One of the problems with making a good authentic vinegar-based barbecue sauce is that you run the risk of no one actually liking it because it's too authentic.

One of the more-respected North Carolina vinegar-based sauces, served in some restaurants there, appears to be little more than salt, pepper flakes, vinegar and some sort of secret ingredient to thicken it up a bit. Or maybe they boil it for a while to reduce it. Whatever they do, it's a closely guarded secret.

The recipe printed here uses vinegar, but it's anything but an authentic North Carolina sauce. For your friends and family, that may well be a plus.

You can tell it's not authentic, because it contains bourbon. And most North Carolina barbecue joints don't even serve alcohol.

Today's recipe for eastern-style barbecue uses the pork butt -- also called the Boston butt -- and contains part of the shoulder blade. Rick Browne, author of "The Best Barbecue on Earth," says this cut is ideal for smoking, as the bone transfers heat to the center and adds flavor.

To prepare this recipe, you also will need about 1 cup wood chips for smoking (available alongside grilling supplies) and heavy-duty foil. Charcoal or gas grills can be used; total grilling time is about 6 hours.

Cole slaw is mandatory with any kind of pulled pork. Picking it up at the grocery store is just fine. For a touch of eastern North Carolina, stir in a splash or two of Texas Pete hot sauce.

Crave barbecue that's more on the mild side? Tomato-based sauce has become the way to go for barbecue enthusiasts across most of the South, with the addition of molasses or brown sugar making the taste sweeter the farther west you move.

Today's recipe for barbecued pork spareribs is a speedy version of traditional slow-barbecued ribs. Most of the cooking is done hands-off in the oven, with a final quick stint on the grill to form a nice crust.