Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons (31 page)

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Authors: Colleen Rush,Gary Wiviott

BOOK: Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons
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Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The oil in the wash will thicken when it is cold. Allow the wash to reach room temperature before using, and shake vigorously to re-blend.
To use, spritz a light coat of the wash—enough to moisten, but not soak—over pork shoulder or ribs when you check for doneness during the last 30 minutes of the cook.
BUILD- YOUR-OWN-WASH TEMPLATE
 
I TYPICALLY USE THE TART WASH
(page 115) for any meat graced with Gary Wiviott’s Rub (page 160) because I think the sweet-tart flavor of the cranberry juice lends itself to that particular blend of herbs and spices. However, as with the marinade (page 72), brine (page 93), and rub (page 130) templates, you should experiment with different flavors and customize the wash based on what you like.
 
 
WASH LIQUID : ¾ CUP
Think of the liquid as a conduit for the rub—although you should consider the acidity, sugar content and flavor of the liquid when you choose it, it’s really a way to get an additional coating of the rub on the meat. Beer, unsweetened fruit juice and broth impart a subtle flavor to the meat and can be paired to complement or contrast the flavors in a rub. Stay away from highly acidic citrus juices, like lemon or lime, and be wary of liquids loaded with sugar, including sodas and fruit juice. And think about flavors that make sense with the rub on the meat. For example, use orange juice if the meat is coated in the Fennel Coriander Rub (page 128).
 
OI L : ¼ CUP
You can use olive oil, but canola, vegetable, sunflower, and safflower oil are cheaper, readily available and are more neutral in flavor. Do not use corn, peanut, sesame or any other heavy, flavorful oils.
 
RUB : 2 TABLESPOONS
Use whatever rub you’re coating on the meat.
BARBECUE CLASSICS:
THE
CAROLINAS DIPS
 
A GREAT JOKE THAT exemplifies how ubiquitous barbecue is in North Carolina and South Carolina: How can you tell you’re in the Carolinas? The car washes have signs that say “No Pig Cookers Allowed.”
The regional barbecue of North Carolina and South Carolina is partly defined by the different types of sauces used. South Carolina tends toward mustard-based sauces, and North Carolina is known for its vinegar-based dips. The Carolinas and I agree on the role of sauce—it’s strong, and it’s thought of as a condiment or dip, like hot sauce or ketchup.
 
BOB IN GEORGIA’S EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA DIP
 
One of the more interesting barbecue men of my acquaintance, Bob in Georgia not only talks the talk, he walks the walk—raising his own pigs, sheep, goats, and other delicious animals. Bob and his wife, Ginger, are true keepers of the traditional barbecue flame, and his dip is barbecue simplicity at its finest. It’s an eastern North Carolina classic: straight-up vinegar and pepper. Out of the bowl, this dip will seem harsh and overpowering. But sprinkled—lightly, like hot sauce—over pulled pork piled on a bun, it is perfectly balanced with the rich, fatty meat.
 
MAKES 2 CUPS
 
2 cups cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Morton kosher salt
1 tablespoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of sugar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
 
Whisk together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl until the salt is dissolved.
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA DIP
 
As you move west in North Carolina, dips get slightly sweeter with the addition of tomato—usually ketchup or tomato paste, or occasionally tomato juice. Barbecued pork shoulders are the meat of choice in the Carolinas, and this dip is a classic for drizzling on pulled pork sandwiches. It’s thin and peppery, but a whack of brown sugar and ketchup take some of the edge off. If you’re smart, you’ll whip up this sauce after you take the pork off of the cooker. While the meat is getting cool enough to handle, tear off a hunk of Mrs. White (page 187) and whisk it into the sauce as it simmers.
 
MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS
 
4 cups water
1¼ cups white vinegar
1 cup ketchup
5 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Morton kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup Mrs. White (optional)
 
Whisk all of the ingredients together in a large non-reactive saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the sauce comes to a low boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up one week.
CANDY WEAVER’S MUSTARD
BARBECUE SAUCE
 
Highly respected on the competition circuit, Candy Weaver gives a lot of thought and consideration to the art of barbecue. Candy’s addition of grated apple and Jack Daniel’s to this South Carolina mustard sauce turns this sauce into a completely different animal. Right off the burner, it has a bite, but give it two or three days to mellow in the refrigerator. Her recipe calls for John Willingham’s W’ham Seasoning, but you can substitute another rub.
 
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
 
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup honey
½ cup prepared yellow mustard
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup Jack Daniel’s
1 apple, peeled, cored, and grated
3 tablespoons Willingham Original BBQ Rub
(W’ham Seasoning)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
 
Simmer all of the ingredients over low heat until the apple falls apart, or until the sauce reaches the desired thickness and consistency.
Store in the refrigerator for several days to allow the flavors to meld before using.
TEXAS-STYLE
BARBECUE
SAUCE
 
This is my amped-up version of the barbecue sauce served at Cooper’s, in Llano, Texas—where God goes when she’s in the mood for brisket. You can’t make this sauce before the pork is cooked because the key ingredient is a big rich hunk of the browned fatty bits (a.k.a. Mr. Brown and Mrs. White) from the cooked shoulder. Dropped into the sauce, the fat and spices from the rub dissolve into the other ingredients and make for one damn-fine condiment.
 
MAKES ABOUT 6½ CUPS
 
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups ketchup
2 cups water
1 tablespoon Louisiana-style or Mexican-style hot
sauce, such as Texas Pete, Louisiana, or Búfalo
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons freshly ground black peppercorns
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
Large (hand-size) chunk of fat cap/bark from
cooked pork shoulder
 
Combine all of the ingredients in a large stockpot over medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
HOW TO REHEAT PULLED PORK
 
Not that there will be any leftovers, but if you make a huge quantity of pulled pork and hold it for a day or two, the reheat requires a deft hand. The meat can dry out and overcook quickly, so it needs a preventative hit of moisture. I use a mix of apple juice and cider vinegar seasoned with salt and pepper, but you could use an equal amount of beer or soda, too. If you want to use beer or soda, use 1 cup of liquid, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. Mix about ¼ cup of reheating liquid per pound of meat. (For 1 cup of liquid, stir together ¾ cup apple juice, ¼ cup cider vinegar, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.)
3. Gently toss the pulled meat with the reheating liquid.
4. Cover the container tightly with foil.
5. Place the pan in the oven. Check the pork every 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the quantity of meat. It takes about 5 minutes to heat 1 pound of meat.
 
BARBECUE BENEDICTION
 
DEAR LOW & SLOW GRADUATE,
 
CONGRATULATIONS—YOU MADE IT THROUGH ALL FIVE COOKS WITH MEAN OLD
Wiviott riding you like a rented mule. You think that was tough? Now comes the hard part, when neighbors, friends, and long-lost relatives start dropping by unannounced and clamoring for some of your exquisite barbecue. Pretty women will be nicer to you, free beers will appear in your hand at the local tavern, and, if your reputation spreads far enough, you may even get out of a few speeding tickets.
Despite the deliciousness that is good barbecue, this program has never been about the food. The perfect ribs or pulled pork sandwich are but a delectable side effect of the real challenge of developing your barbecue senses and learning to build a clean-burning fire. You probably made a few mistakes along the way—you strayed from the program or tried some neat shortcut you read about online. All is forgiven. (The great thing about barbecue is, even when you screw it up, you get to eat your mistakes.)
I should warn you about the one unfortunate side effect of learning such a delicious and highly coveted skill. People tend to get evangelical about barbecue once they learn the true and righteous way. It will become very difficult—even impossible—for you to keep your mouth shut when you bear witness to the unspeakable acts of cruelty inflicted on meat in the name of barbecue. You will get anxious watching a neighbor hose down briquettes with lighter fluid, or worse, fire up the propane for some “barbecue.” You will cringe when so-called friends speak of boiling or baking as the secret to great ribs. The taste of liquid smoke will make you angry. Feelings may get hurt—probably not yours—and you’ll spend a day or two in the doghouse paying for it.
I have learned, the hard way, the art of tempering barbecue-related conversations: the closer the relative or friend, the less inclined I am to set them straight. I advise you to do the same. But by all means, go forth and teach the good word of true barbecue, and give every one of those poor barbecue-challenged souls a copy of this book.
 
May the smoke be with you,
Gary Wiviott
8.
 
MASTER THE ART OF BARBECUE ON A GAS OR ELECTRIC GRILL
 
GOTCHA!
 
Shame on you for even thinking it.
You cannot make low and slow barbecue on a gas or electric grill.
 
9.
 
MEAT AND THREE
 
 
SIDES
 
AT DIVE BARBECUE JOINTS, HOMESPUN DINERS, AND COMFORT FOOD CAFES
across the South, the menu is “Meat and Three”—your choice of a meat and three vegetable side dishes. Big scoops of crusty molten macaroni and cheese, potato salad made with bacon drippings, and molasses-sweetened baked beans all fall into the category of vegetable. It’s a beautiful thing, this menu. It’s also the inspiration for the handpicked group of sides, appetizers, and desserts in this chapter. These are the standouts—the recipes I turn to time and again when I’m planning to fire up the smoker.
Like everything else in this program, these recipes come with a caveat: Don’t get so wrapped up in side dishes that you lose sight of the meal’s headliner. You’re working too hard learning the proper techniques of low and slow barbecue to let a pile of coleslaw overshadow your efforts. It’s like focusing on the color of a strikingly beautiful woman’s toenail polish. There’s nothing wrong with serving a pile of perfectly cooked ribs or pulled pork with a smear of sauce and a few slices of cheap white bread. Once your skills on the cooker become second nature, you’ll have plenty of free time to fool around with these side dishes.
 

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