Semi-Pro: Pulled Pork

When it comes to BBQ, one of the most popular items on the menu is pulled pork. And with good reason. You can cook it any number of ways (grill, smoker, oven, or, ugh, crock pot). It's very forgiving temperature-wise, making it a great choice for first time cooks or those still working on the finer issues of temperature control. It can feed a crowd. It goes well with different kinds of sauce, or can be perfectly fine with no dressing at all. It can be used in a variety of dishes or eaten all by itself. It freezes well. And it's relatively inexpensive.

Pulled pork is usually made with either the pork butt (or Boston Butt, as you may see at the butcher) or the picnic ham, which is cut closer to the leg of the pig (and is more commonly used for pernil, which is a fantastic dish I may cover later).

So much pork, so little time

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, BBQ is quite regional. The flavor that you consider to be perfect for pulled pork (or even if the pork is pulled, chopped or sliced, as we will see in a bit) will differ depending in what region you live in.  But the basic preparation and cooking technique doesn't really change much and is quite easy to do. Shall we begin?

First, get yourself some pork.

Most of the butts I have seen in my area range anywhere from 6-10 pounds. This butt that I got from Wegmans was around 9 pounds, which is more than enough for my family, friends and some leftovers to boot. Cut the cryovac pack open and give the pork a quick rinse, the place on a cutting board, fat side up

Depending on what pitmaster you ask, you may get differing thoughts on what to do with the fat cap on your pork butt. Some leave the entire cap on, figuring the fat will help baste the meat as it cooks, and provide a bit of insulation for the meat through the cooking process. Some will try to cut the fat cap down to about 1/4" of fat all around, and others will remove as much of the fat as possible, reasoning that the rub won't really adhere to the fat and exposing more of the meat will provide more 'bark' on the butt once it is cooked.Use your discretion on this one.

 I prefer to cut off as much of the fat as I feel at the moment. There's no real way to get the cut even, or a real need to worry if it is even as the meat will be pulled at the end of the day

Once the fat side is trimmed up, I'll flip the butt over and cut out any big fat pockets I see. I'll also go in and cut out some of the nasty tendons or bloody spots that really don't render off during the cook. If you do the same, just be careful not to cut too much or too deep, as those tendons are what's holding everything together!

If you don't feel like going through all that, you'll be fine; anything that doesn't render off can be tossed once you're pulling the meat. Once you're done, you'll have something that looks like this:

At this point, you have a big decision to make: to inject or not to inject. Pitmasters are pretty split on this one as well, though plenty of competition cooks go the injection route. Personally, I'm with the injection camp, as it does help flavor the butt more thoroughly that just rub alone. If you chose not to, skip this part and go on to the rub. If you are going to inject, read on.

Take the trimmed butt and put it in a pan or plastic container. This will catch any of the injection that leaks out of the meat (since there's no skin to hold the liquid in). Next, prepare the injection. As of late, I've been using a recipe from Chris Lilly from Big Bob Gibson's BBQ:

3/4 cup apple juice 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup white sugar	1/4 cup table salt 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
Combine all ingredients and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.

Next, get your injector:

You can usually find these at your grocery store or Bed Bath and Beyond (That's where I picked this one up). Heavy duty injectors can be ordered on Amazon. Fill the injector with the liquid and insert into the butt, Repeat every 1-2 inches apart, moving the needle around in the butt as you're injecting to spread the liquid around. The injection will start to leak into the container, which is fine; you can suck that back up in the injector and shoot it in another part of the butt. Be careful when injecting, as some of the liquid may shoot out of one of the previous injection spots (and have some paper towels nearby to clean up)

Next up, the rub. Much like my earlier rib post, your choice of rub is totally up to you, as is the choice on whether to use a rub a coating of olive oil or mustard on the butt before applying the rub. Liberally season all sides of the butt.

What time to put the butt on the smoker is another item up for debate. If the butt was not injected, only rubbed, some will wrap the butt in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to let some of the rub set on the butt. Some pitmasters will toss the butt straight on the cooker as soon as it has been seasoned and the cooker is up to temp. Others prefer to let it chill in the fridge for a few hours, the idea that the cooler meat will absorb more of the smoke from the cooker. For me, it depends on if my smoker is up and running or not. If I still have to light the fire, I'll park the butt in the fridge until the temperature on the smoker is stable. If I already have the smoker ready, the butt goes right on the grate. 

Time to get your cooker started. The butt needs to be cooked low and slow, so a temperature of 225-250 is ideal. That said, if the temps go up to 275, you should still be fine (keep it under 300, though. While the butt is quite forgiving the meat will be a bit chewier the hotter you cook it). Generally you can plan for 1 1/2 to 2 hours cook time per pound of pork butt. If you're using charcoal, your best bet is to use the Minion method, which will help maintain a solid temperature throughout the cook, without having to constantly add coals. Once the fire is lit, add a few chunks of wood and let the cooker get up to temperature (you do have that digital thermometer I talked about in my earlier post, right? No? Then go get one. With a long cook like this, you need to be sure your temps are stable, and the thermometer that came with your cooker won't cut it).

 Once your temperature is stable, add the butt to the grill grate. Depending on your grill or smoker setup, place your water/drip pan between the fire and the meat. You can add some more rub is you wish. Then, close the lid. We're in for a long haul.

For the first 2-4 hours, I don't even bother opening the lid or looking at the meat. The only concern I have is making sure the temps are stable (which is why the digital thermometer is so important). After that, it's decision time: to wrap or not to wrap. Some pitmasters will simply leave the butt the grill uncovered throughout the entire cook. While there is a chance the pork will turn out too smokey if you added too much wood (and you shouldn't as a little can go a long way), leaving it unwrapped will allow the creation of a firmer 'bark' around the butt, which is quite prized in some circles. Other pitmasters will wrap the butt in foil or butcher paper to cut down on the smoke penetration and help push through the 'stall', which I'll get to in a bit. The only downside there is the 'bark' around the butt won't be as firm. Others, like Myron Mixon, will take the butt and place it in an aluminum pan with some apple juice, and cover the pan with foil. This will catch some of the juices from the butt as it cooks, which can be used to toss the pulled pork with. This method works for me.

Whichever way you go, now is the time to start checking the temperature of the butt. If you have a thermometer with 2 separate probes (and really, why don't you?) insert it into the butt. We are looking for a temperature of 195-203 degrees (again, depending on who you ask the exact temperature varies. Just go for that range and you should be fine). This is going to take another 4-6 hours. As you check the temperature, you are likely to note when the butt his around 150 and 160 degrees, the temperature is just going to sit there for what will seem like an eternity. After some hours, the temperature will start to rise again. This is called the 'stall', and can be infuriating to a cook, especially if they are on a schedule. This is normal. Do not freak out and try raising the temperature on your cooker. The butt will be fine. If you wrapped the meat in foil, this can help cut down or the time of the stall, but it will likely happen. For more detailed info on what the stall is and why it happens, feel free to look HERE or HERE

Once the butt has reached your target temperature, you can check for doneness by twisting the bone in the meat (use gloves or tissue for this, as it's plenty hot). If the bone twists easily or slides out, you're good. If not, close the lid and check it in 30 minutes. Once it's done, pull the pork off the grill and let it rest for about 30-60 minutes. If you have an clean empty cooler toss it in there (a cooler makes a good bootleg cambro in a pinch), or you can toss it in an oven at 170 degrees (enough to keep it warm, but not enough to cook it anymore). Pour any juice that you have in the pan in a saparate container or pot, which we will use in a bit. Now comes the fun part.

As mentioned earlier, some areas like their pork sliced like a brisket. This makes for more uniform pieces, in a way, with a bit of bark on every piece. Other areas prefer to chop the pork into small bits, which mixes the bark with everything else (this is quite popular in the south when a whole pig is roasted). Personally, I prefer pulled pork, where the individual muscle strands are pulled apart from the butt. Now, some like to use a set of meat claws like THIS, which can work if you have a few butts to pull at once (or just want to live out some bad Wolverine cosplay). Personally I like the joy of using your hands. Get a second pan and grab some gloves. The pulled meat goes in one pan, and the fat and anything that didn't render off is left behind.

When the pork has been pulled, pour the juices back on top of the pan of pulled pork and toss the pieces until coated.

Now, assuming friends and family haven't already started picking at it, you can go to town. If you want to add sauce to your pulled pork, be it sweet tomato based or a thin vinegar based sauce (my preference for pulled pork) feel free. But the pork as prepared will stand tall on it's own merit. It takes patience, for sure, but in the end it's well worth it. 

That's all folks!

2015 Washington Auto Show - The Good, Bad, and Other- Pt. 1

Another year, another car show. Generally I prefer to go to these things on a weekday, so it's not as crowded. You can get into more cars and take better pictures without having people stand directly in the middle of your line of sight EVERY TIME. An cattle prod may help, but then again, other people may want to do the same to me if I'm stopping to take a picture, so we all do the dance. ANYWAY, this year instead of doing a make-by-make rundown of what I saw, I figured I's just run down the good, bad, ugly, weird and whatever that I came across during my trek across the convention center. That way, I may actually finish a post before the spring. Imagine that!

Toyota

- Toyota brought out the brand new Camry for 2015! Same boring Camry since 1997! That may be harsh, but it's true. The Camry is a perfectly fine car that will serve 90% of the public's need for their daily transportation (get where they are going safely, comfortably and reliably). They have nice features and tech packages (hey, Toyota has cars with Qi charging pads built in. That has to count for something). I'd recommend one to my sister. But even with the 'restyling', it's still boring to look at, and likely just as dull to drive.

- As if to make up for their perceived (or acknowledged) boring status in the automotive  realm, given all the Camrys and Prius models (Priuses? Prii? How do you pluralize that?), the Toyota section had a little bit of everything there, from their latest cars and trucks, to some of their NASCAR racing cars, to BAJA racing trucks, to their Mirai fuel cell concept, to a Sienna minivan in full Spongebob Squarepants wrap. It's like the organizers said 'yeah, we know we're boring and all, but look...STUFFS!!'  I suppose something would stick.

-One of the weirder things they had was a mashup of some of their cars with the folks from DUB, which would seem like the last form of corporate synergy you would look for. The 68 year old grandmother who loves her trusty Corolla would likely not be interested in 20" wheels for her car. And yet:

But that wasn't the strangest DUB modified car, no, not by a long shot. Try this Yaris:

- For me, the 2 best vehicles in the Toyota section were the Avalon and the Venza. The Avalon is probably the best looking sedan Toyota has created in some time, even if it's their version of a Buick Park Avenue. At least it manages to look better than the Camry it's based on. As for the Venza, for a crossover it's the best thing Toyota has had since they killed the Camry wagon. Only thing I'd hate would be replacing those 20" rollers. Either way, I'd spend my money on either.

- You know you're old when a Swagger Wagon starts to look like a sensible proposition.

Horsepower Warz

Even with the major push for more fuel efficient cars and downsizing V8s to Turbo V6s and Turbo I-4s, there are still small divisions within the Big 3 (Ford, GM, Chrysler) that either didn't get the memo or set said memo on fire. Each one had some 500+HP offering on display. To wit:

Even though the Mustang GT350R was just announced at the Detroit Auto Show (and the Shelby GT stealing some of that thunder a week later at the Barrett-Jackson auction), the base (?!?) Mustang GT350 is still a huge deal. This is the model that is set to replace the recently and dearly departed Boss 302, a car that handled so well on the track you almost forget there was an iron log that the rear wheels were connected to. With the latest Mustang the live axle has finally met it's demise and an independent rear suspension installed, which works wonders on the base Mustang (V6, GT and EcoBoost) setup. The GT350 does all the usual suspension tweaks and component lightening that any track focused car would do, and will be the first Mustang with magnetic shocks to further tighten up body control. But Ford has added one thing that has motorheads buzzing: a 5.2-liter flat plane V8 (what is a flat plane V8? Watch THIS.) Know who else uses a flat plane V8? Ferrari. Now, does this turn the Mustang into a cut rate 458? Hardly. But the engine should rev to the heavens and have a distinct bark when you floor it. Power numbers haven't been released yet, but they have promised 'over 500 HP and over 400 pound-feet of torque'. This without any superchargers, turbos, NOS, or large displacement engines (looking at you, GM...). The Boss 302 was never meant to be the end all be all of horsepower; rather it was built to cut down lap times on a track. GM countered the Boss 302 with their Camaro Z/28, with it's 7.0 litre (see...) engine, magnetic shocks and huge 305 series tires front and rear. With the GT350, the gauntlet has been tossed GM's way again. Game on

GM has also been making the rounds with it's halo performance car, the Corvette. The Z06 has always been the performance king of the stable, with the base (or Stingray, for the latest models) handling the entry level duties and occasionally the ZR-1 handling the bonkers engine department. Remember the C4 ZR-1 from the 90's, with the  Lotus designed DOHC V8? Probably the most engine tech the 'Vette has seen in decades. But I digress... The Z06's mission has always been to compete with the best sports cars in the world, be it the M3, the GT-R or the all conquering 911. While the car was often greater than the sum of it's parts, there were always areas that the car lacked in (like the seats) or just weren't as polished as it's competitors. It also has the image of an 'old mans' car, the thing you buy when you're having your mid-life crisis. With the new C7 bases Z06, Chevy has managed to fix a few of those issues. Fit and finish have been improved. New seats actually support the driver. And in the engine bay, a 650 HP, 650 pound-feet of torque supercharged push rod (we don't need no stinking DOHC here!) V8 does it's best to melt it's Michelins the moment your right foot gets too happy. While those shopping for Italian or German marques probably won't cross shop the Z06, they would likely be quite nervous if one pulls up beside them at a red light or on the track. Some may hate the fact it can be had as a drop top, or that you can have an 8 speed paddle shifted automatic. Somehow, I think those same folks will get over it in the 3 seconds it takes the Z06 to hit 60mph. Alas, it still looks like an old man's car, just with carbon fiber aero bits.


What if you like the idea of 600+ horses, but need to carry more than one person, and doesn't look like a Mach V? Cadillac has you covered:

This is the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V. Like the -V series cars that came before it, Cadillac takes their 5-Series baiting sedan, rummages through the GM parts book, and slaps the biggest V8 that can fit under the hood. In this case, the same motor that causes all manner of shock and awe in the Z06 is pressed into service for Caddy's latest super sedan. While it does lose some HP to the Corvette, some due to packaging restrictions and some due to GM pecking order, 640 HP is nothing to sneeze at. E63 AMG? M5? They don't stand a chance. Cadillac claims they have also tweaked the chassis to make sure it rides and corners better than their German rivals. With opinion spreading that BMW has been losing the plot for a while, now would be as good a time as any for Caddy to go get some new buyers into the dealerships. Styling, as with everything, is subjective. I suppose those side vents on the fender are supposed to help with brake cooling, but they look like a stick on package from Pep Boys. Not sure you can outrun tacky, but with this CTS-V, you can surely try.

But even with a Corvette engine under the hood, the CTS-V was not the most powerful sedan at the show. This was:

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. See that symbol on the front fender? That lets you know this is far from the V6 Chargers you may see in the hood (gas is expensive) or the V8 police interceptor that may be roaming the streets. Not even the former top dog SRT-8 model can stand next to it. This full size 4 door sedan has a 6.2 litre supercharged V8 making an unbelievable 707HP. Wrap your head around that for a moment. 707. BMW has nothing for it. Audi has nothing. Even AMG, known for making bonkers Mercedes for years, has nothing this powerful on a sedan. Franklin can take his 'Charger' to any shop in Los Santos and it won't make 707 HP. Find enough road (or an open test oval) and you'll top out slightly north of 200mph. True, even with huge Brembo brakes, 8 speed transmission, and leather and alcantara clad everything, it won't have anywhere near the brand cache as 'zee Germans'. A Charger is still a Charger, even with a ginormous engine under the hood. Still, any misgivings are likely forgotten once you flatten the loud pedal.

Trivia fact: the color of optional 20" dark bronze wheels are called "Brass Monkey". How great is that?


Colorful Sports Cars


Even with 700+ sedans making waves, typically your 2 door sports cars draw the crowds. The low slung body work, big wheels, and big exhausts are pretty obvious these cars are about speed moreso than practicality. But just in case, it's always best to paint them in the shoutiest colors you can for that added effect. For example:

Here we have the 2016 Jaguar F-Type convertible. Beautiful roadster, but so....boring in silver metallic. Great for a sedan, or if you're not trying to be too obvious (though, having a F-Type is pretty obvious by itself). But, if you have money to buy something like this, you likely already have a practical sedan, so why not just go all out:

Much better. This F-Type Coupe comes with a metallic orange (Jaguar prefers 'Firesand metallic) paint job that leaves no doubt this is a car to see and be seen in. Then again, with a list above $75k (and I'm sure this model is a LOT higher than that), I'd probably want to be seen too, so everybody knows how much debt I'm in. But that exhaust note though...

The F Type, like many sports coupes in this range, is trying it's best to take down the de facto standard of the genre, the Porsche 911. They weren't the only ones:

This is the Mercedes-AMG GT-S. Quick background. AMG has been tuning Mercedes cars for decades, churning out bonkers versions of all manner of C, E, SL, CL, and S-Class Benzes that would offer more horsepower and torque than the electronics could cope with (one engine made so much torque it had to be detuned as the traction control would try to compensate through at least 4 gears).
After being bought by M/B and becoming their in house tuning arm (much like the M division of BMW) AMG began to branch out from modifying existing Mercedes vehicles with the Black series to designing their own from scratch. Their first effort, the SLS AMG, was a nod to the iconic 300SL Gullwing, but with a 6.2L, 563HP V8 stuffed under the hood. While the SLS was set to do battle with the Ferraris, McLarens and Lambos of the world, M/B needed something a bit smaller to take on the all conquering 911. Downsizing the SLS chassis and engine, AMG has given us this electric banana colored (not the real name, but it works...) 4.0 L, twin turbo V8 that delivers 503hp and a properly sorted 50/50 weight distribution. While traditionally Mercedes products weren't exactly known for their handling prowess, AMG believes this vehicle has cracked that nut. Porsche may (or may not) still rule the roost, but they can't quite rest on their laurels.

Mercedes' country mate and heated rival, Audi, decided to play it a bit safer with it's sports car offering:

The Audi R8 V10 may be getting along in years (it's been out since 2007) but there's still nothing quite like it on the road. While not a classically beautiful car, this 2 seat mid engine coupe with it's unique carbon fiber 'side blades' is definitely distinctive and still turns heads. While it may not have the absolute grunt or razor edge that its contemporaries have (458, 911 GT3, MP4-12C, or it's cousin the Gallardo), a 550 hp V10 that revs to 8000 rpms and puts the power to all 4 wheels through a 7 speed dual clutch gearbox is nothing to take lightly. The R8 line is often credited with changing the focus of many of the current crop of supercars, making them much more comfortable and usable as a daily driver, while still being able to deliver thrills on an empty road or on a proper track. However, it comes at a price: over $220,000. Hey, that matte silver paint and fabulous Audi interior don't come for free.

Then we have Lexus, which isn't the first brand that comes to mind when the word 'sporty' is used with their vehicles. Tarted up Camry, maybe, but that's another story. Over the last few years, however, they have been making attempts at making genuinely sporty cars, spearheaded by the limited edition V10 powered Lexus LFA. Launching their "F"-series line of cars, Lexus hopes to have their own in house tuning arm like the M-division BMWs or AMG for M/B. Their most recent effort is the RC F, which they brought in 3 different flavors:

Raspberry:

Blueberry:

Or Orange Tang:

 The exaggerated 'spindle' grille that Lexus is grafting onto every model, whether it works or not, is a matter of taste. Either from the front, rear, or side profile, there's always some...unique character line that jumps out at you. Not always cohesive, not a total mess either. Just unique. One things's for sure though: you won't be mistaken for driving anything else. Under the hood lurks a 5.0-liter V8 cranking out 467 HP. While that may not be quite enough to strike fear in the M4s, RS5s or C-Class coupes, especially while hauling around 4040 pounds of weight, it should definitely keep the competition honest. My favorite detail about the car, though, is under the hood:

On the Tang Orange colored vehicle (probably not the real name of the paint color) the intake runners  are painted blue, making for a fantastic contrast (and matching the blue outline of the "F" marque sitting on the intake cover). It may not make the car any better, and many may not care, but it does make the car that much cooler.