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SMOKED PORK SHOULDER
8 to 10 servings

In many parts of the country, “barbecue” means spice-rubbed pork shoulder, smoked over hickory until it has a rosy smoke ring, fork-tender meat, and a nice crusty bark. It is customary to finely chop or pull (that is, shred) the pork, moisten with barbecue sauce, and serve on warm buns as suggested below. That said, any sauce or method of serving will shine here: Toss with New Mexico Green Chile Sauce, Mexican Adobo Sauce, or a judicious splash of Habanero-Citrus Hot Sauce for serving in Tacos and Tortas; or season with Nuoc Cham or top with a drizzle of Vietnamese Caramel Sauce for filling Banh Mi. Since leftovers are likely, try a few of these suggestions for the sake of variation, or use the pork as a filling for enchiladas. For a smokeless, cheater’s version, see Braised Pulled Pork.

Please read about Barbecuing. Trim all but ¼ inch of fat from:

  • One 6- to 8-pound pork shoulder butt roast, bone-in or boneless and tied

Rub all over with:

Place on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered overnight or for up to 2 days.

Heat a smoker or grill set up for barbecuing to 225° to 250°F (preferably with a water pan). Add to the coals:

  • One small chunk of dry hickory or apple wood

Add the pork shoulder to the cooler side of the smoker or grill and cover so that the top vent pulls smoke across the meat. Adjust the vents to maintain the temperature (this is difficult and may take practice, or, in the worst case, a fresh load of charcoal). You may add another small chunk of hickory wood every hour for the first 4 hours. If you do not have a water pan inside to keep the smoker or grill humid, baste the meat every 2 hours with:

Cook the pork shoulder until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 200°F, or until the meat wants to shred easily when lightly prodded with a fork and the shoulder bone wiggles when shaken with tongs. This can take 10 to 14 hours. To quicken the pace somewhat, you may take the pork shoulder out when it reaches 150°F, wrap it in a double thickness of foil, and return to the smoker to finish cooking (keep in mind that this will soften the shoulder’s crunchy, spice-rubbed surface, or “bark”).

When the pork is tender, transfer to a rimmed baking sheet or large platter and carefully remove any foil, pouring off the juices into a measuring cup. Rest the pork for at least 15 minutes. Some prefer to pull the pork apart in irregular, bite-sized clumps, others shred it with a fork, or chop it finely; we prefer the chunkier approach. If you have cooking juices from wrapping the pork, skim as much fat as you can from the surface of the juices (or use a gravy separator), then add some of the juices to the pork. Moisten the pork with:

Toss together, adding more sauce bit by bit, until it is seasoned to your taste; keep in mind that whoever wants more sauce can add it later, to their taste. For serving as sandwiches, provide more barbecue sauce for the table and:

Or serve as part of a “meat-and-three” with a coleslaw as above and two (or more) of the following:

Own a physical copy? Find this recipe on page 496–97.

Meat