By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on October 3, 2026
485 min
Chopped Barbecued Pork
Recipe GLPR4f253cdbf627ab
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Average rating: 4.8 (1)
Slow-smoked boneless pork shoulder seasoned with salt and pepper, then basted with a tangy vinegar-based mop sauce infused with cayenne and red pepper flakes. The meat is smoked low and slow over charcoal for several hours until it becomes tender enough to shred. The cooked pork is chopped and tossed with reserved mop sauce for a flavorful, smoky finish. Traditionally served alongside hush puppies.
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Ingredients
4 lb Boneless pork shoulder, tied
1 tbsp Kosher salt
Kosher salt, additional for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cup Apple cider vinegar
1½ tsp Cayenne pepper
2 tsp Red pepper flakes
¼ cup Firmly packed light brown sugar
Hush puppies for serving
Directions
Pat the boneless pork shoulder dry. Rub it generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the seasoned pork in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 12 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.
In a saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, light brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Place over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the mop sauce to a bowl. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then let it stand for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days. When ready to use, pour half of the cooled sauce into a separate container to reserve for serving.
Remove the pork from the refrigerator about 1 hour before grilling to allow it to come closer to room temperature.
Set up a charcoal grill for low-and-slow smoking, maintaining a target temperature of approximately 250°F throughout the cooking process.
Place the pork on a V-rack positioned over a drip pan, and set the pan on the grill grate. Cover the grill and allow the pork to smoke, maintaining the temperature at 250°F. After the first hour of smoking, brush the meat on both sides with some of the mop sauce. Continue smoking the pork, brushing it with mop sauce and turning it every hour, for a total of 6 hours. After 6 hours, remove the V-rack and place the meat directly on the grill grate. Continue to cover, smoke, and turn the pork, basting with mop sauce every hour, until the meat is extremely tender and can be easily pulled apart with minimal effort, an additional 2 to 4 hours.
Transfer the cooked pork to a carving board and loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Let the meat rest undisturbed for 20 minutes. Using two forks or meat claws, chop and shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the chopped meat to a serving bowl and toss it thoroughly with the reserved mop sauce until well coated. Serve the warm pork alongside hush puppies.
Comments
This is North Carolina barbecue at its most honest: a pork shoulder that spends most of its 485 minutes (just over 8 hours) in the smoker, then gets chopped and finished with a vinegar-based sauce that's regionally authentic and cheap. Every ingredient is a staple at any Charlotte grocery chain—pork shoulder runs $2–3 per pound, vinegar and spices are pantry basics, and brown sugar is everywhere. The real time is indeed the stated time; this is set-it-and-forget-it smoking that rewards patience but demands advance planning and a functional smoker or low oven, so it is not a weeknight scramble. Hush puppies as a side are a natural fit for a Southern cook, though they add a second component to manage. This serves a crowd, keeps beautifully for days, and reheats without loss—the kind of weekend project that fills the freezer and earns its place in regular rotation.
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