Makes 10 to 15 servings “Barbecue” in the South means something different than in the North. In the North, “barbecue” is a verb, while in the South, it’s an iconic food for outdoor gatherings. Catherine Mayhew of Brentwood, Tennessee, smokes a pork butt all day, then invites friends to the feast. “I am a fan of the round table with place cards so spouses or significant others don’t sit together,” she says. She also doesn’t object to guests helping in the kitchen. “Someone can pull the pork while another guest makes the corn cakes on the griddle,” she says. Guests will always ask, “What can I do to help?” and putting them to work in the kitchen or at the grill “is a conversation starter.” Mayhew got the idea for the pork, Mustard Slaw (page 169), and Corn Cakes (page 85) combination from Lodge Manufacturing, maker of iron skillets, another iconic symbol of Southern cooking.
1 bone-in pork butt (about 5 pounds)
¼ cup plain yellow mustard
Your favorite sweet barbecue spice rub
Rub the pork all over with the mustard. Season liberally with the spice rub.
Prepare a lump charcoal fire in a smoker and monitor the temperature until it is 225 to 250 degrees. Add several chunks of pecan or other fruit wood, or hickory (but not mesquite) to the hot coals.
Place the butt in the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for 4 hours. (When the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees, it will not accept any more smoke so there’s no need to add more wood).
Remove the butt, wrap tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil, and return to the smoker. Continue cooking for 2 to 4 more hours, until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees and the bone is easily removed. Let the meat rest for 30 minutes before pulling the pork into shreds with two forks.
Makes 10 to 15 servings
Note: You can keep the pork warm for 3 to 4 hours by wrapping it in heavy-duty foil and then in a clean towel, and placing it in an insulated cooler.