There seems to be no end to this debate; Memphis style, Southern style, North Carolina style, or South Carolina style. Even Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Florida have gotten into the game! We're talking here, of course about the vast array of pulled pork crockpot recipes that make these claims.
Officially speaking, there seems to be no consensus at all. You can compare pulled pork crockpot recipes from now until Hades freezes over and you won't find a clear cut answer anywhere. There are as many variations to this recipe as there are barbecue sauces and dry rubs. Let's look at a few common ingredients and cooking methods that keep crossing state lines.
Vinegar - Whether you use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar, the idea is the same. In order to make a barbecue sauce you need the sweet and sour combination. You'll find many recipes that claim to be official Memphis style pulled pork because they always use vinegar in their sauce. However, just about any pulled pork sandwich that has homemade barbecue sauce will have vinegar as an ingredient.
Brown Sugar - In order to make a homemade barbecue sauce you need something sweet. Brown sugar is a good choice and is actually used in many recipes for both barbecue sauce and dry rubs. As a matter of fact, there are places that swear by using just brown sugar mixed with vinegar and a dash of cumin to season the pork. Some claim that this is strictly a South Carolina recipe, but I've heard folks claim that this simple recipe could only come from a place like Florida.
Dry Rubs - Even though dry rubs have been around forever, and used in all regions of the country, a dry rub used for these pork sandwiches contains certain standard ingredients. You'll basically need cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and paprika. Anything added after that is your own touch. Different regions of the country can lay claim to using only dry rubs, never liquid barbecue sauce, but this method is so widespread that it seems impossible to pin down the original creator. Then of course you can use both a dry rub and barbecue sauce, so it just gets more confusing.
Condiments - There are several standard condiments found on most every table serving pulled pork sandwiches. A bottle of barbecue sauce is a must. Then, some people like a little red hot sauce, mustard, and salt and pepper. I have yet to see a bottle of ketchup! That just seems wrong... and it probably is. Memphis holds the honor in most people's opinion of being the cole slaw condiment originator. If you get a "slap of slaw" on top, you're probably enjoying a real Memphis pulled pork sandwich.
Cooking Methods - It's not easy to pin down a cooking method. Grilling, smoking, roasting, or braising are not uncommon to any region. Of course, using your slow cooker isn't an ancient method to cook meat, so the origin of this method is obviously widespread. But smoky pits or slow roasting would have been the preferred method by many of our settlers around the countryside, and now their ancestors may still use those exact same methods. It's still hard to prove any method belongs to any particular region. Even though Memphis is famous for their smoky grilling pits, you'll find those same pits all around the south.
Is it time to dismiss the debate that was caused by looking through some pulled pork crockpot recipes? Probably. If you are a native son or daughter of South Carolina, or Florida, or Alabama, or anywhere in the South, and your PawPaw has been making the same recipe for pulled pork sandwiches since you can remember, then that recipe belongs to you and it is an original to your region. Don't let anything distract you from your mission. Claim your family's recipe as any good native would... stake your claim and make your recipe yours!
Officially speaking, there seems to be no consensus at all. You can compare pulled pork crockpot recipes from now until Hades freezes over and you won't find a clear cut answer anywhere. There are as many variations to this recipe as there are barbecue sauces and dry rubs. Let's look at a few common ingredients and cooking methods that keep crossing state lines.
Vinegar - Whether you use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar, the idea is the same. In order to make a barbecue sauce you need the sweet and sour combination. You'll find many recipes that claim to be official Memphis style pulled pork because they always use vinegar in their sauce. However, just about any pulled pork sandwich that has homemade barbecue sauce will have vinegar as an ingredient.
Brown Sugar - In order to make a homemade barbecue sauce you need something sweet. Brown sugar is a good choice and is actually used in many recipes for both barbecue sauce and dry rubs. As a matter of fact, there are places that swear by using just brown sugar mixed with vinegar and a dash of cumin to season the pork. Some claim that this is strictly a South Carolina recipe, but I've heard folks claim that this simple recipe could only come from a place like Florida.
Dry Rubs - Even though dry rubs have been around forever, and used in all regions of the country, a dry rub used for these pork sandwiches contains certain standard ingredients. You'll basically need cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and paprika. Anything added after that is your own touch. Different regions of the country can lay claim to using only dry rubs, never liquid barbecue sauce, but this method is so widespread that it seems impossible to pin down the original creator. Then of course you can use both a dry rub and barbecue sauce, so it just gets more confusing.
Condiments - There are several standard condiments found on most every table serving pulled pork sandwiches. A bottle of barbecue sauce is a must. Then, some people like a little red hot sauce, mustard, and salt and pepper. I have yet to see a bottle of ketchup! That just seems wrong... and it probably is. Memphis holds the honor in most people's opinion of being the cole slaw condiment originator. If you get a "slap of slaw" on top, you're probably enjoying a real Memphis pulled pork sandwich.
Cooking Methods - It's not easy to pin down a cooking method. Grilling, smoking, roasting, or braising are not uncommon to any region. Of course, using your slow cooker isn't an ancient method to cook meat, so the origin of this method is obviously widespread. But smoky pits or slow roasting would have been the preferred method by many of our settlers around the countryside, and now their ancestors may still use those exact same methods. It's still hard to prove any method belongs to any particular region. Even though Memphis is famous for their smoky grilling pits, you'll find those same pits all around the south.
Is it time to dismiss the debate that was caused by looking through some pulled pork crockpot recipes? Probably. If you are a native son or daughter of South Carolina, or Florida, or Alabama, or anywhere in the South, and your PawPaw has been making the same recipe for pulled pork sandwiches since you can remember, then that recipe belongs to you and it is an original to your region. Don't let anything distract you from your mission. Claim your family's recipe as any good native would... stake your claim and make your recipe yours!
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