Name: Western South Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1/2 medium onion , minced; 2 medium cloves garlic , minced; 1/2 cup cider vinegar; 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon dry mustard; 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar; 1 tablespoon paprika; 1 teaspoon table salt; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 cup ketchup

Why This Recipe Works

While developing an accessible pulled pork recipe, we determined that the shoulder roast, which has the most fat, also retains the most moisture and flavor during a long slow cook. For flavor, we massaged a spicy chili rub into the meat, and wrapped the roast in plastic and refrigerated for at least three hours to "marinate." Then we cooked the roast first on the grill to absorb its smoky flavor (from hickory chips—no smoker required), then put it in the oven to finish cooking (largely unattended). Finally, a rest in a paper bag allowed the flavorful juices to be reabsorbed by the meat. As a final step towards the best and easiest pulled pork recipe, we developed three barbecue sauce recipes from North Carolina and South Carolina.

Instructions

Heat oil in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except ketchup; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, then add ketchup. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes.