Week #32: North Carolina - Carolina On My Mind Pulled Pork Pizza

State:  North Carolina

I have only been through North Carolina a couple of times, which was from driving from Maryland to Florida or vice versa.  My experience has been rest stops and gas stations, so that's all I have on NC. I know that North Carolina is good for tangy BBQ and southern cooking. So for this challenge, I decided that the pulled pork favorite would be most ideal choice for this state. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Meat:

1 (5 pound) bone-in pork shoulder roast

1 tablespoon salt

 ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

Carolina Tangy Sauce:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Coleslaw:

1 bag of fresh coleslaw mix

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons or so white vinegar

1 tablespoon of sugar

Pepper to taste

Other

1 pizza crust

1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese

Coleslaw:

Mix all ingredients together and adjust ingredients to taste

Sauce:

In a small sauce pan, bring all of the ingredients to a boil. Whisk until ingredients are completely dissolved.  Remove from heat and allow sauce to cool to room temperature.  Set aside.

Meat:

In a slow cooker, place the pork shoulder into the center and add salt & pepper to your taste. Pour the vinegar around the pork.

Please note: The recipe calls for a low setting of 12 hours to allow it to become tender on it's on.  I only had a few hours to work with, so I did the following:

Cover and cook for 5 hours on high.  Take it out and cut into long pieces, then pull it apart with a fork. Allow meat to cook for another hour and it will become very tender.  Drain and remove pork from the slow cooker. Strain the liquid and save 2 cups. Discard the rest and add meat and liquid back into the crock pot.  Add brown sugar, hot pepper sauce, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes into the crock pot. Cover and keep on Low setting until serving. 

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook crust for 5-7 minutes or until slightly browned.  Add a layer of the sauce until all the pizza is covered.  Next, add a layer of cheese and then a layer of pulled pork.  Place back into oven and cook for 5 minutes or until cheese melts.  Then, add a layer of the coleslaw.  Serve and eat.   

Pairing:

The pizza has an acidic taste, so I would go with something that has a strong base or fullness to it.  I decided to go with a Dale's Old Chub Scottish Ale.  Although the company is in Colorado, this beer is brewed in North Carolina.  I could have gone with Highland, but Dale's is making some great beers in North Caca-lacki!  For a wine, go with a Merlot or Cab to balance out the acidity. 

Learning Moments:

This pizza challenge has allowed me to make so many different types of pulled pork.  Before this challenge, I have made anything with a pork butt or roast.  I usually do not eat a lot of pork, unless it is sausage or bacon.  This challenge has opened my eyes to some great food and has expanded my cooking style.  I hope you enjoy Carolina on my mind!