Quality WITH Quantity

Just before Labor Day, Team T-Bone realized that the cupboard was completely bare. Not one bag of pork or brisket in the freezer for that "on the fly" meal that every soccer parent needs. Thus, on Labor Day weekend, we labored to rectify the situation. Taking note of a killer sale on pork butts at Hartford's County Market, I grabbed eight (8) weighing at least 4 lbs each and made a double batch of my preferred rub. After a 12 hour marinate, I fired up the HMS Moist Heat for a glorious Saturday smoke.

The feeling of having the capacity to even attempt a project of this scale was like a shot of testosterone. And with Mrs. T doing most of the pulling (each strand lovingly excised by her vinyl-glove covered hand), I was relegated to holding a wine glass to her lips every few minutes while turning up the volume as each song from The Sound of Music began to play from The Family Channel. Two and a half hours later, the pork was placed in freezer bags and sent to the door of the downstairs freezer; ready to serve us at a moment's notice.

8 Ready to Rub

Lower Grate

Upper Grate

Ready to Rest


*Cook's Note: Try your local party supply store for foil containers. Some run larger than you can purchase at the grocery store and can hold several racks of ribs, or as you can see, many butts.