MAPLE GLAZED SMOKED PORK - GAS GRILL



 

I don't know about you, but summer always has me dreaming of delicious, smoky, spicy, sticky barbeque.  Back in my college days, I had the happy fortune to eat at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City (which coincided with an MGMT concert- oh, happy times).  I've often thought back to the mountain of smoky burnt ends that I ate there and sighed happily.  Eventually my heart will win out and I'll make it back there, but until then, I'll have to settle for homemade barbeque.

I sort of invented this recipe this weekend, but it was a huge hit.  Unless, of course, all of my friends are awful liars and secretly fed ten pounds of pork roast to the dog, but I really don't think that's the case.

If this is your first rodeo, erm, barbeque, don't be scared!  It's really not all that complicated to smoke things.  You just need three things: a thermometer, a grill, and a bit of patience.  Oh, and meat.

makes: however much or little you want
takes: 10 mins. prep- 1+ hours smoking/grilling time
YOU WILL NEED:
I think the easiest way to give you this recipe is for one pound of roast, then just multiply it by how many pounds that you have.

Pork Butt or Shoulder Roast
soaked Oak chips for smoking- wrapped in aluminum foil with holes poked in it

RUB:
1/2 tsp. ground coriander per pound of roast
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper per pound of roast
1/2 tsp. salt per pound of roast
1/2 tsp. garlic powder per pound of roast
1/16 tsp. cayenne pepper per pound of roast

MAPLE GLAZE:
1/8 cup maple syrup per pound of roast


Mix rub spices together and rub into pork roast.  Let sit for 30 minutes up to 8 hours.

Turn grill up to highest setting and let it get hot (or, if you have a sear burner, use that).  Put roast on high grill just enough to sear both sides (about 1 minute on each side).  Then set roast on aluminum foil in grill-safe roasting pan.  Curl edges of aluminum foil up so that juices don't leak out.

Put roast to one side of grill and turn down that side of the grill to low heat.  Keep one burner up to medium heat and place your oak chips directly onto that burner (under the grates).  Grill should creep back down to about 200' after turning down the burners.  Pour maple syrup over roast.  Keep grill at 200' to 250'.

Depending on wieght of your roast, it should take about 1 hour per pound of roast, but the internal temperature should read 145'- that's how you'll know it's done.  You don't want it to read any higher than 145' or you'll have a dry roast.

Remove it from the grill and cover with aluminum foil.  Allow to sit for 15 to 30 minutes - the internal temperature is raised slightly while you let it sit and it helps the meat to reabsorb the juices.

Next, if you want to have it sliced and eat as-is, you're good to go.  If you want to have BBQ pulled pork like the photo below, throw the slices in a crock pot when you're done and add 1/4 cup BBQ sauce per pound.  Let it sit on High for 1-2 hours and pull apart with a fork.  I guarantee this will get rave reviews and you won't have any leftovers (which is kind of disappointing!).  Enjoy!