David labell's eastern n. carolina minced pork barbecue

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
9 pounds Pork, preferably trimmed half shoulders, in about 3 chunks
1 cup Good wine or cider vinegar
1 cup Water
1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon Ground red pepper
1 Bay leaf, crumbled
1 teaspoon Rosemary twigs
3 tablespoons Raw turbinado sugar, brown sugar, honey or molasses
2 tablespoons Salt
½ cup Catsup
½ cup Canned crushed tomatoes
½ cup Good wine or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Raw turbinado sugar, brown sugar, honey or molasses
1 Or 2 fresh chilies, seeds and membranes optionally removed, -OR-
Dried whole or crushed red chilies
1 Clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon Soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dried thyme, oregano, or sage
½ cup Sliced onions

Directions

BRINE

SAUCE

Stir the Brine ingredients to dissolve. Rinse and wash the pork in running water. Immerse the pork chunks in brine poured into heavy plastic bags. Force the air from the bags and seal.

Marinate the pork for 12 to 18 hours in the refrigerator, turning twice. The meat should "cure" to a light gray and become firm.

SMOKING:

Prepare electric smoke oven with at least a quart of water and a good handful of wook chips or twigs. Use hardwoods or fruitwoods in the chip tray. Soak them to prolong the smoke. Spray racks with vegetable cooking spray. Place pork on racks without piercing with a fork. Smoke the meat at a bare sizzling temperature (175 degrees F) for 4 to 4½ hours. Replenish the water pan or chip tray if necessary.

Remove pork and disconnect smoker. Allow the meat to cool for half an hour. Trim the meat of skin and fat, and remove the meat from bones.

Using a large knife or cleaver, slice, dice and mince the meat. The meat should still be slightly pink, even when fully cooked. This is a characteristic of smoke ovens. (The cooking is not completed yet, however.)

Simmer the sauce ingredients gently for 1 hour or until slightly thickened. Allow it to cook, stirring occasionally. Blend the minced pork with the sauce, reserving ½ cup of sauce for the table. Pack into casserole dishes, cover, and heat in a 200 F oven for 1 hour.

Uncover, stir, and serve.

Source: File/PORK.INF

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