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Well a few folks on here have had my pulled pork and keep asking for details. For you ol' "smokers" out there, this will be old hat so bear with us.   Start with a pork shoulder, feral or domestic works fine. I like to debone mine and leave a little fat cap on one edge, maybe Â¼-inch or so. If you're looking for one at the market, grab the one that says Boston Butt, seriously, that's the strange name they give shoulders. The "Butt" is the upper shoulder as opposed to the lower portion also known as the picnic shoulder. Really, any piece of pig does well in this recipe. I've done everything from hams to loins this way and all have turned out spectacular. Just be sure to leave a fat cap on anything you plan on leaving in the pit for hours on end.   Duh, I took the picture with the fat cap down, sorry. It should look like a solid white layer across one side. Yes, this piece of pork looks extremely marbled, but that is what you want for this process. All that fat will render out and tenderize the pork as is flows through.   <IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/dish.jpg" align=baseline border=0>    -Brian

I like a dry rub. You can mix up a large batch of these ingredients and store for future use if you like. Here's the combo I like:   1 Cup brown sugar 1/3 Cup paprika 2 Tbs black pepper 2 Tbs kosher salt (non-iodine) 2 Tbs granulated or powdered garlic 1 Tbs lemonade powder 1 Tbs onion powder 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp ground thyme 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder   I use this rub for most of my pork cuts that I plan to smoke, including ribs. You can boost the salt to Â¾ Cup if you like a little more salt. I'm partial to adding a little more brown sugar on occasion.   Sam's Club carries a "cheat" version of this rub made by Durkee called Grill Creations, St Louis Style Chicken & Rib Rub. It comes in a handy 27 oz. container and fills the void nicely in a pinch.    First I rub a thin layer of yellow mustard on the whole shoulder. It helps tenderize the meat and the rub sticks better. You won't taste any mustard at all on the finished product.   <IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/dish2.jpg" align=baseline border=0>   -Brian

Apply the rub, making sure to get it into all the nooks and crannies. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.   <IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/dish3.jpg" align=baseline border=0>   -Brian

Be sure to allow 4 to 5 hours the next day depending on your pit and smoking method. I use a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker because that is what I learned on years ago. I plan to acquire or build an offset in the near future. I understand that this recipe can be done in a 225 degree oven but I've never tried it that way so you're on your own there.   Take the shoulder out of the refrigerator prior to getting the smoker going. This will allow the meat to warm up a little before going into the hot pit. Now if it takes you more than an hour to get the smoker ready, don't leave the shoulder sitting out.   I use hickory chunks over Kingsford charcoal. I always have plenty of hickory chunks left over from the bow shop. There's a challenge for you...make a hickory selfbow with a pork fat finish, kill a feral pig then smoke it with the bow you killed it with <IMG src="http://www.websitetoolbox.com/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" align=absMiddle border=0> Some folks advocate lump charcoal or even all wood cooking. Whatever you prefer, just keep the temperature of the pit around 225-250 degrees and you'll be golden.   I only add smoke wood to the charcoal at the beginning of the cooking. I'll add a little apple or mesquite on occasion. I don't think much smoke flavor penetrates the meat beyond the first hour of cooking.   Place the shoulder in the pit and don't open that lid again for at least 2 hours. If you have to peak after 2 hours, keep a spray bottle filled with Â½ apple juice and Â½ vegetable oil and spray down the shoulder. Close the pit quickly.   Check the shoulder after 4 or 5 hours. Some folks use a meat thermometer, which may not be a bad idea for beginners. I just pull a chunk off and examine it. If you plan to slice the shoulder, you can take it out a little earlier. For pulled pork, leave it in a while longer to become more tender for easy pulling. Either way, you don't want to serve it until the internal temperature is 185-190 degrees.   Should look something like this:   <IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/dish4.jpg" align=baseline border=0>   You can also butterfly the shoulder to reduce cooking time and to gain more of the crunchy surface goodies.   -Brian

OK Brian, enough talking, let's eat! <IMG src="http://www.websitetoolbox.com/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" align=absMiddle border=0>   <IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/dish5.jpg" align=baseline border=0>   -Brian

You guys always make the dishes here look so wonderful. Here's my attempt with a local lager. Top with home made barbecue sauce or use your favorite out of the bottle. Here's a tasty and easy home made sauce:   2Â½ Cups Heinz Ketchup Â½ Cup apple juice Â¼ Cup honey 3 Tbl brown sugar 3 Tbl molasses 3 Tbl butter 2 Tbl lemon juice 1 Tbl dry mustard 1 Tbl garlic powder (or granulated) 1 Tbl coarse black pepper 2 tsp onion powder Â½ tsp chili powder Â¼ tsp each ground corriander, sage, thyme & cayenne pepper   Simmer in deep uncovered pot for at least 45 minutes and stir often.   Don't forget the cole slaw. And home made corn bread if not making sandwiches.   <IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/dish6.jpg" align=baseline border=0>   Bon appetit!   -Brian

Good enough to satisfy the toughest critics!   <IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/dish8.jpg" align=baseline border=0>   <IMG alt="" hspace=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/dish7.jpg" align=baseline border=0>

Brian,   That pulled pork looks like the genuine article. Now I'm not just saying that, cause I just wouldn't comment if I didn't really think that.   Whenever you can hit a balance in cooking with the salt, sweet, peppery, acidic or sour tastes, bitter and natural flavor of the food being cooked, you have a great flavor.   Really browning, even scorching a can provide bitter. That's why cream brulee' and scorched flour tortillas taste so good. The citrus you're using is both sour and bitter, brown sugar, garlic and onions are sweet, paprika and different peppers all provide different types of peppery flavor. That cider would carmelize and takes on a lemony edge along with natural sweet flavor.   Dean, Shaun, Jeff and yourself got me thinking that a Traditional Bowyer's cookbook is in the future of this group......................   Next camp, you're in the kitchen with us, I want some of that pork man, I'll trade ya for some Wine Merchant Sauce or Applewood smoked bacon,   Dan

BrianHalbleib

BrianHalbleib

BrianHalbleib

BrianHalbleib

BrianHalbleib

BrianHalbleib

BrianHalbleib

MasterChef