Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em

Last Saturday I had a friend in town from NYC, and wanted to give her a real taste of the Lone Star State. We went over to a friend’s house for a good old Texas smoked meat fest. By the time we got to my buddy’s house, the preparations were well underway. On the smoker was a nine pound pork shoulder and two birds.

See smoker (a salty veteran on the BBQ circuit):

My buddy cooked the shoulder (aka Boston butt) with mesquite wood between 275 to 300 degrees for close to eight hours. The birds went on for the last three. The night before they went on the smoker, he put his special rub on the meat, and put a bunch of rosemary inside the birds right before smoke-time.

When the meat came off, it smelled heavenly, and was unbelievably tender and moist – in short, delicious. Accompanying this delight was potato salad, cole slaw, plenty of sauce – hot and BBQ, along with sliced pickles, diced onion and plain white bread – all Texas traditions.

Here’s the only shot I could get of the bird and butt. The hungry crowd went after it like piranhas, even the New York folks. I only wish the picture conveyed a smell…