Sure, no prob!
TIM'S BUTT:
Obtain yourself a 7-9 lb pork butt. Don't spend a bunch on it; Costco usually sells 2-packs for about $1.50 per lb. I generally don't trim anything off beforehand. About 12-24 hours before you want to smoke, find a good rub and pack it onto the exposed meat areas, wrap the thing in plastic, and refrigerate it. Here's a rub recipe I use:
1/2 c salt
1/2 c turbinado sugar
1/4 c granulated brown sugar
1 T granulated or powdered garlic
1 T granulated or powdered onion
2 T paprika
2 T chili powder
2 T course black pepper
2 t cayenne pepper
1 t dried thyme
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground nutmeg
(Excess rub can be stored for several months in an airtight container.)
About 45 minutes prior to smoking, unwrap the butt and let it reach room temp. Prep your smoker for cooking at 235. I usually use hickory wood, but apple, cherry, and/or maple also work pretty well for pork. Put the butt in fat side up, and cook for about 10 hours. Don't peek.
After that, if the internal temp hasn't reached 190, keep cooking, checking temp about once an hour. Spritz the meat surface (bark), if you like -- I use a mixture of bourbon, apple juice, and a little soy sauce. Probably best not to let the internal temp get above 200, or you risk driving too much moisture out of the meat.
Remove from cooker and let it sit for about 30 minutes. To prep, slide the fat cap off and discard, then just shred the rest of it, discarding any fat. It should look more or less like the photo above. The bark will be the toughest part, but also the tastiest.
It's ready for serving at this point. You can toss the meat with a little more rub or spritz for flavor, and/or mix in a little sauce. However, you could instead refrigerate the meat overnight and reheat before serving; many believe this enhances the smoky flavor.
For sauce, use anything you like in the market, or make your own. Here is a recipe I like: it's tangy, sweet, and complex, with some bite:
2 c ketchup
1/3 c mustard
1/2 c Wort. sauce
1/2 c cider vinegar
1-1/2 c bourbon whiskey
1/2 c molasses
1 T liquid smoke
1 T powdered garlic
1 T powdered onion
1 T course black pepper
1 T salt
1/2 T dried thyme
1 t chili powder
1 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t nutmeg
honey and brown sugar to taste
Prep: slowly heat the first 7 ingredients; while heating, add the dry ingredients except the brown sugar (I like to mix the dry ingredients together). Simmer for an hour or two to let the alcohol evaporate, and sweeten using honey and/or brown sugar to taste. Serve the sauce slightly warm or room temp. Refrigerating the sauce overnight (and reheating before serving) lets the flavors deepen. Makes about 4 cups.
Have fun!
