At some point I will get a smoker, but until then the crockpot will have to do for my BBQ fix.
1 lb pork shoulder
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon each of the following:
garlic powder
onion powder
paprika
chili powder
black pepper
Bun
BBQ sauce
coleslaw
My crockpot is tiny, so I had to cut down a 3 lb pork shoulder to fit it. If your crockpot can handle it, I recommend increased the proportions.
I mixed up all the seasoning in the crockpot, then tossed the shoulder in. I spun the meat around a couple times to make sure it was covered in juice, then let it sit for about 4 1/2 hours on High. If I would have had more time, I would have tried to let it sit for 10 hours on low. I will likely do that with the rest of the pork shoulder after I finish this stuff up. At the end, I pulled the meat out, took two forks and shredded it all up. If it isn't really easy to shred, then you need to cook it longer.
I like my pulled pork Memphis style with BBQ sauce and coleslaw.
If you make it just right, you'll end up looking like this guy.
We tried the whole barbecue thing again, opting this time to "go big, or go home", which I presumed only applied to everyone else, as we were doing it at my house. The idea was three different proteins for three different sauces. Now, I know what you're all saying - I can hear you all screaming in my head when I'm trying to go to sleep at night - "but Jeremy, there's only two meats pictured!"
Shut up.
We did a rack of ribs, but it was so good that the camera refused to take a picture of it unless it got to eat some. Suffice it to say, we like our cameras unstickified 'round these parts, so you'll just have to use your friggin imagination. Or maybe I'll draw a picture later.
Each of The BBQ Gentleman were to blame for one of the meats and sauces. Stew is sleeping with one eye open on a cot in Chino's D-block for his Dr. Pepper Can Chicken with Peach BBQ Sauce. Mike is still at large, and believed to have fled the country again to the heart of the Amazon Rainforest for his Pulled Pork with Spicy Apple BBQ Sauce. (The sauce can be seen here.) As for me? I'm still sitting pretty because there is no evidence, photographic or otherwise, of my Baby Back Ribs with Black Cherry BBQ sauce.
Method was pretty standard - rubbed the pork butt and ribs down with plain yellow mustard, applied a dry rub of brown sugar, garlic salt, onion salt, and black pepper. Threw it all into the smoker at a maintainable temperature of 200-225 f. Spritzed the meat with a "mop" of apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and vegetable oil every 45 minutes to an hour. Cooked the butt to an internal temp of 180-190 (roughly an hour or so per pound), the ribs to an internal temp of 170-180. Pulled them out, let them rest, hit them with sauce, ate it like it was against federal law.
Stew can let you know more about the chicken, should he get internet privileges back from the warden.
This was a good night. We learned more. We improved some. I have another rack of baby back sitting around my house, and I am going to smoke it up the same way I did before, so you can all see a picture of them. Will that make you happy? No, no I didn't think so. Shame on you.
Ring the bell!
