Yesterday I shared some quick and easy recipe ideas for busy holiday (or anytime) night meals. Of all the ideas I shared, using the slow cooker is my favorite way to cut down on holiday meal stress. There is nothing like being able to throw a bunch of stuff into a slow cooker during breakfast, only to come home to a fully prepared meal at dinnertime. It is almost as if you have a personal cook, kindly making sure dinner will be ready for you.
Today I share with you my favorite slow cooker recipe. It is for Carolina Pork Barbecue, a tasty pork shoulder slow cooked in a vinegar-based barbecue sauce, and rubbed with paprika, brown sugar and salt to create a flavorful crust. SPH shared this recipe with me when we were first married, and I am forever grateful.
Carolina Pork Barbecue
1 – 4-6 pound bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt
4 teaspoons paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 onions, sliced
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon worcestshire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (alternatively, use 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker.
In a small bowl, mix the paprika, salt and brown sugar and rub all over the pork. Place the onion slices all around the sides of the pork.
Combine the remaining ingredients, mixing well. Pour half over the pork, reserving the other half.
Cook on low for 10-18 hours.
(Yes, I wrote “18” hours. My favorite way to make this dish is to put the pork in the slow cooker late at night, right before I go to bed. If in the morning it looks dry (it never has for me, but better to check just in case), you can turn it off and put it in the fridge and reheat at dinner. Otherwise, let the pork continue to cook, it will be fall-off-the-bone delicious.)
When ready to serve, remove the pork from the slow cooker and "shred" with two forks. Serve on buns with a bit of the reserved vinegar sauce on top.
Serves 8-10.
SPC