Today Show Recipes for Barbeque Pork

The Today show has been having a barbeque challenge and I thought that two of those pork recipes sounded fantastic! 

Ed Mitchell from The Pit in Raleigh, N.C. shared his recipe for a “Whole Hog” while Jimmy Hagood of Blackjack Barbecue in Charleston, S.C. showed off his pork shoulder recipe.  The only thing missing is some good ol’ barbeque sauce!  Enjoy!

Blackjack Barbecue Pork Shoulder

(Yields 1 cup/ Serves 12)

Ingredients

Blackjack barbecue’s dry rub

• 2 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Pork shoulder

• Two 8-12 pound pork shoulder/Boston butt
• BlackJack barbecue dry rub
• BlackJack barbecue vinegar sauce
• Texas Pete hot sauce
• Covered, kettle-type grill
• 20 pounds hardwood lump charcoal
• Bag of dry wood chunks (hickory, mesquite, pecan, apple)
• Charcoal chimney
• Small shovel
• Meat thermometer
• Meat cleaver

More after the jump!

Directions

Blackjack barbecue’s dry rub
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to blend.

Barbecue pork shoulder
Season the meat on all sides and leave at room temperature while starting the coals. Light half of the coals in the grill and wait until briquettes are covered with gray ash. Push majority of coals to two sides, leaving a small circle of coals in center, and place 2 chunks of wood on each pile. Place the seasoned shoulder fat side up on a grate in the center of grill. Place cover on grill with ventilation holes open. The grill temperature should range from 210-275 degrees. Add additional hot charcoal when temperature falls to 220 degrees. Add additional wood chunks every 3 hours. The cooking time will be approximately 9-10 hours. The internal temperature of the shoulder should reach 190-195 degrees. Remove from grill, allow meat to cool for 30 minutes, pull meat from bone, remove fat layers, chop with meat cleaver, and sauce with hot sauce to taste.

Whole Hog

Ingredients

• 8-10 lb Boston Butt
• Apple cider vinegar (enough to cover pork when diluted by 1/3 with water)
• Crushed red pepper
• Dried cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to your taste (recommended: 2 tablespoons each)
• Hickory or oak chips
• 10-15 pounds charcoal briquettes
• Vinegar sauce to serve (recipe follows)
• Hamburger buns

Directions 

In a deep dish, place the shoulder with enough cider vinegar and water to cover (2:1 ratio vinegar to water). Season the marinade with S & P to taste and the cayenne. Marinate refrigerated overnight, or in pinch, at least 2-3 hours at room temperature. After removing the butt from marinade, soak the wood chips for about an hour before cooking.

Fully ignite charcoal. Allow to flame until briquettes become white and powdery in appearance (EXTREMELY hot). Place in a rectangular formation in your grill, just a bit larger than the size of your roast. Drain the wood chips and place on top of the charcoal. Place the butt in the center of the rectangle. The temp should be about 275° (if using gas, set to 250°).

Cook covered, for 3 1/2-4 hours, or until very tender. A knife inserted into center should easily pierce to the bone. Allow the meat to rest for about 30 minutes and pull pieces off by hand.

Vinegar sauce: Shake together cider vinegar, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and cayenne to taste. Use to accent the natural flavors of the pulled pork. Serve pulled pork, topped with a dash of pepper vinegar with coleslaw on the sandwich or on the side.

TIP – Only difference in the whole hog and shoulder is time and amount of charcoal. For whole hog cooking time is approximately 1 hour for every 10 pounds. The charcoal should be 30-40 pounds of coal

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