BourBQ Sauce and Smoked Pork Butt

My back was screaming and my arms felt like they were going to fall off and my knees were shot.  Painting is not my friend.  Except for the end result.  Now, that is a wonderful thing.  I got up at 5:45 am on Memorial Day to start the pulled pork.  The rub went together wonderfully until I discovered that the container of dry mustard was about empty.  No way I was going to get 2 T of dry mustard out of that hummer.  So, off to the grocery I went.  I grabbed the list from the fridge since it seemed wasteful to just go for one item.  The pork butt would wait another 30 minutes.  Seven bags of groceries later, I got home and finished the rub.  The pork butt went on the grill to smoke for 2-3 hours and I headed toward the living room to start painting the ceiling. 

We started with yellow walls and white ceiling.  Nice enough in daylight.  Deadly at night.  Thanks to my Other Mother, Babs, I had some help picking out new colors.  I've always been able to figure out the decorating thing myself but this time I wanted a professional eye.  I needed to find something that wouldn't clash with the plaid couch Connie brought to the marriage but that would also work with new upholstery.  You see, that couch has a bunch of holes in it.  Within a year I'm going to have to break down and recover it.  It's one of the few non-antique things I "inherited" from his ex that I like.  Most of it is too flowery or too formal.  This couch, I really do like.  But, it's got to be recovered and it won't be plaid since my hubby has announced he's not terribly fond of plaids...  My grandmother's couch - last recovered in 1984 - will wait yet another year...

Ok, so as usual that reminds me of a story.  When I painted my condo lo those many years ago I went to the paint store and got a chip of every white.  I tossed the ones that were too yellow or too grey.  The ones with a slightly pink cast were my favorites.  I took my two favorites to Mom to see which she liked.  She chose the one I liked best then walked into their utilty room and got a can of paint out.  2510.  Same number.  Same paint.  Amazing.  Out of all of those choices I'd selected the same one. 

This time, however, I have Swiss Miss on the ceiling and Heirloom Lace on the walls.  The trim will be Delicate White when I get it painted.    So, here's the contrast:

 And a bit of the ceiling and walls - with the same dingy trim and new window...

Well, I painted and painted and painted.  Finally, I had to head to the office.  I knew on Memorial Day the phone wouldn't ring.  And, I had a big project I wanted to do that couldn't be done from home.  I got home and I got busy and trimmed the walls.  Almost done.  Just have to paint the trim...

The best news of all is that the whole time all of this work was going on, my oven was happily cooking away.  This lovely pork butt was the result. 

The recipe called for Sooey Sauce.  That's basically commercial barbecue sauce plus some cider and honey.  I really wanted to make BourBQ Sauce instead.  If you've not yet found the cookbooks by Cheryl and Bill Jamison, you're in for a treat.  Smoke and Spice and Sublime Smoke.  Both are excellent grilling cookbooks.  Smoke and Spice is my first choice when the grill comes into play.  I bought the cookbook in 1994 and as usual, read it cover to cover.  Over the last 17 years, I've made too many of the recipes to count.  I think only one has been a clunker - the cole slaw.  Needless to say, when I was thinking about bbq sauces my brain went immediately to BourBQ Sauce.  I'm VERY glad it did.

What did we think?  The rub was good but not fantastic like the lamb ribs rub.  The meat was incredibly moist and flavorful.  BourBQ Sauce.  Let me just say this is incredible stuff.  

Smoke Roasted Pork Shoulder

Ingredients:

7 lb boneless pork butt
1 c ball park mustard
1/4 c freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c smoked or sweet Hungarian paprika
2 T garlic powder
2 T onion powder
2 T  brown sugar
1 1/2 T dry mustard
1 1/2 T celery seeds
1 1/2 T chili powder
1 c apple juice or other fruit juice
1 12 oz can or bottle of beer

Directions:

Slather the pork butt with mustard. 

Mix the next eight ingredients. 

Pat onto the pork butt. 

Allow the pork to sit for 30 minutes until the rub has become "tacky."  While the pork is sitting, put hickory chips in the smoker of a gas grill or make a smoker packet by putting water soaked wood chips in a packet of aluminum foil with a couple of vent holes.  Now, it's time to smoke the pork.  Smoke it on medium heat for an hour.  Remove it from the grill and put it on the rack of a roasting pan. 

Pour a cup of fruit juice in the bottom of the pan.  Tent the pork with foil.  Bake at     for    About halfway through the baking, pour the beer into the pan. 

BourBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1 T butter
1 T canola oil
2 medium onions or 1 large, minced
3/4 c bourbon
2/3 c ketcup
1/2 c cider vinegar
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c pure maple syrup
1/3 c dark molasses
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/2 t salt

Directions:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the oil and onions.  Saute until the onions begin to turn golden.  Add the rest the ingredients.  Simmer on medium heat for about 40 minutes. 

The sauce will thicken.  Stir frequently.  This will keep in the fridge for about two weeks. 

Pork adapted from Heartland,  BourBQ Sauce adapted from Smoke and Spice