Finally a REAL Egg weekend.

Jethro

Well I put the Egg through its first serious workout of the year, this weekend. Saturday’s dinner was Salmon. I just let the Egg simmer away real slow, until I was done eating, then went out and put on a Boston Butt for lunch on Sunday. Dinner Sunday evening was pork tenderloin.[p]I know what you’re thinkin’ “Hey he does cook something other than salmon once in a while”.[p]Far and away the best meal of the bunch was the pork tenderloin. It was the first one I’ve ever tried and everyone from my son to his grandpa really loved it. We rubbed it down with kosher salt & black pepper, and then marinated it in the fridge for about 24 hours. The marinade was a real simple 60/40 mix of soy sauce and vinegar.[p]I was a little worried that it might get too tart with that much vinegar, but remembered dipping cooked pork directly into a vinegar and garlic mix at some Asian restaurants. As it turned out it wasn’t tart at all.[p]As for the butts I’ve done two so far and have been disappointed with each. My wife really likes them, but for me they’re just ok. A few years back we took vacation to the Ozark area of Arkansas, near the Buffalo National River. We ate at a little placed that had what I believe was a pulled pork sandwich. That was one awesome sammich. That’s the kind of taste I am looking for, and from what I read here that is what I should get. Any suggestions? Should I add some smoking wood? I want a butt --- help!!![p]Jethro

Nature Boy

Jethro,
I am not sure what the sandwich you had was like, but adding smoking wood while cooking a butt is something I always do. They seem to be able to handle plenty of smoke, so I will use 3 or 4 chunks, 2 in the fire, and 2 buried around so they will burn later in the cook.[p]Lots of woods are good with butts. Cherry, maple, apple, oak, hickory are ones I have used. A healthy coat of a rub with sugar in it is nice for bark.[p]Sounds like you have been enjoying Qing.
NB

Jethro

Nature Boy,[p]Yeah, I have always enjoyed the Q thang. Everything about it is great; the smells, the relaxin, being outdoors, the friends, and the taste aint bad either.[p]Thanx for the tip, I'll try some wood next time. Would JD chips work, or do you need chunks for something with as long of a cook time as butts have?[p]Regards,
Jethro

Nature Boy

Jethro,
JD chips would be excelllent. Chunks burn longer than chips. Maybe some JD chips, AND a couple fruitwood chunks (cherry, apple). Yum.

Mike Oelrich

Jethro,[p] To get the smoked flavor you're looking for, you will need to add some smoke! Like NB says, many woods go well with pulled pork. My personal preference is a mix of sugar maple and pecan. I put the butt/picnic on when the BGE is at about 160ºF and still heating up and add a couple fistsfull of maple chips right on top of the fire. I put two big chunks of pecan farther out in the pile of lump to burn later. The chips on the fire gives a good deal of heavy smoke at the beginning of the cook, and I like it that way. Keep in mind that the meat will absorb more smoke when it's cold than when it has started to cook a bit. The rub is also key to giving the roast some flavor. I like to put the rub on two days in advance of cooking and then wrap the roast tightly in plastic wrap. I put it in the bottom of the fridge until cookin' day. The final thing is a good sauce. I prefer a spicy tomato sauce (again, I've spent quite a bit of time developing my own favorite, which several folks have told me they like better with beef) but also like to serve a vinegar sauce and a honey mustard sauce when I cook up a big pile of pig, though I'm leaning toward leaving out the vinegar one next time 'cause most of the people I invite end up using the other two. I'm supposed to give a little seminar on pulled pork at the upcoming EggFest in Waldorf. If you can make it to the 'Fest, I'll show you how I do it -- and I'm sure there will be plenty of others around to tell you how I'm doing it all wrong![p]MikeO

Fireball

Jethro,
Mike O is not wrong, everyone has his or her best way of doing it. I like to us JJ's rub and lots of pecan smoke. The surface of the butt will stop absorbing smoke at about 190 degrees.
Fireball

Jethro

MikeO,[p]Thanx for the input. I can't make Eggfest this year. I keep hoping to make one someday. It would be really great to taste a butt done right & see if it is like what I remember down in the Ozarks. Then again maybe I am better off now, that stuff was addicting.[p]Good luck with your demo @ the fest. If I were able to make it I'd be sure to sit in - and you wouldn't have to worry about me sayin' you are doing anything wrong.[p]Thanx Again,
Jethro

Jethro

Fireball,[p]Sounds like a consensus is forming - NEDS MO SMOKE!!![p]I've been want to fix me up a batch of JJ's rub, just another reason to get off the dime.[p]Thanx,
Jethro