Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Barbecue Smoke Like a Pro with the Peg Leg Porker
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 8:56 AM
5.5 oz. bottle dry seasoning
16 oz. bottle Memphis Wet Sauce
4 packets brine mixture
1 oz. Injection syringe and needle
Stainless-steel grill thermometer
Stainless-steel pocket thermometer
1 bag wood chips
1 pair cotton prep gloves
1 pair non-latex gloves
Step-by-step instruction card
- Click to zoom
The entire goal of smoking pork is to get the internal temperature up to the 185-190 degree range as slowly as possible. At that temperature, the internal collagens and fats break down to the point where the individual fibers of the meat can be pulled apart in the pig picking process. The slower you can achieve this, the more time there is for the delicious fats to render themselves and contribute their flavor to the meat. If you cook it too quickly, you'll just end up with an overcooked pork roast. That can be tasty, but it ain't barbecue.
On a grill, this is accomplished though indirect cooking. Build your fire on one end of the grill and cook the shoulder on the other end. If you have vents that you can open over the meat and close over the fire, that helps to keep the fire low and draws the smoke across the pork to help create that beautiful purple ring of smokiness that separates good barbecue from mediocre. Pile your presoaked hickory chips directly on the burner or fire with a special emphasis on applying as much smoke as possible during the first few hours of the cooking process. There is a school of thinking that after the meat begins to reach higher temperatures that it becomes less receptive of the smoke, so smoke 'em while you got 'em.
Wrap it in foil and let it rest on the counter for at least an hour so that the juices can be retained and the pork cools enough to allow for easy pulling. The internal bones should pull right out of the shoulder or butt and then it's officially pig pickin' time. I recommend wearing vinyl gloves to protect you from the heat and messiness. This is a great family activity, but only if you can monitor the "sampling" that inevitably happens during the process. Otherwise, you may find yourself without enough meat left to put on a biscuit. I like to use two large forks with the tines turned out to separate the meat without shredding it.
With or without wet sauce, your pork should be delicious. The last time I smoked a shoulder to Carey's specifications I ended up with more than 5 pounds of barbecue for an investment of less than $20 and a lazy day of work. Reviews from friends included phrases as "Ohmifreakin' Gawd!" and "This is the best damn BBQ I've ever eaten." I don't think it's the best shoulder sandwich I ever ate, but I will accept the praise. And give the credit to The Peg Leg Porker. Check it out and become a pro yourself.
Comments (11)
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I tried out the kit myself a couple of weeks ago, and it's actually the topic of my blog for tomorrow. Let's just say I was thoroughly impressed with myself! (of course, I give all credit to Carey's instructions!)
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Your crazy science talk confuses and frightens me, #2. I am but a simple food writer who enjoys smoked pork.
We all gotta die of something...
I worked with Carey’s Dad, one of the top Mechanical Engineers that ever lived in Nashville, and believe members of his family are some of the most talented individuals I’ve ever met. His two aunts are world class clay & fabric experts at Penland (NC) School of Crafts. Although Carey knows more about grilling than 99% of those alleged “pit masters” milling around in Memphis, it’s his heart that bigger than any Texas brisket. Someone should write an article on his life story…….
I knew you had written this article before I even saw the byline....looks fabulous....pork is love!
I thought this kit was genius -- it brought together all the elements that I wouldn't have bothered to prep myself. And I developed mad phlebotomy skills injecting the brine.
@This is why we are #2, don't forget my favorite part of the pork chemistry: the extra bond on the lipid chain that turns it into saturated fat.
Wait a minute, @This is why we are #2... aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons are ... petroleum products, not grilling or smoking products or by-products. Just sugar, salt, fat, striated muscle tissue, collagen and heat here.
