How To Pick The Best BBQ Sauce For Your Pulled Pork Sandwich

Pulled pork is a magical dish — whether you're eating carnitas, Southern barbecue, or Yuxiang Sichuan shredded pork, meat-lovers from around the world all appreciate the concept of a good, shredded pork dish. When it comes to American-style pulled pork sandwiches, knowing how to choose the right barbecue sauce can help take your meal from good to great, so we went into the trenches to figure out the perfect sauce-to-sandwich combination.

To guide us in this journey, Food Republic enlisted the help of Marissa Stevens, recipe developer and food blogger at Pinch and Swirl. The key, according to Stevens, is finding the right balance for the pork shoulder, which is the best cut of meat for pulled pork. 

"Pulled pork is fatty and tender, so you want a sauce to contrast all that richness," she explained. What exactly does that mean you should be looking for, you ask? "You need sauce with a tangy-sweet base with enough acidity to cut through the fat, and a little smokiness or heat for depth. The sauce should complement the pork, not cover it up." However, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to choose the vinegar side over the tomato side when it comes to the great barbecue sauce schism.

Of course, the U.S. is a land of differing barbecue styles, and each comes with a specific sauce. Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of which sauce to pair with pulled pork — it depends on what kind of sandwich you're going for. 

"With Carolina-style pulled pork (especially if it's vinegar-heavy), I like a mustard-based sauce on the side or even just a drizzle of hot vinegar and crushed red pepper," Marissa Stevens said, while contrasting it to a Midwest classic. "For Kansas City–style or more classic sweet and smoky pork, a thicker tomato-based sauce works well." If you're paying homage to the pitmasters in Mobile and Birmingham, a simple, five-ingredient Alabama white barbecue sauce adds a creamy tanginess that is a delightful accompaniment to the rich pork.

Then there's the actual construction of the sandwich, which should contain several staples, but is variable from there. "I keep it simple — soft bun, saucy pork, and a cabbage-based slaw for crunch," Stevens explained. Raw jalapeños can add a nice pop of texture and spice, and pickles or pickled red onions can lend an acidic levity to a sandwich as well. Or you can get wild with it: "My Memphis-born in-laws like a scoop of mashed potatoes on top. Don't knock it until you try it." Bacon-garlic mashed potatoes make for an especially enticing option, and if you have to take a nap after, who could blame you?