On 6:00 AM by Nikki @ NikSnacks in BBQ, cookout, hot sauce, north carolina, pork, sunday supper, tailgate 17 comments

I love football. I come from a football-watching, TV-yelling, ticket-buying, smack-talking football family. We usually watch college football on Saturdays and Philadelphia Eagles and/or Carolina Panthers on Sundays. In general, we as a family are not tailgaters. But I'm a tailgater. If I'm not at home watching UNC-Chapel Hill or East Carolina, I'm at BB&T Field tailgating with my friends, trying to see who can scream BLACK and GOLD the loudest (or drink the most).
Tailgating is code word for eating and drinking. Back in 2009, I was practicing both code words to the best of my ability at a Carolina Panthers game and I broke my arm.
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This time around, I'm just going to stick to what I know best and make the food. I'm going to start the season off right with this Cheerwine BBQ Pulled Pork.
What is Cheerwine you ask? It's a cherry soda that is manufactured in the Carolinas. It's been enjoyed by Carolinians since 1917 and in recent times, it's been distributed in other states in the South and New York. It's like the a wishniack or a cherry-flavored Dr. Pepper, but with much more juiciness and flavor.
Also very Carolinian, is BBQ pork. BBQ, barbeque, barbecue--however you spell it, it's NOUN down here. Not a verb. We use the pork shoulder here in the Piedmont (Western part of the state), as opposed to the whole hog in the Eastern part of the state. The pork shoulder is also called a Boston Butt. Or--a pork butt.
I like to take my slow cooker to the football field. Everyone loves a good Crock Pot recipe! I add Cheerwine (or other cola-based drink) to help break the pork down and keep it juicy and sweet; a few chipotles to make it spicy and ketchup to give the BBQ a little tang.
Put a little South in your mouth with this recipe!
Cheerwine BBQ Pork
Yield: 32 servings
4 lb Boston pork butt (also known as a pork shoulder)
2 cabbage leaves, torn
2 cups tomato ketchup
6 chipotle peppers with 2 Tablespoons adobo sauce
32 oz. (4 cups) Cheerwine
Rolls or buns of choice
Place the cabbage leaves in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the pork butt on top of the cabbage (fat cap side up) and add the ketchup, the chipotle peppers, pour the Cheerwine on top and cook on high for 4-5 hours (or on low for 8 hours).
Halfway through the cooking time, flip the pork butt over.
After the initial cooking time is over, very carefully remove the meat and the cabbage leaves from the slow cooker and place on a large cutting board or platter. Discard cabbage leaves (or eat them as a snack) and shred the pork by using two forks, pulling the meat and the forks away from each other. The meat should be very tender at this point. Place the shredded pork back into the slow cooker and continue to cook for an additional hour. Top onto your roll or bun of choice and serve.
To get more ideas for tailgating recipes and visit other bloggers committed to the Sunday Supper Movement, look below:

Warm Ups (Appetizers):
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- Homemade Potato Chips w/ Blue Cheese Sauce by girlichef
- Liptauer Cheese Spread by Magnolia Days
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- Mexican Corn Dip by Growing Up Gabel
- Pizza Dip by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
- Posh Pigs In a Blanket by The Weekend Gourmet
- Pretzel Nuggets by I Run For Wine
- Roasted Garlic & Tomatillo Salsa Verde by Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Savory Baked Pinwheel’s by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
- Sesame Glazed Cauliflower “Wings” by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
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- Sweet Potato Skins by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
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- Bacon Burger Sliders by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Beef on Weck by Healthy. Delicious.
- Carrot Slaw by The Foodie Army Wife
- Cheerwine BBQ Pulled Pork by Nik Snacks
- Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Quesadillas by Cookin’ Mimi
- Chicken, Brie and Apple Turnovers by Shockingly Delicious
- Easy Grilled Chicken Caesar Sandwiches by Momma’s Meals
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- Pulled Lamb Barbecue Sandwiches by The Texan New Yorker
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup by Neighborfood
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About Me
- Nikki @ NikSnacks
- Nikki Miller-Ka is a professional food blogger and food critic based in Winston-Salem. She writes and bites about local and regional restaurant trends, food organizations, food producers and everything culinary on her blog, Nik Snacks (niksnacksonline.com) and her bimonthly Casual Dining column in the Greensboro News & Record. On the weekends, she is a tour guide Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours. Miller-Ka was classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu College Of Culinary Arts in Miami and holds degrees in English from East Carolina University. Formerly, she’s been a judge for the James Beard Foundation, featured in Southern Living Magazine & New York Magazine, worked an editorial assistant, news reporter and guest blogger for various publications and outlets in the Southeast. She has worked as a catering chef, a pastry chef, a butcher, a baker, and a biscuit-maker. Presently, she resides in Winston-Salem and a proud member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Winston-Salem Jaycees and Girl Scouts of the USA.

17 comments:
I've made Dr Pepper pulled pork, but I have a case full of Cheerwine and I think I need to try it like that. My dad and brother in law are Cheerwine fanatics! They would love it.
Yum! Looks so good! I can imagine how wonderful the flavor is!!
Sounds like just what the doctor ordered to help mend your arm! ;)
Oh Nik this sounds amazing. I have always wanted to try Cheerwine...
I can't believe you broke your arm all those years ago at a game! Glad that DIDN'T happen now!
This looks delicious so I'm glad you focused on the food!! ;)
I love this!! I always do different pulled porks in my crock pot and have used multiple sodas, but never thought to use cheerwine!
Oh my goodnes... the hazards of tailgating can be cruel! I love this recipe and can't wait to try it!!!!
Pork butt makes the best barbecue, doesn't it? I have never heard of Cheerwine so I will have to look for it next time I am in the States. What a great dish! Never mind the bun. I'll just sit there next to the crock pot and eat your pulled pork with a spoon.
I've never heard of Cheerwine and I'm not sure it available in my area. Nice to know I could substitute other colas. It looks like a crockpot full of goodness.
I'm on a mission for Cheerwine...which I think would make me feel very cheery after seeing this pork!
I love pulled pork, and it sounds amazing with that cherry soda! I must find some
My grandpa would have LOVED this... he was a huge fan of pork and cheerwine!
Haha! This post cracked me up. I can't imagine what you were doing, but only true fans break their arms in the process of cheering. :) This looks fabulous. Now I feel the need to drive about 10 hours south to get some of that cherry soda!
Cheerwine sounds awesome, and so does this pulled pork! I love how there are still so many regional colas out there.
I haven't seen Cheerwine in years! I imagine it makes a pretty good bbq sauce!
I don't think I've ever seen Cheerwine in NorCal, but I could probably sub in Dr. Pepper, no? This sounds really good (and crock-pot easy)!
I wanted to invite you to the Friday Flash Blog Party, the best linky in town! I hope you'll join us and link up. Who knows. You may just get highlighted!
The party goes on ALL weekend.
Jennifer @ The Jenny Evolution
www.thejennyevolution.com
How delicious does this look?!! We don't have cheerwine so I guess I'll have to sub something else but definitely trying this recipe!
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