Perfect Smoked Pork Food

PERFECT SMOKED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Start your work at least 8 hours before you want to eat.
• Brine the meat. In a bowl or pot large enough to hold chops and 1 gallon of water, combine brine ingredients. Start with 2 cups of hot water to dissolve salt and sugar. After salt & sugar are completely dissolved, add more cold water and some ice to bring volume to 1 gallon. Make sure the brine solution is cold and add chops -- they should be completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
• Smoke the chops. Smoking methods can vary. I use a barrel-smoker with an external firebox. Other methods will work, but be sure your temperature stays in the range of 175-200 F and never expose the chops to direct heat . When fire/smoke is ready, remove pork from brine and pat dry with paper towel. Place in smoker. Use hickory, mesquite or apple wood (or combinations), smoke for 1 hour. At this point, the chops can be cooked or reserved in refrigerator for several hours.
• Cook the chops. Just before cooking, apply about 1 tablespoon of the rub to both sides. Grill on direct heat. This will take about 30 minutes. Be prepared to move the chops to indirect heat for a while of they are getting too brown prior to being done. Cook to an internal temperature of 140°F Remove from grill and rest 5 minutes before serving. Meat will be pink and very juicy -- don't worry about the pink! As long as you achieve a temperature of 140 in the thickest part of the chop, it's safe to eat (the trichinosis bug dies at 137 F). If you prefer a more well-done chop, cook to 150 before removing from heat.
• But, in my opinion, at that temperature, you've just wasted a day's work.

PERFECT SMOKED PORK

Steps:

• Combine all rub ingredients except sugar and grind into a green thick liquid with a food processor, blender or immersion blender.
• Brush or rub green liquid over roast, sprinkle with sugar and wrap tightly with several layers of heavy duty foil.
• Place in refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
• Soak 2 large chunks of hickory in water.
• Light about 40-50 coals or an equal amount of hickory.
• Do not use lighter fluid, a fire starter chimney is the best method.
• Once coals are covered with a gray ash push them over to one side put the soaked hickory chunks on the coals and replace the grate, open the top of the foil wrapped roast and add about 1 cup of water.
• Place roast on cool side of grill and put the cover on the grill with the holes over the meat.
• Turn the meat 180 degrees every 60 minutes.
• Add some more coals/wood in about 2 hours.
• Smoke for a total of 4- 6 hours, internal temperature of the meat will be 170°F or so.
• If the meat starts to get too brown, tent it with another sheet of foil.
• The temp inside the grill should be around 275°F.
• After removing from the grill be sure to cover with foil and allow to sit 15-20 minutes before carving.
• Serve with your favorite bbq sauce, we like recipe#26794, Lee Lee's Famous Barbeque Sauce for Ribs w/ Preserves.
• Brush some on the meat for the last 5-10 minutes of the cooking process if desired.

SMOKED PORK BUTT

Steps:

• If desired, soak the pork butt in a brine solution for at least 4 hours or overnight. There's a recipe for a brine on this site titled 'Basic Brine for Smoking Meat'. You should do this covered and in the refrigerator.
• Preheat an outdoor smoker for 200 to 225 degrees F (95 to 110 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, chili powder and any additional seasonings to your taste. Apply this liberally to the meat and rub it in with your fingers. Place a roasting rack in a drip pan and lay the meat on the rack.
• Smoke at 200 to 225 degrees F (95 to 110 degrees C) for 6 to 18 hours, or until internal pork temperature reaches 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).