New must-read book

I was given a wonderful book for my birthday from my co-workers. Just published on Chapel Hill press: Holy Smoke- the Big Book of NC BBQ.

This book is fantastic. Really takes an academic view of the history of BBQ in NC, which features many places and restaurants near us and ones I have visited. Most interesting is them tracing sightings of Native Americans smoking fish on beaches in the 1600s and 1700s.

Ed- let me know if you can't get access to it and i'll ship you one.

The best part of the book is it tells you how to do a whole hog with cinder-blocks. I'm trying it this spring.

The Second Magic Number

I've been wanting to post for a while- for one, to get the conversations rolling again, and two, to put forth something I've been convicted of now (a southern religious term).

Getting your pork shoulder to 195 degrees (and hitting 200 isn't bad). After many, many shoulders, I am totally convinced to bring the internal temperature to 195. This has also led me to fininshing the last 1-2 hours in the oven rather than starting a new chimney. I pull it off the grill when my temp goes below 200 (usually about 6), then pop it in the oven, set at 250. I wrap well in foil, as by that time, the bark has formed.

I use my remote probe and put it in the oven and walk away until the alarm goes off at 195. I rest for 1-2 hours, then it pulls like mack truck!

I have also developed a technique of tearing into big chunks by hand (with gloves), using my bear claws on the dark meat to mince, then use my cleaver on the white meat. Does well.

coming up next: my perfected, rapid-fire recipe for the adapted, award-winning Ridgewood BBQ Sauce. Later, how did my dueling turkey's turn out on thanksgiving.