Tender Apple Cider Vinegar Pulled Pork Buns
This recipe features a juicy, tender pulled pork shoulder smoked with an apple cider vinegar mop that keeps the meat moist and flavorful, served on soft buns with optional slaw and barbecue sauce.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 to 10 hours
- Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes to 10 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 5-pound pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed of excess fat but leaving a good layer for flavor
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 soft white or brioche buns
- Coleslaw (optional)
- Barbecue sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder, leaving a thin layer for moisture and flavor. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Mix kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork shoulder. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Combine apple cider vinegar, water, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Pour into a spray bottle or keep a mop brush handy.
- Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C). Place pork shoulder fat side up on the grate.
- Smoke the pork for about 4-5 hours, spraying or mopping every 45 minutes to an hour to keep moist and infuse flavor.
- Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the shoulder. When it reaches 195°F to 205°F (90°C to 96°C), the pork is tender enough to pull apart.
- Remove pork from smoker and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 30-45 minutes to redistribute juices.
- Shred the pork using meat claws or forks, discarding large chunks of fat.
- Toast buns lightly if desired. Assemble by piling pulled pork on buns, drizzling with extra mop sauce or barbecue sauce, and topping with coleslaw.
Notes
If you don’t have a smoker, you can slow-cook the pork in the oven at 275°F or use a slow cooker, applying the mop sauce periodically. Wrapping the pork in foil during the last few hours (Texas crutch) can speed cooking and keep moisture but softens the bark. Spray lightly every 45 minutes to avoid washing away the rub. The mop sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pulled pork bun wi
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
Keywords: pulled pork, apple cider vinegar, smoked pork, barbecue, pork shoulder, mop sauce, pulled pork buns, comfort food