The Butt

BBQ, Son and Daughter, is a way of life. It has a Zen. It has a Tao. It has a rhythm that one can learn from. Boston Butt and Picnic Roast are the 1st two things I learned to smoke- the only useful and positive thing I learned from my father-in-law in 30 years. I learned on a Weber Kettle Grill. Coals to one side, water pan to the other, meat and thermometer over pan, wood chips over coals. When you put the top on, place the air vent over the meat. Put whatever you want in the water pan. Low and slow. Settle in for the day. Or night. 

The basics here are (1) indirect heat for cooking, (2) liquid in the pan to keep meat from drying out and to catch the drippings, (3) low temps and long cook times allow fat tissue to render out and flavor and tenderize the meat, resulting in a lean yet flavorful roast (4) patience is a BBQ virtue and have-to, and (5) never forget that FLAVOR COMES FROM THE WOOD. 

Your meat should already be room temperature. All BBQ recipes assume room temperature meat. Suggest a large boston butt with bone-in and a pronounced Money Muscle (Google it) and/or a well marbled picnic roast. 

Set up and start your fire on one side of the fire grate. I use a combination of charcoal and wood chunks. For Pork, I use woods like Peach, Apple, Cherry, Oak from whiskey barrels, or Hickory, or a combination. I do not soak my wood. 

Once the fire is reduced to reasonable coals, place the top over the grill. Make sure the bottom vent is about a half inch to an inch open. Put the top on and leave the top vent about a quarter inch open. Your goal is 250 degrees. Limit or open the top vent to control airflow and heat. 

Ignore the fancy sauces and rubs. Best pork and poultry prep is salt, pepper, a cup of Lousiana Hot sauce, and the juice of half a lemon. Lather the meat generously and forget about it. 

When the fire temp hits 250 degrees, put the water pan next to the fire and add your liquid as full as you can get it. Keep it full throughout the process. Add some additional wood chunks. Place the meat on the grill FAT SIDE DOWN. Replace the top. 

Once your temp settles back at 250 degrees, tighten the top vent down just a bit, and let the temp settle further to 230 or 235. It can be as low as 225. No higher than 250. Once it settles, leave it the fuck alone. Everytime you open it to look at it or fuck with it, cook time is lengthened by 15 minutes. This phase should last anywhere from 6-10 hours depending on factors.

When the internal temp of the meat reaches 165 degrees, remove the meat from the grill and place it on a large double sheet of foil. Add a stick of butter and a half cup of brown sugar. Wrap the roast up tightly in the foil. Minimize any spillage. Return it to the smoker. This phase last another couple hours if not 3 or so. 

When internal temp of the meat reaches 195 degrees, remove it from the grill, LEAVE WRAPPED. Poke holes in the foil to drain it, then place it on a large pan on the counter, and leave it alone for 30 minutes. LEAVE WRAPPED. 

If you are going to serve immediately, you can proceed on to the next step. If you are saving for another time, wrap the already-wrapped roast tightly in ANOTHER double layer of foil and place in the fridge or freezer for another day. It is ready to pull, slice, or eat. 

To serve immediately, remove the foil from the roast. Leave the roast on the cookie sheet. Now leave it alone for another 30 minutes.

While you wait, prepare your sauce. If you use brushing sauce or dipping sauce, try to match your wood. For example, an Apple Wood dipping sauce might consist of 1 part plain BBQ sauce and 1 part Apple Sauce, Apple Juice, or apple cider vinegar.  A Peach Wood dipping sauce might contain 1 part plain BBQ sauce, 1/2 part Jack Daniels Bourbon, and ½ part Peach preserves. Add a teaspoon of your favorite BBQ season. You get the idea. Be creative. Make something wild. 

When it’s ready to pull, use Bear Claws or something similar, I use 2 forks. Pull the meat apart into the thinnest and longest sinews possible. When you’re done, add whatever sauce or season, mix or toss, and serve.

If you are making greens to go with it, take the best drippings from your water pan and the bones and joints from the meat once it’s pulled, any discarded lemons, any meat debris from your pulled meat, and some fresh herbs, add some water, and boil it to make a broth for your greens. 

If you are making beans, add the best dripping from your water pan and any meat debris to a little of your dipping sauce and add to the mix.