How to Make Great BBQ Pork on a Charcoal Grill | America's Test Kitchen

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: pork butt

Chicken thighs are lower in fat, while pork butt is often less expensive.

brown sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: white sugar

Honey adds sweetness with fewer calories, while white sugar is often cheaper.

vinegar

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: white vinegar

Apple cider vinegar adds flavor and is often more versatile.

smoke wood chips

💰Cheaper: charcoal

Charcoal can provide a smoky flavor at a lower cost.

Season the pork butt with 3 tablespoons of kosher salt and 1.5 tablespoons of black pepper.

Wrap the seasoned pork butt in plastic and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.

Prepare the charcoal grill by opening the bottom vents and arranging 60 coals in a 'C' shape on the bottom.

Add another 60 coals on top of the first layer of coals.

Place wood chunks of hickory evenly starting four inches from each end of the charcoal snake.

Add 4 cups of water to a pan to create a water pan for moisture and heat control.

Light 15 coals and wait until they are partly covered in ash before lighting one side of the charcoal snake.

Clean and oil the grill grates before placing the pork butt fat side down over the water pan.

Insert a meat probe into the center of the pork butt to monitor the temperature.

Close the grill and cook for 4 to 5 hours, checking for a temperature of 170°F.

Once the pork reaches 171°F, remove it from the grill while keeping the fat side down.

Wrap the pork tightly in foil and mark the fat side with an 'X' to keep track of it.

Reload the grill with 2 quarts of charcoal, adding it a third of the way around the grill over the gap in the charcoal snake.

Place the wrapped pork back on the grill fat side down and reinsert the probe.

Cook for another hour to an hour and a half, aiming for an internal temperature of 200°F.

Once the pork reaches 200°F, remove it from the grill and turn it fat side up to let the juices drip down while resting.

Let the pork rest for an hour and a half before serving.

Prepare the Eastern North Carolina sauce by mixing 1.5 cups of cider vinegar, 1 cup of Texas Pete hot sauce, 1/4 cup of light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

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