Welcome to Dad Got This, where today we're braving the blazing Florida heat to bring a taste of North Carolina to your backyard with this Ninja Woodfire North Carolina Style Pulled Pork Recipe.
We're making some delicious pulled pork, and let me tell you, this isn't just any pulled pork—this is a North Carolina-style pulled pork with a unique twist.
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We're injecting it with a mixture of Cheerwine (a cherry-based soda) and apple juice to keep it moist and flavorful throughout the cook.
To get started, we’re using a giant seven-pound bone-in pork shoulder, coated with yellow mustard to help our cherry cola rub stick. This rub, found at my local Walmart, has everything from sugar and salt to paprika and cherry flavors. After getting a nice even coating, we’re setting up our Ninja Woodfire grill with a sweetwood blend of pellets for a sweet, smoky flavor. Once everything's ready, we smoke the pork at 300 degrees for about three to four hours, checking on it hourly and spritzing it with Cheerwine to keep it moist.
While the pork cooks, we're whipping up a super simple coleslaw. It’s just shredded cabbage mixed with a sweet and tangy dressing made from sugar, mayo, mustard, and a bit of elbow grease. Trust me, this coleslaw is the perfect topping for our pulled pork sandwiches.
We’re also making a quick and easy Cheerwine barbecue sauce. Just simmer a mixture of Cheerwine, brown sugar, ketchup, black pepper, smoked paprika, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of cayenne until it’s nice and saucy. This sauce will add the perfect sweet and tangy kick to our pulled pork.
After reaching an internal temperature of 170 degrees, we wrap the pork in foil and let it cook until it hits 200 degrees. Then, we let it rest, allowing the juices to redistribute for a juicy, flavorful bite. Once rested, we shred the pork, mix in a bit of extra rub, and assemble our sandwiches with Martin’s Potato Rolls, our homemade barbecue sauce, and that chilled coleslaw.
This sandwich is a sweet, smoky, and tangy masterpiece, topped off with an ice-cold Cheerwine. It’s so good, it's the best pulled pork I’ve ever made. Don't forget, you can get all the tools and ingredients mentioned through the affiliate links below. Thanks for watching, and enjoy your North Carolina-style pulled pork!
Recipe
Ninja Woodfire North Carolina-Style Pulled Pork Sandwich
Equipment
- Ninja Woodfire Grill
- Elevated Rack
- Tongs
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Wood Pellets
- Wireless Meat Thermometer
- Aluminum Foil
- Half Sheet Pan
- Spray Bottle
- Large Bowl
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Saucepan
- Spatula
- Heat Restant Gloves
- Food Safe Gloves
- Injector
Ingredients
Pulled Pork Ingredients:
- 7 lb bone-in pork shoulder Boston butt
- 12 oz Cheerwine cherry-based soda
- 1 cup apple juice
- 4 tablespoon Yellow mustard
- ½ Cup Cherry cola rub store-bought
- 8 Rolls Martins Potato Rolls
ColeSlaw Ingredients:
- 1 head of cabbage
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 1 cup mayonnaise Duke’s recommended
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
BBQ Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 12 oz Cheerwine soda
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Pork:
- Inject the pork shoulder with a mixture of 1 cup Cheerwine and 1 cup apple juice.
- Coat the pork with yellow mustard.
- Apply a generous amount of cherry cola rub evenly on all sides of the pork.
Set Up the Smoker:
- Preheat the smoker to 300°F or 149°C using a sweetwood blend of pellets.
- Place the pork on the smoker, fat side down.
- Smoke the pork for 3-4 hours, spritzing with Cheerwine every hour.
Make the Coleslaw:
- Shred the cabbage into a large bowl.
- Add 1 ¾ cups sugar, 1 cup mayonnaise, and 2 tablespoons yellow mustard to the cabbage.
- Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Make the Cheerwine Barbecue Sauce:
- In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter.
- Add 12 oz Cheerwine, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 cups ketchup, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of cayenne.
- Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Finish the Pork:
- Once the pork reaches an internal temperature of 170°F or 77°C, wrap it in foil.
- Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 200°F or 93°C.
Let the pork rest for 35-45 minutes.
- Shred the pork, discarding the bone and any large pieces of fat.
Assemble the Sandwiches:
- Place a generous portion of pulled pork on a Martin’s Potato Roll.
- Top with Cheerwine barbecue sauce.
- Add a heaping spoonful of coleslaw.
Serve and Enjoy:
- Serve the sandwiches with an ice-cold Cheerwine soda.
- Enjoy the sweet, smoky, and tangy flavors of North Carolina-style pulled pork!
Video
Notes
Check the pork hourly to maintain moisture and ensure even cooking.
Resting the pork is crucial for juicy and tender meat.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?Mention @DadGotThis or tag #DadGotThis!Ninja Woodfire North Carolina Style Pulled Pork Recipe:
Ninja Woodfire Pro Connect XL Grill:
Get it at NinjaKitchen
Cheerwine Soda:
Get it on Amazon
Chery Cola BBQ Rub:
Get it on Amazon
Ninja Woodfire Grill Elevated Grate:
Get it on Amazon
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