Staff Feature: James’ North Carolina BBQ Recipe!

This week’s Staff Feature is a delicious recipe from James McManus, our Director of International Programs. We hope this will inspire you to try a new recipe during these times! If you make this delicious BBQ, let us know how you liked it in the comments!

“One of my favorite hobbies is entertaining and cooking for friends and family. It’s been a part of my family life since I can remember when my family would go to my grandparents house for lunch after church on Sunday. Naturally I love when I  get to share some of those food and memories with International Visitors being a Home Hospitality Volunteer with the World Affairs Council. As a Home Hospitality Volunteer I welcome visitors into my apartment for a home cooked meal and have the opportunity to learn about other people and places from my table. It’s one of the easiest, and tasty, ways to be a citizen diplomat.

While I’m a proud Cincinnatian I must confess that my go to meal to cook for visitors, BBQ,  reflects my North Carolina upbringing. Its’ a recipe that reflects the finer tenets of southern cuisine, minimal fuss and a “good things can’t be rushed” philosophy. Southern BBQ’s most important ingredient is time, to roast your pork shoulder on low temperatures for several hours to get that melt in your mouth pulled BBQ.” – James McManus

BBQ Sauce Ingredients

*My family is from Eastern North Carolina, as some of you might know, this dictates that our BBQ sauce is a thin vinegar based sauce.

• 1 Cup of White Vinegar
• 1 Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1. In a small saucepan add all ingredients together, gently mixing with the addition of each new ingredient. Bring mixture to a boil while stirring occasionally to make sure the sugar dissolves throughout and doesn’t burn.

1. Once the mixture has been brought to a roiling boil the flavors will have begun to combine. Remove from heat and seat aside to cool. You can make your sauce ahead of time and it will store in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

BBQ – Roasting your Pork Shoulder Ingredients

• 1 5 lb. Pork Shoulder (This is a little on the small side but what I prefer for a 4-6 person dinner and still have some leftovers)
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Hamburger buns

1. Preheat your oven to 225 degrees. Yes a traditional BBQ will be smoked and cooked low and slow on the grill, but alas we apartment dwellers will have to make do.
2. Rub your pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper, making sure to evenly coat the pork with the rub.
3. Place pork shoulder into a large oven safe baking dish, and place in the oven to cook for 6-8 hours at 225 degrees.
4. Periodically baste your pork with some of the vinegar BBQ sauce you made earlier, this will keep the pork tender and juicy. Ladling a few tablespoons of the sauce every two hours.
5. When your pork has finished cooking after 8 hours remove from the oven and place on a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Allow to rest for 20 minutes. This step is crucial to keep your BBQ from drying out.
6. After you pork shoulder has had the chance to rest begin to shred your pork. Your BBQ should now pull apart as you use two forks to gently shred the pork.
7. Add your BBQ sauce to the shredded pork. You’re now ready to serve your BBQ on hamburger buns. **For a little extra heat and North Carolina flair add Texas Pete Hot Sauce, proudly bottled in Winston-Salem, NC.

Enjoy y’all!