Easy North Carolina Pulled Pork Recipe (Eastern Style)
By Lee Griffith
Pulled pork is the traditional barbecue of North Carolina. It is
perhaps the oldest form of barbecue in the United States. The sauce
used in the eastern style of North Carolina pulled pork contains no
tomatoes. It is descended from the “English ketchup” used in
colonial America: a vinegar-based concoction with spices. English
ketchup was sometimes made from fish brine, and mushrooms were
sometimes used as well–but no tomatoes. It is believed by some
that in the 1600’s and 1700’s tomatoes were thought to be
poisonous. In any case, today we use the vinegar and the spices,
but no fish brine and no mushrooms–and still no tomatoes! This is
an easy (not technically a barbecue) version that requires no fancy smoking or grilling. Just
use your stove and oven!
