Pulled Pork Sauce

Farbuck

I am about to do my first pork butt on my large Egg - pictures will be coming.

Looking ahead to tomorrow afternoon, I'm wondering about any recommendations for sauces to use with the pulled pork.   I'd like to have 2 or 3 different styles so people will have choices.  

Thanks in advance,

Steve

xiphoid007

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1158528/vinegar-style-bbq-sauce#latest

Here's a link to a vinegar based sauce I've used. Its pretty excellent. Really peppery, so if your guests don't care for that, I'd tone the pepper down.

I'd recommend a mustard based sauce and a traditional tomato based one as well, but with pulled pork, you typically want a thinner sauce.

Personally, great pulled pork doesn't need any sauce.

Depending on where you're from, this is a loaded question. I'm from Pittsburgh, so I can appreciate different sauces without strong feelings. Some other folks bleed BBQ, so my apologies to those I've offended! )

Carolina Q

Here are two I like and one I haven't yet tried. No cooking required. None are thick or cloyingly sweet.

Vinegar Sauce - traditional Eastern NC Style

1 ½ cups         white vinegar

1 ½ cups         apple cider vinegar

1 ½ tbls         sugar

1 ½ tbls         red pepper flakes

1 ½ tbls         bottled hot pepper sauce

1 ½ tbls         cayenne pepper (can use less… or none)

Salt and pepper to taste

More of a Western NC style. Thicker, but still pretty thin.

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk well to dissolve the sugar.

 

Caroline Red Sauce (from Browninggold BGE forum). Haven't made this yet.

 

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon (packed) brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Stir all ingredients in small bowl until sugar and salt dissolve.

Wolfpack

I use one very similar to @Carolina Q‌ but use brown sugar. It needs to sit for a day or two or you can do a slow boil for 15 minutes to meld (if you boil add 1/2-1 cup water).

SmokeyPitt

If you don't mind spending some time this is a great sauce if you are looking for a sweet sauce.  Personally I prefer a simple vinegar based sauce on pulled pork but if you want a sweet option this one is great.  I suggest using ketchup with no high fructose corn syrup. 

http://www.adamperrylang.com/recipes/apl-bbq-sauce

If that one seems a bit involved here is a dead simple one and also really good if you like cooked onions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8wK2GdGG_E

NecessaryIndulg

This is my go-to "secret" sauce for pulled pork:   1 jar of Chili Sauce to 2 cans of Root Beer (not diet!).  Bring the chili sauce and root beer to a boil and then simmer until the liquid reduces.   It's delicious! 

I say secret sauce because I like to have my guests guess the ingredients -- the winner gets a prize.  It drives them nuts, haha!  

horseflesh

I always put out an NC-style vinegar sauce (I like the western NC variety) plus a more conventional (for my area) good quality commercial sauce like Stubb's. 

Almost no one uses the sweeter, thicker sauce once they have tried the vinegar sauce. 

MaskedMarvel

Buy a simple restaurant supply squeeze bottle. Put in a heaping table spoon of red pepper flakes and another of brown sugar. Fill with apple cider vinegar. Shake and let sit overnight in the fridge.

yzzi

This is my favorite sauce on everything and very easy to make. Sub in paprika if you don't want too spices. Omit liquid smoke if you don't have it. I rarely use that anyway.

Ingredients
1 cup yellow mustard
½ - ¾ cup brown sugar depending on taste
¼ - ½ cup cider vinegar depending on taste
¼ - ½ cup water depending on taste
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Directions
Mix all ingredients except soy, butter and smoke.
Simmer on low for 30 minutes.
Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 more minutes, adding more vinegar or water if necessary

buzd504

SmokeyPitt said:

If you don't mind spending some time this is a great sauce if you are looking for a sweet sauce.  Personally I prefer a simple vinegar based sauce on pulled pork but if you want a sweet option this one is great.  I suggest using ketchup with no high fructose corn syrup. 

http://www.adamperrylang.com/recipes/apl-bbq-sauce

I subbed rotel tomatoes for the ketchup, and it came out great.

Carolina Q

Just remembered this one from TRex (of TRex steak method fame). It was a contest winner on Food52 and it looked/sounded so good, I bookmarked the recipe. Called Dead Guy Sauce (no idea why). Almost four years later, I have still not gotten around to trying it. 

http://food52.com/recipes/6400-dead-guy-sauce

Farbuck

Thanks for the suggestions. 

Here's my first pork shoulder - a work in progress.  It's 45 minutes into the cook and the meat is 66 degrees.  I figure another 18 hours and I'll be good to go.

xiphoid007

NecessaryIndulg I love that you are using Heinz chili sauce. Since I'm born and raised in the 'burgh, Heinz has a special place in my heart. There is no other ketchup as far as I'm concerned!

jllbms

I tried this yesterday. Wasn't loving the smell of seafood cocktail, but when it cooked down it was great!

Farbuck

I made some too.  It was even better after sitting in the refrigerator for a day.  

GalanteNate_OneEa

I'm not a troll, I swear, BUT... IMHO If you're gonna go to the store to buy ketchup to make BBQ sauce, why not just buy the BBQ sauce right next to it? Someone worked really hard to come up with those and I admit they taste good. I do make my own, a simple blackstrap molasses one and to make it fun I make my own hot sauce to put in it. I made another one, with home made ketchup and home made mustard, was a fun time but so not worth the effort, took me quite some time and a lot of fresh produce. I made two quarts of ketchup and only used 3/4 cup for the BBQ sauce, LOL! FYI Me and my brother are very competitive and this is probably one of our most heated debates when we cook off,lol, and I plan on having this argument with him soon since Memorial Day is right around the corner! Bottom line, I guess I eat my bread butter-side down, GO ZOOKS!

Focker

Here is mine.  Recipe is at the end.

http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1323952&catid=1#

 

Hi54putty

MaskedMarvel said:

Buy a simple restaurant supply squeeze bottle. Put in a heaping table spoon of red pepper flakes and another of brown sugar. Fill with apple cider vinegar. Shake and let sit overnight in the fridge.

This is exactly what I do. Can't be easier or better.

smokeyj

This is real good. I got this off another forum.

Here is a delicious version of an old VA BBQ sauce inspired by a VA BBQ man named Shack. I drink this stuff straight, that's how good it is. It has no sugar in it, so sweet sauce fans may want to stay away.

1 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup of your favorite hot sauce
1 Tablespoon (TBS) Paprika
1 TBS Black Pepper
1 TBS Kitchen Salt
2 TBS Yellow Mustard (French)

Mix well, let sit for at least 24 to 48 hours before serving for best results. I blend it in my Ninja, that's why it's about 16 ounces total.