It is truly a thing of unequivocal beauty. An aroma from the heavens. Unmatched and unparalleled by any other I have ever known. This wonderful, rich, moist, smokey delight….this….smoked Boston Butt.

Our story begins here. In the foothills of the North Georgia mountains. There’s a chill in the mountain air, the leaves are turning vivid shades of yellow, burnt orange and burgandy, and there’s a ten pound smokin’ hot butt on the smoker!

Is it not a thing of sheer and utter bliss? I think there should be a men’s cologne called Ode de Smoker. I would buy it. I would sleep with it on my pillow. True story. Believe it.

Sweet Hass is an analyst by nature. He has taken the job of smoking meats upon himself. If it were up to me, I’d throw it on the smoker, light it and go back in about 8 hours and see what we wound up with. Not Hass. Oh no. This butt was researched in great detail. Times, temperatures, woods and the like. That butt was poked and prodded with a meat thermometer more than a Dr. House patient. And finally, he gave the announcement. The butt…was done. I think I heard a standing ovation in my head. Or maybe I heard it in HIS head. Or maybe I really gave him one. He was after all wearing that Ode de Smoker Cologne ya know.

And the angels sang…..

It took a good solid hour to get all of that juicy pig off the bone, and let me tell you it was worth every, single second.

That little oinker supplied us with almost 8 quarts of luscious, Boston Butt pulled pork. Bless his little piggy heart! And as an added bonus, we got 8 ziplock snack baggies of skins and fat for seasonings for soups, stews and fresh vegetables.

We all know BBQ is not complete without coleslaw, so we whipped up a batch of Apple Cider Coleslaw and some sweet potato chips to finish off the meal.

Y’all, it just doesn’t get any better than this! That was one smokin’ hot butt!

Hickory Smoked Boston Butt Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

• 1 Boston Butt
• 1 Rub of your choice
• 2 cups apple cider – for spray bottle
• 1/2 cup olive oil – for spray bottle
• 1/2 cup olive oil – for Boston Butt
• 1 Good smoker
• Hickory Wood Chips

Directions:

Prepare your smoker according to manufacturer’s directions. Hass used hickory for this particular butt, but don’t be afraid to play with different woods. Apple wood or cherry wood is also a great choice for pork. Rub butt generously with oil (I know how this sounds). Rub mixture into butt, coating well. In a spray bottle combine oil and apple cider. Spray butt lightly with mixture and add a second coat of rub. This will form a nice crust and add tons of flavor to your meat. Spray butt one last time and place on the smoker. Cook times will vary depending on the size of your meat. The general rule of thumb is only check every few hours as you will lose heat when lifting the lid. Give it a good spray with your spray bottle marinade when checking temperature to keep the meat moist and juicy. The ideal internal temperature for you to achieve is between 170-190 degrees. When ideal temperature is reached, remove the butt and let rest a minimum of an hour to allow juices to evenly redistribute.  After rest period, remove skin and fat with sharp nice from outer edges and reserve if desired for seasoning. It can be frozen for up to 6 months. Finally, start pullin’ until all meat has been pulled from bone. Serve with your favorite sauce. Enjoy!

Apple Cider Cole Slaw

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of cabbage
• 3 large carrots
• 5 radishes
• 1 cup mayonnasie
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. celery seed
• 1 tsp. poppy seed
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Shred all vegetables. You can use either a grater or food processor. Place in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, add remainder of ingredients. Whisk until sugar has dissolved. Here is where I like to taste test. If too sweet, add more vinegar; if too tart, add more sugar. This is your preference and where you can make adjustments. Add dressing to slaw and mix well. Chill and serve with pork.

…or…serve with sweet potato chips and your fingers!

Life is too short to eat ugly food. Bon Appetit y’all!