Is there an Aaron Franklin of pulled pork?

[BowtieBill]

I did a competition a few months ago here in California. I made a Carolina style sauce for my pork turn in, it was dee-lish. I came in at the bottom, not last place but almost last place. The judges notes all said "ew sour, too tangy, tasted like vinegar". I was like YEA THATS THE FAKIN POINT! I love some Carolina Q. Now that I'm jobless maybe a spring trip should be in the works.

I started competing in 2004. Back then there weren't many comps out here.
I, too, started out using vinegar Piedmont style sauce. First couple of contests I was near the bottom. Third contest was a big one at Mandalay Bay in Vegas. The team next to us, well established West Coast team, shared their pork with me. I was surprised that it was sweet. Thought mine was so much better. Well, we came in near bottom again, they took first place. I was surprised.
Next year, stuck with the tangy, first contest we took 3rd place. So I continued with it. after a couple more contests of not scoring so well, I read a post on our Forum from a judge who said he had to explain to another judge at his table that the pork they tasted wasn't spoiled, it was a vinegar type sauce. From that point forward I gave up on the vinegar type and went sweet. As they say, not cooking for yourself, your cooking for the judges. I still prefer a tangy sauce on pork.
Sorry for the long story, but your story hit a nerve...

 

[BowtieBill]

Second this. Chris Lilly (of Big Bob Gibson restaurant) all the way. Couple of years ago I had the chance to sample 5 or 6 pulled/chopped pork from vendors at big BBQ event. Lilly’s pork blew them all away. We had big group of people and all agreed.

His book below is in my pantheon of great BBQ books. I have made his 6-time Championship Pork Shoulder many times with tasty results.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00486UEWQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

And I agree, Chris Lilly is the man.

 

[e11even]

Elliot Moss of Buxton Hall in Asheville. Makes some damn fine whole hog bbq. I would say closest to a Franklin for pork.