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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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07-01-2012, 12:08 AM | #1 |
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Join Date: 06-28-12
Location: Whitsett, NC
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Second attempt at traditional North Carolina pit firing
So I bought a 9 pound pork shoulder at one of the few butcher shops around here yesterday. I used a rub mainly consisting of paprika, chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and no sugar (to avoid bitter bark.) I rubbed the rub in at about 5:00 AM and it took about two hours for the pit to heat up. I used about 90% Shagbark Hickory that I split about 6 months ago. The wood has been seasoned for about a year. The other 10% was mostly red oak. The shoulder went on at 6:45, and it came off after about 8.5 hours. I kept the temperatures bobbing around the 210-220 mark, and often let it fall below 200, just to increase the amount of smokiness in the meat. I used a Lexington-style finishing sauce, which was mostly pepper flakes, brown sugar, a little ketchup, and a lot of cider vinegar. Anyway, the meat was terrific- not too smoky, very juicy, and far more flavorful than my first attempt.
I do not pull pork... in North Carolina, we beat the tar out of our barbecue with a cleaver, and I much prefer the coarse chop over "pulled pork." Not to say that one is better than the other, its just what I prefer. oh yea, one more thing- thanks for the help Bludog! I will use that rub again for sure. Without further ado, here are the pictures: Last edited by stepandfetch; 07-01-2012 at 12:32 AM.. |
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07-01-2012, 12:12 AM | #2 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 10-16-10
Location: Culver City, CA
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Well I'd hit that! I've been wanting to do a brick or cinderblock pit.
Are you burning down to coals and shoveling into the cooker or are you feeding logs directly into the cooker?
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50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD? |
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07-01-2012, 12:18 AM | #3 |
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Join Date: 06-28-12
Location: Whitsett, NC
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You ought to try it! The cinderblocks cost about 45 bucks, the expanded metal and wood were both free! I used play sand for foundation and to keep the heat in by dumping it in the blocks.
One warning- use a level and make sure the first row is as perfectly level as possible. If it isn't you will certainly notice later on. If I did this all over again, I would also probably use gravel rather than sand for the foundation. I used that shovel to move fresh coals from the fire to the pit. Its a pain when it is so hot outside but its more than worth it. When the logs burn down, many impurities burn off in puffs of white smoke, leaving coals that only produce thin blue smoke (or no smoke at all.) Oh and if you can't tell, we ate the que with baked beans, corn bread, and watermelon. What is in the metal dish was my serving. |
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07-01-2012, 12:32 AM | #4 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 10-16-10
Location: Culver City, CA
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Oh - just noticed the pic of the burndown pit - I should have known!
There's a space in our yard where my sons have a fort. I've got my eye on that spot for when they get too old for it. I'm sure my lovely wife has her eye on it too. It'll be an interesting conversation when the time comes.
__________________
50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD? |
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07-01-2012, 12:38 AM | #5 |
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Join Date: 12-17-10
Location: Pleasanton, Ca
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Way cool! Cooking in a pit is fun and produces some great food. I cooked a suckling pig in mine and had a great time doing it. Keep at it.
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XL BGE, Kamado Joe Jr, Santa Maria pit, 26" Weber custom performer, MAK One Star pellet cooker, 14.5" WSM, Jumbo Joe, WGA, Arte Flame griddle insert for the 26" Weber. Custom wooden handles for BBQ's made by Marty Leach (oh, that's me) [url]http://www.amlwoodart.com[/url] |
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07-01-2012, 12:40 AM | #6 | |
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Join Date: 06-28-12
Location: Whitsett, NC
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Quote:
That reminds me- with this traditional technique, you must add a shovelful of coals every half hour or so. The beauty of having coals right under the meat is that when the fat, collagen, connective tissues, etc burns off, it drips down into the coals, and then steam/ smoke drifts back up to the meat- this adds great flavor which you would miss with drip pans. Last edited by stepandfetch; 07-01-2012 at 01:11 AM.. |
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Thanks from:---> |
07-01-2012, 07:30 AM | #7 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 05-06-07
Location: Florence, Az
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So is that a cardboard tent over the meat??
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If it ain't right, don't do it....If it ain't true, don't say it....If it ain't yours, don't take it. |
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07-01-2012, 08:30 AM | #8 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 12-28-07
Location: annville ky
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Looks great,
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07-01-2012, 08:35 AM | #9 | |
Take a breath!
Join Date: 06-12-12
Location: Los Angeles
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Quote:
Just sayin' |
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07-01-2012, 08:44 AM | #10 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 03-22-04
Location: Allen, Texas
Name/Nickname : Charles
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Great lookin' pork there & very informative about your cinderblock pit.
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The Texas BBQ Brethren 2024 Spring Bash Planning Thread (link) Large Big Green Egg "If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it." deguerre "Bludawg looks just like I thought he would. Frognot looks like Tuffy Stone's dad!" aawa " . . . which includes frognot, who is a SoCal Pharker by now" gtr |
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07-01-2012, 09:13 AM | #11 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 10-16-10
Location: Culver City, CA
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She has negotiating powers I am unable to resist, and nor would I care to resist.
__________________
50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD? |
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07-01-2012, 09:19 AM | #12 | |
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Join Date: 06-28-12
Location: Whitsett, NC
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Quote:
Yep- it helps keep the ashes away from the bark. When you move the coals around or add coals, if it is done too hastily, you will stir up a lot of ash. |
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Thanks from:---> |
07-01-2012, 09:27 AM | #13 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 07-04-09
Location: Jonesboro,Tx
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Stepandfetch I'm glad it all worked out. I like your pit area and it proves what I have always said it "aint the pit it is the pitmaster"! You don't need a high dollar pit to make awesome eats. You went and made me hungry I need to break into my food saver stash for lunch.
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I'm a Proxy Vegetarian> Cows eat grass & I eat cows. |
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07-01-2012, 09:33 AM | #14 |
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Join Date: 06-28-12
Location: Whitsett, NC
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A high dollar pit wouldn't exactly be following tradition. I believe every single restaurant pit in the state is either brick or block.
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