Lexington Chopped Pork Barbecue
Piedmont-style chopped pork shoulder smoked over hickory coals and dressed with Lexington dip, a thin ketchup-and-vinegar sauce.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 480 min
- Total
- 510 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Offset smoker
- •Cleaver or chef's knife
- •Meat thermometer
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 26
- carbs
- 22
- protein
- 34
- calories
- 480
Instructions
- 1
Rub the pork shoulder all over with salt and black pepper the night before cooking.
- 2
Build a hickory coal fire in your smoker. Keep the cooking chamber steady at 225-250°F.
- 3
Smoke the shoulder fat side up for 8-10 hours while keeping the temperature steady. Cook until the inside reaches 195°F.
- 4
While the pork cooks, whisk the cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and water together.
- 5
Let the cooked pork rest for 30 minutes. Pull out the bone and remove the skin.
- 6
Chop the meat finely with a heavy knife or cleaver. Mix the crunchy dark outside crust throughout the chopped meat.
- 7
Toss the chopped pork with some of the dip sauce.
- 8
Pile the pork onto buns and top with red slaw (cabbage mixed with dip sauce). Serve extra sauce on the side.
Chef's tips
Cook the shoulder low and slow over hickory coals to around 195°F inside so it chops easily. Chop rather than shred the meat, mixing in dark crust for smoky flavor.
Storage
Refrigerate chopped pork in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of the dip sauce to keep it moist.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Taking the meat off the smoker before it reaches full tenderness
- •Using a thick tomato sauce instead of a thin Lexington vinegar dip
Serving suggestions
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