Barbecue 1 Recipe

Season and Rest

Pat the pork cubes dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss the pork with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder until evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while you prepare the sauce (this helps seasoning penetrate).

Brown the Pork

Heat a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and let it shimmer. In batches if necessary, add the pork cubes in a single layer, avoiding crowding. Cook 3–4 minutes per side until a deep golden-brown crust forms. Transfer browned pork to a plate and repeat with remaining pieces, adding a little more oil if needed.

Braise

After all pork is browned and returned to the pot, reduce heat to medium-low. Pour about 1/2 cup of the prepared barbecue sauce (from next section) into the pot to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Add remaining sauce and 1/4 cup additional water if needed to just come up to about halfway on the pork pieces. Bring to a low simmer, cover, and braise gently for 1 to 1¼ hours, stirring occasionally, until pork is fork-tender and sauce has thickened and glazed the meat.

Finish

Uncover and increase heat to medium for the last 10 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce further, stirring so it doesn’t burn. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or a splash of vinegar if desired. If you prefer shredded barbecue, remove pork to a cutting board and shred with two forks, then return to sauce and toss to coat.

Sauté aromatics: In a medium saucepan, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds more until fragrant (do not brown).

Build the sauce: Add ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, smoked paprika, and black pepper to the pan. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer and adjust: Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. If sauce is too thick, stir in up to 1/4 cup water to reach a spoonable glaze consistency. Taste and adjust: add more vinegar for brightness, more brown sugar for sweetness, or more hot sauce for heat.

Cool slightly: Remove from heat and let the sauce cool 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of sauce to use for deglazing and braising the pork; the remainder will be used to coat the pork for finishing and for serving.

Toast buns: If using buns, split and toast cut-side down in a dry skillet or under a broiler for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.

Assemble: Pile warm barbecue pork onto buns or serve family-style. Spoon extra sauce over the meat, top with pickles and a scoop of coleslaw if desired, and scatter chopped cilantro or parsley for freshness.

Store: Refrigerate leftover pork and sauce in airtight containers for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water if sauce has tightened.