Saying Farewell to the South with Carolina Pulled Pork Barbecue

This is going to be my last post while living in Virginia. Hubby and I are moving out today and headed to Michigan to spend time with our families before the BIG move to Okinawa, Japan. I wanted to make my last post from the south a good one and decided to pay homage to the wonderful barbecue that is a staple here in Southern Virginia: Carolina Style Pulled Pork Barbecue that is so easy and delicious that even a Northerner like myself can pull it off! 

While living in Virginia, hubby and I have tried lots of different BBQ, and though I am not much of  a pork eater, I actually enjoy it this way, with tangy vinegar and lots of spices. The meat is so tender it literally falls apart. I served this at a dinner I hosted for my hubby and his co-workers. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it and it was perfect for a large group.  


Although my posting may slow down a bit while we are in transition, I will keep posting recipes and have some great ones to share next, so keep stopping by! 

Farewell to the South Carolina Style Pulled Pork Barbecue
Recipe from Savour Fare
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 onions, quartered
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (I didn't have any so used regular paprika)
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (4-6lb) pork butt or shoulder roast
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions
Place onions in the crock pot. Blend together the sugar, paprika, salt and pepper and rub over the roast.

Place the roast in the crock pot and drizzle the liquid smoke over the roast.
Combine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic, and cayenne pepper and whisk together. Drizzle about 1/3 of the marinade mixture over the roast. Cover and refrigerate the remaining marinade. Cook the roast on low for 8-10 hours. Remove the meat carefully and using a slotted spoon discard the onions. Place in a large bowl.

 Shred the meat with two forks. Return the meat to the crock pot and stir to cover the meat with the juice. Pour half of the marinade over the meat and stir again. 

Keep on warm until ready to serve. Use the leftover marinade as a drizzle on sandwiches. *In the south the use white buns, of course!*

BBQ Chicken Salad with Avocado and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Want to try a salad that is bursting with flavors and textures and is over the top delicious? then you have to try this BBQ Chicken Salad from Two Peas and their Pod. It involves creating a lot of different things: two homemade vinaigrettes, crispy cooked potatoes and grilled BBQ chicken, but every step is so worth it and so delicious. The salad alone is super yummy: tomatoes, corn, red onions, and black beans atop fresh greens.  I still cannot decide which of the dressings I liked better, the avocado or the blue cheese. Both are incredibly savory, tangy, creamy, and thick. They kept for several days so I dipped crackers and pretzels into after the salad fixins' were gone! 


The next time you are craving a salad, you gotta try this one! It's a salad that is m-e-a-l! You will not be disappointed!

BBQ Chicken Salad with Avocado and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
From Two Peas and Their Pod
Serves 4
Printable Version

Ingredients
For the Avocado Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 medium shallot, chopped
3 tablespoons peach jam (I used rhubarb because I had it, and only used 1 tablespoon)
1 medium ripe avocado
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Blue Cheese Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 medium shallot, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, dry pan roasted and chopped (I browned these in a skillet for a few minutes)
2 tablespoons peach jam (again I used my rhubarb and only 1 tablespoon)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup blue cheese or Gorgonzola
Salt and pepper to taste


For the potatoes:
1 pound red or small white potatoes, scrubbed and sliced
1 medium shallot, minced
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped


For the chicken:
4 chicken breasts
3/4 cup BBQ sauce - use your favorite brand

For the salad:
Mixed greens
Tomatoes, chopped (I used cherry tomatoes)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn
French Fried onions for garnish

Directions
Make avocado vinaigrette by combining all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve salad.

For the blue cheese vinaigrette combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth. If the dressing is too thick add a drizzle of olive oil and mix again. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve salad.

To make potatoes, slice thinly and saute in a large skillet with olive oil and shallots until browned and crispy. Stir in parsley. Set aside and keep warm until serving.

Grill the chicken and brush each piece liberally with BBQ sauce. Cut into strips and set aside.

To plate the salads layer first with mixed greens. Lay the sliced chicken on top of the greens. Top with tomatoes, black beans, corn, and tomatoes. Place potatoes on top. Garnish with french fried onions. Drizzle entire salad with the avocado and blue cheese vinaigrettes. 

Pulled Chicken BBQ

Now that we live in the south, and great BBQ is abundant, I actually have cravings for BBQ. I decided to try my own BBQ and found this pulled chicken sandwich recipe from Rachael Ray. Pulling the chicken took WAY longer than I thought it would, adding a lot of time to a recipe that is supposed to be less than an hour.

Instead of serving it like a sandwich, I turned it into a stuffed baked potato, adding sliced green onions and sour cream on top of the BBQ and cheese. If you've never tried BBQ on a baked potato, I highly recommend it...but maybe it's because I'm just a Midwestern potato-loving girl.

Rachael Ray's Pulled Chicken BBQ

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1-1/3 cups barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• Hot pepper sauce
• 6 kaiser or French rolls, split - obviously, I used a baked potato instead!
• 6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1-1/2 cups)
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• DIRECTIONS:
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• Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a heave pot with the onion, garlic, and just enough water to cover (about 1 1/2 cups) Add the barbecue sauce, vinegar, and a few drops of hot sauce. Bring to a boil. heavy pot with the onion, garlic and just enough water to cover (about 1-1/2 cups). Add the barbecue sauce, vinegar and a few drops hot sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred with two forks.
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• Boil the sauce, skimming occasionally, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the shredded chicken and heat through. Spoon the mixture onto the rolls (or potato) :) and top with the cheese.