I’ve cooked many foods on my charcoal barbecue, but one of my favorite ways to do so is slow-roasting pork butt using plenty of wood chips to impart a strong smoky flavor. A pork butt comes from the shoulder of the pig and runs from the top of the pork rack to the base of the head. This recipe is adapted from Cooking Meat.
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients:
1 (7-8 pounds) whole boneless pork butt
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup salt
3 cups wood chips
Method:
- Rub the meat all over with the sugar and salt. Place the pork in a bowl or casserole and refrigerate, uncovered, for 6 hours or overnight.
- In the morning, soak the wood chips in water for 20-30 minutes. Preheat your charcoal barbecue to 300°F. Once the coals are piping hot, arrange them on one side of your barbecue.
- Remove the pork from the fridge and drain off any liquid, then place the pork on the cooler side of the barbecue, away from the fire, with a drip pan underneath to catch any fat. Throw a handful of the soaked wood chips directly on the hot charcoal, then close the lid of the barbecue and adjust the air vents so the temperature inside remains around 300°F. Smoke for 5-6 hours, adding more charcoal and wood chips every couple of hours and checking the temperature and the smoke periodically.
- Once the meat is fork-tender, transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and rest for about 20 minutes.
- To serve, cut into slices and arrange on a serving platter.