.
  • Add in all the other ingredients and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
  • Cool and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 127 kcal, Carbohydrate 23 g, Protein 1 g, Fat 1 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 1418 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 19 g, UnsaturatedFat 2 g, ServingSize 1 serving

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA BARBECUE



Eastern North Carolina Barbecue image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 10h50m

Yield 6 large servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 fresh pork butt, bone-in (this is the butt, or top portion, of the shoulder)
Kosher salt
Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Add hickory, oak, and maple chunks or chips to your smoker. Refer to the directions for your smoker to determine the correct amount of chips for the meat and for lighting instructions. When the chips are ready, add the pork and smoke it for 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 250 degrees F. Remove the pork and wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
  • Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
  • Cook the pork for 6 to 8 hours 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.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, red pepper, garlic, and salt 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.

EASY NORTH CAROLINA BARBEQUE



Easy North Carolina Barbeque image

I just love vinegar-based barbeque. I looked high and low for an easy recipe for North Carolina barbeque; this is it! Be warned; your friends will want the recipe. Eat it with a fork or on rolls with coleslaw.

Provided by Phil

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Pork     Pork Shoulder Recipes

Time 9h10m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 (5 pound) pork butt roast
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons white sugar

Steps:

  • Trim the fat from the roast; place in slow cooker and cook on Low overnight, at least 8 hours.
  • To make the sauce, whisk together the vinegar, melted butter, salt, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, hot sauce, black pepper, and sugar in a bowl.
  • Carefully remove the roast to a cutting board. Pull the meat from the bone with a fork. Return the pork to the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the pulled pork. Simmer for 1 hour more.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 448.6 calories, Carbohydrate 4.2 g, Cholesterol 134.1 mg, Fat 37.5 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 23.4 g, SaturatedFat 18.6 g, Sodium 1630.3 mg, Sugar 2.8 g

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA BARBEQUE SAUCE



Eastern North Carolina Barbeque Sauce image

This piquant and spicy vinegar-based sauce, popular in Eastern North Carolina, is not for lightweights! It's great for all meats, but best on pork.

Provided by Lori

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Sauce Recipes     BBQ Sauce Recipes

Time 3h10m

Yield 64

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 quarts cider vinegar
¼ cup salt
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, mix together cider vinegar, salt, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, light brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce. Stir until salt and brown sugar have dissolved. Cover, and let stand at least 3 hours before using as a basting sauce or serving on meat.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 16.8 calories, Carbohydrate 2.8 g, Fat 0.1 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 0.1 g, Sodium 8.1 mg, Sugar 2.4 g

NORTH CAROLINA-STYLE BBQ SAUCE



North Carolina-Style BBQ Sauce image

Blending two vinegars helps re-create the BBQ sauce we love from my mother's North Carolina roots. - Gloria McKinley, Lakeland, Florida

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 25m

Yield 1-2/3 cups.

Number Of Ingredients 8

2/3 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Steps:

  • In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until flavors are blended.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 26 calories, Fat 0 fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 179mg sodium, Carbohydrate 6g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 0 protein. Diabetic Exchanges

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA BBQ SAUCE



Eastern North Carolina BBQ Sauce image

I have tried a lot of recipes of Eastern North Carolina BBQ Sauce. This is the closest to what you will find in any of the BBQ Restaurants here in North Carolina. It is on the hot side, so you may wish to adjust the cayenne pepper and Tabasco™ sauce for milder flavor.

Provided by RODEO3829

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Sauce Recipes     BBQ Sauce Recipes

Yield 32

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™), or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Combine the white vinegar, cider vinegar, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before using so that the flavors will blend. Shake occasionally, and store for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 4.1 calories, Carbohydrate 0.6 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Sodium 76 mg, Sugar 0.5 g

Tips for Making the Best North Carolina Barbecue Sandwich Sauce:

  • Use a variety of vinegar. A combination of apple cider vinegar and white vinegar gives the sauce a well-rounded flavor, but you can also use all apple cider vinegar or all white vinegar if you prefer.
  • Brown the meat. Browning the meat adds a depth of flavor to the sauce. You can brown the meat in a skillet over medium heat or in a slow cooker on low heat for 8-10 hours.
  • Use a variety of spices. The spices in this recipe are paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, and black pepper. You can also add other spices that you like, such as cayenne pepper, chili powder, or cumin.
  • Simmer the sauce for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and develop.
  • Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed. You may want to add more salt, pepper, or vinegar depending on your personal taste.

Conclusion:

This North Carolina barbecue sandwich sauce is a delicious and easy-to-make sauce that is perfect for any occasion. It is tangy, smoky, and flavorful, and it will make your barbecue sandwiches taste amazing. So next time you are grilling or smoking some pork, be sure to try this sauce. You won't be disappointed!

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