If you are wondering what to feed your big party with while you are staying in a vacation home on Hatteras Island consider trying some homemade Carolina BBQ in the crock pot. It is a great way to have dinner ready when you get back from a long day at the beach and you are just not in the mood for cooking.
This is what you will need:
•1/2 cup cider vinegar
•1/4 cup chopped onion
•1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
•1 teaspoon Tabasco or similar hot pepper sauce
•3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder roast, boneless, trimmed, tied
•few dashes liquid smoke, if desired
•1 tablespoon granulated sugar
•1 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon ground paprika
•1/4 teaspoon black pepper
•2 tablespoons ketchup
•10 hamburger buns heated
The night before you would like to have the BBQ for dinner you will need to marinate the meat. Combine cider vinegar, chopped onion, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce in a large non-metallic bowl. Add the pork roast, cover, and marinate in refrigerator for 6 to 10 hours.
In the morning before going to the beach remove the pork from the marinade, scraping the onion back into the marinade. Lightly pat the roast dry with paper towels. Pour the marinade into a slow cooker and add the Liquid Smoke. Place a slow cooker meat rack or ring of foil in the slow cooker. Then, combine the sugar, salt, paprika, and pepper in a cup. Rub the pork roast with the seasoning mixture and place on the rack in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, or until very tender.
When you get back from the beach and are ready for some Carolina BBQ, transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover with foil to keep warm. Skim the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid in the crock pot. Stir in the ketchup and pour mixture into a bowl. Using 2 forks, pull the pork apart into shreds, or chop the pork into small pieces. Serve the pork on warm split buns with coleslaw, beans, or your choice of side dishes. Serve the sauce separately.
Have some paper plates ready so you have an easy clean up and hurry to enjoy the sunset on your deck. This recipe yields 10 servings. If your party is bigger, just double the recipe and if you have some left over, don’t worry BBQ is great reheated too!