One of the things that are key to being a good cook whether commercially or in your home is finding good bargains at the local market as well as being able to use leftovers to create new dishes so that there is very little waste.  The other day when I was at the market I saw they had a 7 pound Boston Butt for only $5.  This cut of meat is actually the shoulder of the front leg of the pig. The Boston Butt is most notably used in the Carolinas to make pulled pork.  With a little rub, a little smoke, and a little love, this part of the pig can taste absolutely divine.  Whoever said the term “Hog Heaven” must have been eating some slow smoked pork.  Just cover your piggy liberally with your favorite BBQ rub.  My rub consisted of brown sugar, ground mustard, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Lately I have been using a hickory smoked black pepper that adds a little additional flavor.  For the smoke, I used a combination of hickory and apple woods.  Hickory imparts a flavor to meat that for me just says barbecue.  Smoke the pig over indirect heat with plenty of smoke for 4 to 6 hours.  Mine took about 5 hours and it was so tender and juicy. When it touches your tongue it melts in your mouth.  For a touch of the Carolina’s I used Steve Raichlen’s Eastern North Carolina Vinegar sauce recipe.  The sauce is a little tart and has some kick on its own, but really brings out the flavor when added to the pork.  The ingredients for the sauce are as follows:

2 Cups of Cider Vinegar

½ cup plus two tablespoons of ketchup

¼ cup of firmly packed brown sugar

5 teaspoons of salt

4 teaspoons of red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

Just whisk all of these ingredients together and you have your sauce.  Chop up some cabbage and add some of the sauce to it and you also have Carolina coleslaw.  Now I smoke my pig until he is black on the outside.  It’s amazing how something that looks burnt actually taste so wonderful. In fact it is not burnt; the meat is just absorbed with the intense flavor of the smoke.   The best thing about smoking a Boston Butt is you can leave it on the grill why you watch the Dallas Cowboys become the NFC East Division Champs!