Trip #12 North Carolina (Southeast) Crock Pot Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich, North Carolina-Style Coleslaw, Carolina Macaroni and Cheese

North Carolina’s Date of Statehood – November 21st, 1789

Growing up in the Upstate of South Carolina meant that I spent a lot of time in North Carolina. Playing in North Carolina parks, shopping in Charlotte, or driving through the mountains were frequent past times. This also meant that I have had a front row seat to the great BBQ debate. South Carolina Mustard-based vs North Carolina Vinegar-based, a battle for the ages! The thing is, they are both delicious and both totally worth the drive to get. Or, the wait if you are cooking at home.

Tips and Tricks

1. When making macaroni and cheese, the type of pasta does not matter as much as the name suggests. You want a tubular pasta that creates more area to hold onto the cheese, but aside from that, the choice is yours. We made this meal during the time of Covid-19, so our grocery stores where totally out of elbow macaroni. So, I used ziti with great results! After all, ziti is basically just straight elbow macaroni.
2. The longer you let the coleslaw sit in the vinegar solution, the softer it will get. Be sure to stir and turn over the cabbage as it refrigerates, to allow the whole salad to sit in the vinegar dressing.
3. The key to melt in your mouth pulled pork in a slow cooker is to go low and slow. Let the meat cook for the full 8-10 hours, or overnight, to get the perfect, juicy sandwich.
4. A true North Carolina pulled pork sandwich has the coleslaw on the bun, along with the meat and sauce. It’s delicious!

Crock Pot Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich

Serves 12

Pulled Pork

• 1 Sweet Onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 4-6 lbs. Boneless Boston Butt, excess fat trimmed off
• 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3/4 Cup Ketchup
• 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Sesame Seed Buns, for sandwiches

North Carolina BBQ Sauce

• 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3/4 Cup Ketchup
• 1 Tbs Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbs Honey
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Step 1: Place the chopped onion in the bottom on the crock pot.

Step 2: Place the trimmed Boston Butt on the chopped onions.

Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 3/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/ 2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Pour this liquid over the pork, cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Step 4: Once the pork has cooked and falls apart when prodded with a fork, remove the Boston Butt from the crock pot and set in a large bowl. Shred the pork with two forks. Remove the crock pot insert and discard the cooking liquid and onions. Return the cooking insert to the crock pot and set to warm. Put the pulled pork back into the warm crock pot and cover while the sauce is cooking.

Step 5: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the ingredients for the BBQ sauce (1 Cup apple cider vinegar, 3/4 cup ketchup, 1 Tbs brown sugar, 1 Tbs honey, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp salt.)

Step 6: Bring the contents of the saucepan to a simmer over medium heat. Once the liquid starts to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Step 7: Once the sauce has simmered, remove it from the heat and build the sandwiches. Place a generous portion of pulled pork on a sesame seed bun, drizzle over as much BBQ sauce as you prefer, top with coleslaw, and enjoy!

North Carolina-Style Coleslaw

Serves 6

• 1/2 Green Cabbage, cored and shredded thinly
• 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup White Vinegar
• 2 Tbs Sugar
• 2 tsp Hot Sauce (Tabasco)
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp Salt
• Dash of Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Step 2: Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar dressing over the cabbage and toss to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning the cabbage over several times during the marinating period.

Step 3: Serve cold on a BBQ sandwich or as a side dish.

Carolina Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 8

• 1 16oz. Box of Elbow Macaroni (or Ziti,) prepared per package instructions, drained, and placed in a large pot or bowl
• 1 Stick of Butter
• 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Cups Half and Half, warmed
• 1 Cup 2% Milk, warmed
• 8 oz. Package Cream Cheese, cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Ground Mustard
• 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Nutmeg
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 2 Cups Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
• 2 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Butter, to grease the pan

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Grease the bottoms and sides of a 9″ x 13″ pan.

Step 3: Place a large saucepan over low heat. Add the stick of butter and wait until it melts. Once melted, add the 1/4 cup of flour and increase the heat to medium. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the roux is well combined and starts to get frothy, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Slowly add the warmed half and half and milk, stirring constantly. Once tiny bubbles appear along the edges and steam rises from the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cream cheese to the milk mixture and stir until it is all melted, about 3 minutes.

Step 5: Stir in the salt, pepper, mustard, and nutmeg. Once thoroughly combined, remove the pot from the heat.

Step 6: Once off the heat slowly add the beaten eggs while constantly stirring. Then, add all of the Monterrey Jack cheese and half of the sharp cheddar cheese. Continue stirring until the cheeses are melted.

Step 7: Pour the cheese sauce onto the cooked pasta and gently fold to thoroughly combine. Pour the prepared pasta and sauce into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese evenly over the top and place the dish in the hot oven.

Step 8: Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top begins to brown and the contents are bubbling.

Step 9: Serve hot.

Fun Facts about North Carolina: 1. North Carolina is the largest producer of sweet potatoes in the nation. 2. At 6,684 ft. Mt. Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi. 3. The first mini-golf, or Putt Putt course, was built in Fayetteville, NC. 4. The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill is the oldest State University in the United States. 5. Whitewater Falls in Transylvania County is the highest waterfall in the eastern United States. 6. The first English colony in America was located on Roanoke Island. Walter Raleigh founded it. The colony mysteriously vanished with no trace except for the word “Croatoan” scrawled on a nearby tree. 7. The Venus Fly-Trap is native to Hampstead, NC. 8. The first English child born in America was born in Roanoke in 1587. Her name was Virginia Dare. 9. Pepsi was invented and first served in New Bern in 1898. 10. Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run in Fayetteville on March 7, 1914.