Carolina Barbecued Pork

One or two days before the barbecue, put the pork in a container just large enough to hold it and deep enough for the sauce to cover the meat. Pour in enough sauce to cover the meat, cover the container, and refrigerate for at least a day, preferably two. Reserve the rest of the sauce for basting and dressing the meat. Halfway through the marinating process, turn the pork in the sauce.

If you're using a charcoal grill, start a slow fire; you should be able to hold your hand just a few inches above the grate for 10 seconds without becoming uncomfortably hot. If you're using a gas grill, oven, or smoker, heat it to 200 degrees F.

Put the marinated pork butts fat side up on the grill or smoker and close the lid. (For the oven, put the pork on a rack in a roasting pan.) Leave the pork alone for about 3 hours, then begin basting with sauce every 30 min. Four hours into cooking, turn the pork over and continue cooking for another 2 hours. The pork is ready when the internal temperature reads between 150 and 160 degrees F. This should take about 2 hours per pound. Take the pork off the heat and let it sit until cool enough to handle.

Chop and shred the the pork. You can slice the pork or pull it apart with your fingers. For slicing, cut the pork across the grain in 1/2-inch slices. For pulling, start pulling at the meat with a fork, then attack it with your fingers; the pork will come apart in large chunks. Pick out any unrendered fat.

TO SERVE: With a large, heavy knife, roughly chop the pork coarse. Put the chopped pork in a large bowl and begin tossing in some of the reserved sauce; the amount is a matter of taste. Serve the pork warm with more sauce on the side.