SirPorkaLot
somebody shut me the fark up.
Eastern NC BBQ tends to be whole hog, while Lexington (Western) NC style tends to be whole pork shoulder.
To approximate Lexington style, I will be using a butt and a picnic. The two cuts that make up a whole shoulder. (This is important, as you want both cuts to get the texture of the chopped BBQ correct)
Picked up a ~9.5lb butt and a ~9.5lb picnic, both were less than $2/lb.
Here is what I started with, ~19 lbs of pork at an average price of $1.53/lb.
Other than setting them on the counter to start warming up a bit, nothing is done to them at this time.
Let's fire up the COS!
I like to use a pair of inverted cheap rib racks on top of the grate in my firebox to help contain the wood and charcoal.
Put a 1/2 chimney of briquettes in the chimney and set it in the Weber Performer (gas assist exists for this very reason) to get all heated up.
While that is getting all hot and bothered, I filled up the firebox with initial fuel.
3 Cherry splits and some briquettes (unlit)
When the coals are ready in the chimney, they get dumped on top, the intake vent is adjusted and we are off to the races!
Now let's go deal with the pork.....
Unlike some folks, I prefer to add my salt at the very last moment before the meat hits the smoker. Sometimes I even wait until it has smoked for about an hour before I add the salt. This time the meat is salted right before it goes on.
No trimming is done at all and skin remains on picnic. The skin on the picnic and the fat on the butt are both scored prior to salting.
Make sure to use a coarse salt (I use our coarse Trapani Sea Salt) and salt well.
This is a large hunk of meat, once the Pork is cooked and chopped, it will be well seasoned.
Into the smoke.
We will check on it in about 4 hours (when I will need to refuel)
To approximate Lexington style, I will be using a butt and a picnic. The two cuts that make up a whole shoulder. (This is important, as you want both cuts to get the texture of the chopped BBQ correct)
Picked up a ~9.5lb butt and a ~9.5lb picnic, both were less than $2/lb.
Here is what I started with, ~19 lbs of pork at an average price of $1.53/lb.
Other than setting them on the counter to start warming up a bit, nothing is done to them at this time.
Let's fire up the COS!
I like to use a pair of inverted cheap rib racks on top of the grate in my firebox to help contain the wood and charcoal.
Put a 1/2 chimney of briquettes in the chimney and set it in the Weber Performer (gas assist exists for this very reason) to get all heated up.
While that is getting all hot and bothered, I filled up the firebox with initial fuel.
3 Cherry splits and some briquettes (unlit)
When the coals are ready in the chimney, they get dumped on top, the intake vent is adjusted and we are off to the races!
Now let's go deal with the pork.....
Unlike some folks, I prefer to add my salt at the very last moment before the meat hits the smoker. Sometimes I even wait until it has smoked for about an hour before I add the salt. This time the meat is salted right before it goes on.
No trimming is done at all and skin remains on picnic. The skin on the picnic and the fat on the butt are both scored prior to salting.
Make sure to use a coarse salt (I use our coarse Trapani Sea Salt) and salt well.
This is a large hunk of meat, once the Pork is cooked and chopped, it will be well seasoned.
Into the smoke.
We will check on it in about 4 hours (when I will need to refuel)
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