The Lexington Collection
 
Pretty Polly
 
    A Backyard Barbecue Machine
 
Finishing Sauces & Such

Before serving the shoulders, the skin is shucked from them to expose the meat. Any residual fat is raked off the surface. (If perfectly done, little will remain.) At a traditional Pig Pickin', the barbecue is likely going to be pulled from the bone and served in chunks. This "pulled pork" barbecue is mighty hard to beat. The barbecue served in a joint is usually chopped. The addition of finishing sauce during or immediatley after chopping is common. If you decide to go the chopped route, be sure to remember that chopped and pureed ain't the same! Properly cooked barbecue is very tender and slicing is a tricky business when it is warm. Allow the barbecue to cool somewhat for consistent success. Of course, slicing failures are every bit as good as the successes.


A perfectly cooked shoulder.
 

Shoulder with the skin removed. Notice the lack of residual fat.
 

The barbecue after being pulled from the shoulder.

Some folks prefer their North Carolina pulled pork barbecue without the addition of a finishing sauce. By no means is it necessary. If you do use one, avoid drowning out that wonderful smoke flavor you just took all day to create.

Some joints sell bottles of their sauce for use at home. If you are making barbecue, you probably want to make your own sauce as well. Take your pick from these recipes covering both "eastern" and "western" styles of North Carolina vinegar-based barbecue sauces. If you cannot decide which style to use, give then both a try!

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