Year of the Pig

I have been back home in Louisville for my Grandmother’s funeral this weekend, and despite the unfortunate circumstances, it has been a real nice time seeing all the friends and family. I always love spending time with my cousins Brian and Robyn when I am home. They are great people, and I must say Brian is an excellent cook, and that even extends to Barbeque. Robyn and Brian know of my recent addiction to pigs and graciously invited me and Alissa and some other friends over for a night of good barbeque, sitting in the backyard enjoying the nice Kentucky spring.

Brian busted out the well-used charcoal “bullet” water smoker, and loaded it with a rubbed pork shoulder, getting it started around 9 am. For those of you unfamiliar with this type of smoker, there is a lower pan behind the hatch in the front that is where you build your charcoal fire. Above that is a water pan that blocks the direct heat from the charcoal, helps stabilize the temperature, and keeps the smoking chamber a little wet. Above the water pan are 2 racks, where the meat goes. These smokers are simple, effective, and a great bargain at about $35.

Alissa and I came over at about 5 or so. I checked out the butt, which was looking and smelling great. Brian used some water soaked hickory and mesquite chunks on charcoal fire for the smoke. In case you don’t know, Brian was cooking a “Boston Butt” which is actually a cheap cut of pork from the shoulder, more appropriately called a Pork Shoulder. Apparently the name Boston Butt comes from the way less desirable cuts of pork were packed in barrels called “Butts” in pre-revolutionary New England. The cut is tough and loaded with fat and must be slow cooked to break it down and make it tender, hence making it popular for barbeque. It is the cut that is used for “pulled pork.”

After we got there, Brian had us prepare the mop sauce, which we applied a couple times during the last hour or so of smoking.

We brought the butt in, and Brian finished it off in the oven at 300 F for about an hour. In the meantime we hung out and had a fine time. There was a cute baby, Anna, to play with. She obviously takes after me in her fashion sense:

My cousin Robyn is a vet, and does not hide her love of animals. In addition to her 4 cats, they have a Redbone Coonhound with more than a little energy. Some of their friends brought over their dogs as well, including a Golden Retriever and last but certainly not least, a Great Dane named Zeus.

But you aren’t really here to read about dogs and babies, right? This is about Pigs! So, while the Pig was in oven, we whipped up a nice simple coleslaw, and some delicious potato salad (small golden potatoes with mayo, olive oil, scallions, and the bacon makes all the difference)

Soon the Butt was done, and we let it sit for awhile to cool. We removed the fat cap and Alissa and I picked it apart into nice chunks, getting rid of any chunks of fat. The butt had a nice deep red smoke ring, was moist and smokey, melting in your mouth with smokey intensity. Love it! I could still smell it on my fingers this morning, and it made me suck on my fingers like a baby. Brian added the pulled pork to a little bit of bottled bourbon BBQ sauce, and some chicken stock, and kept it warm in a crock pot.

Brian thought that it could have smoked longer, and been a little more tender and easier to pull apart. I thought it was just fine. You just can’t beat the smoked butt. Yum, yum, and more yum. Thanks again Brian for smoking!