Bobby Deen's Slow-Cooked North Carolina-Style Pulled Pork

Ingredients

2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 boneless pork shoulder (5 pounds), patted dry
2 cups of apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup of ketchup
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 cayenne pepper

Yields: 14-16

Preparation

In a large bowl, stir together the salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Add the meat and rub the mixture all over the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chili powder and cayenne. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

Place the pork in a slow cooker. Pour over two-thirds of the vinegar mixture. Cook until the meat is falling-apart tender, 7 to 8 hours on low heat or 4 to 5 hours on high.

Remove the pork from the cooker and place on a rack with a rimmed baking sheet placed underneath. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, warm the remaining vinegar mixture over low heat. Place the warm pork on a cutting board and shred or chop the meat into bite-size pieces, discarding any fat or skin. Place the pork in a large bowl, add the sauce to taste and mix well.