Joanna Gaines' BBQ Pulled Pork Contains An Iconic Carbonated Ingredient

A can of soda and pulled pork are no strangers. In North Carolina, you'll see Cheerwine BBQ sauce, and other recipes call for cans of Coca-Cola or ginger ale to add sweetness that balances out the savory, slow-cooked meat. Joanna Gaines' recipe matches those soda styles, and one-ups them by adding Dr Pepper — a soda with 23 secret flavors that builds a sweetness in the sauce with hints of warm spices like vanilla and clove.

In my part of South Carolina, barbecue sauce is a hotly debated subject. The state is divided into barbecue territories: Peppery vinegar-based sauces dominate in some areas, mustard-based is king in the Midlands, and tomato-based sauces are popular in the Upstate. Personally, I think they're all good, and I appreciate the options. Each one brings its own unique character, and as long as the pork is fall-apart tender, you won't hear me complaining.

There are plenty of pulled pork purists out there, but getting creative with the sauce is where a lot of recipes set themselves apart. Once the pork is shredded, the meat becomes the perfect vehicle for sauce, and when you pile it onto a bun, the bread soaks up those drippings and turns every bite tender and juicy. 

There are all kinds of ways to make pulled pork. You can pop it in the oven, slow smoke it on the grill, or cook it on the counter in your slow cooker. No matter which way you do it, you'll get a tender result if you're patient. Joanna Gaines' Dr Pepper BBQ pulled pork sandwiches call for them to be slow cooked in the oven for four hours, with the last half covered in foil to hold in the moisture. If you think you'll miss the smoky flavor, you won't thanks to liquid smoke in the sauce along with the two cans of Dr Pepper.

With some pulled pork recipes, you brush on the sweet sauce as the pork butt is cooking, but Gaines' slow-roasted recipe has you rub on spices like salt, pepper, paprika, and clove and let it rest for 24 hours in the fridge. The Dr Pepper sauce has everything homemade BBQ sauces need. It mixes spices, hot sauce, vinegar, and liquid smoke and is pulled together with cornstarch and poured over the pork once it's cooked and pulled apart. It makes for a saucy pulled pork mix that's perfect for a sandwich and pairs well with a thick-cut slaw that adds that crunchy bite of texture on top.