Anyone who’s lived in the South understands the sense of camaraderie between neighbors, and knows nothing brings people together quite like a good meal.
Chef Brad McDaniel, owner of Mike & Ed’s BBQ of Tuscaloosa, has done just that with his magnificent, slow-cooked barbecue, one of the most popular being his Boston Butts.
This isn’t a meal you can “set and forget” or whip up on a weeknight, but if you set aside the time, this will leave your family, friends, and neighbors with smiles, and probably a little barbecue sauce, on their faces.
Ingredients:
1 boneless center-trim pork butt
An empty gallon jug
8 ounces of salt
12 fluid ounces of vinegar
4 fluid ounces of lemon juice
Warm water
Directions:
Pour the salt, vinegar, and lemon juice into the empty jug. Fill the rest of the jug with warm water and shake well to combine.
Place the pork butt on the grill over direct heat, coat with the vinegar mixture (a spray bottle will work well) and close the lid. As the meat cooks, continue to coat with the vinegar mixture as needed to keep the meat moist and tender.
Cook until the internal temperature of the meat is 160 degrees, about 4 to 5 hours.
Move the meat over indirect heat, and cook for an additional 30 minutes to tenderize the meat.
Let it rest, then serve it chipped, chopped, or sliced on a sandwich roll with your favorite toppings.
Tuscaloosa, AL
