According To Smoky
Welcome to According to Smoky. Here you will find the latest and greatest from C. Clark "Smoky" Hale notable 'baster', author, publisher, television star in both the barbecue and 'the real' world. And yes, he is a real person and not the webmaster.
Smoky will be offering his talents, techniques and secrets discovered over the last 150 years, or so. He will be to the point, pull no punches and if you suffer through the process, you will become a much better outdoor cook, turning out masterpiece meals for friends and family alike.
In this column, Smoky doesn't waste any time getting into the meat of the matter. Shoulder and butts make the world go round! . . . . . take notes!
So, with no further adieu, we turn the mike to Smoky. You're on Smoky . . . . .
Thanks PC,
 OUTDOOR COOKING WITH SMOKY HALE
By Smoky Hale Shoulders, pork butts and picnic hams are part and parcel of the same front leg and shoulder of a hog. When the top of the shoulder is separated, it becomes a butt or a Boston butt. What remains is called a picnic or a picnic shoulder. The pork butt is to pork cookers as the brisket is to a Texan. Both pieces have layers of fat interspersed with the meat. When cooked low and slow, the fat melts while basting the meat to keep it moist until it gets done. This is what creates that soft, savory succulence that cannot be had any other way.
When this uncommon alchemy is performed in the dry heat of wood coals,
the meat becomes barbecue. The misinformed, who equate barbecue with pork and vinegar, would mistakenly call it smoking. The unfortunate choice and misuse of this word has led to ruin of many good pieces of meat. Meat cooked in the dry heat of wood embers for 10-12 hours can easily absorb too much smoke. Meat cooked in the smoke and gasses of burning wood will become distasteful to the discerning palate within a very short time.
The best barbecue -- and roasted meat -- is probably cooked over wood coals in an open pit. The juices dripping onto the coals atomize and return as flavor bombs that imbed themselves into the meat and later explode in your mouth. It takes longer; more fuel and more time, but, for those who can afford the time, the results unmistakably superior. Since we don't all have the time to dig pits and burn down all the wood it takes to cook in the open, Man invented the covered grill.
All of them had certain basic functions designed into their form. Barbecue grills must deliver consistent, low temperatures over a period of several hours. Therefore, they must allow replenishing the coals without disturbing the meat; allow the meat to cook at temperatures between 200 and 225 degrees without burning on the outside; allow temperature control by controlling the draft and the distance of the
meat grill from the fire grate.
In such a grill, one with a mere modicum of mastery of the methodology can convert the lowly priced lump of meat into a prized presentation.
Select and trim a couple of pork shoulders. Or, Boston butts or picnic shoulders. You may as well do two while you are at it. Trim loose debris and bring to room temperature. Start the fire with 5-10 lbs of 80% oak, 20% hickory. When the wood is fully flaming, add 5 lbs good hardwood charcoal briquettes. Open air inlet fully. Leave the exhaust vent full open except to put out a fire.
| Make a basting sauce as follows: |
| Water |
2 C |
| Wooster | 1 C |
| Vinegar | 1 C |
| Garlic | 2 Cloves |
| Onion, chopped | 1 Large |
| Celery | 3 ribs |
| Carrots | 2 chopped |
| Bell Pepper | 1 chopped |
| Bay leaf | 1 |
| Thyme | 1 T |
| Paprika | 1 t. |
| Salt | 3 T. |
| Simmer 20-30 minutes. Baste the meat well with basting sauce and let it
dry before putting it on the grill and about every 20 minutes thereafter.
**Note that this contains no oil in any form. A basting sauce should fit the meat. This meat needs no additional oil. This basting sauce could also be used on brisket.**
|
When the wood is reduced to embers and the charcoal is gray, shut down
the air intake until the temperature inside the grill drops to about 210*F. Put the meat on and close the grill. Check until you are certain that you have stabilized the temp. around 210*F. Then, relax.
All things considered, allow about 45 minutes per pound and the center temperature should be 160 degrees. If you want softer, less fatty meat, you may continue cooking until the meat reaches 180* or begins to dry out--which ever comes first. When it is about done (check with your handy thermometer), start basting the finishing sauce.
| Smoky's Pork Barbecue Finishing Sauce |
| Water |
2 C |
| Tomato Paste | 2 - 6 oz. cans |
| Mustard powder | 3 T. mixed with water |
| Onion, chopped | 1 medium |
| Med. Garlic | 1 Cloves |
| Worcestershire | 1/2 C |
| Vinegar | 1/2 C |
| Brown Sugar | 1/4 C |
| Ground Cloves | 1t |
| Combine and simmer 30-40 minutes. Adjust sweet/tart taste.
Remember to reduce the temperature when the finishing sauce is applied
to prevent burning. Let the roast set after removing from the grill. Slice or pull meat from the bones. Serve sauce at the table. |
Ought to be a prize winner anywhere.
Fun,
Smoky
C. Clark Hale
8168 Hwy 98 E.
McComb, MS 39648
Smoky's 5th basic position for really great barbecue'n.
' According to Smoky' is © by C. Clark Hale
who is solely responsible for its content. Comments
should be addresses to cchale@bellsouth.net
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