Pork: It's What's For Lunch During Ramadan: Good Eats Cardboard Box Smoked Pulled Pork

Good Eats Cardboard Box Smoked Pulled Pork

Brine:
8 ounces or 3/4 cup molasses
12 ounces pickling salt
2 quarts bottled water

6 to 8 pound Boston butt

Rub:
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
1 teaspoon whole fennel seed
1 teaspoon whole coriander
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika

The Good Eats Custom Corrugated Vapor Colloid Applicator
(Cardboard Box Smoker):

Key:
a) heavy-duty corrugated box (no interior painting)
b) flap door
c) electric hot plate
d) small cast-iron skillet
e) hardwood sawdust (no pressure-treated wood or plywood allowed)
f) small fan (optional)
g) 2 quarter-inch wooden dowels inserted through box in parallel fashion
h) oven rack
i) target food
j) thermometers (although probe styles are shown, standard stem models may be used in a pinch)
k) thermometer probes (one in the box, the other in the food)

(This recipe was originally done in a new ceramic flower pot with the catch pan used as a lid, but there was no diagram for it on the Food Network website, but the basic setup for it is the same as the box shown here, but using the round grill from a Weber kettle grill. And set the pot up on 3 short lengths of 2x4 laid flat to allow for air circulation and to let the cord from the hot plate to run out of the drain hole in the bottom of the pot.)

Prep:

Combine molasses, pickling salt, and water in a 6 quart container. Add Boston butt making sure it is completely submerged in brine, cover, and let sit in refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours. 12 hours is ideal.

Place cumin seed, fennel seed, and coriander in food grinder and grind fine. Transfer to a small mixing bowl and stir in chili powder, onion powder, and paprika.

Remove Boston butt from brine and pat dry. Sift the rub evenly over the shoulder and then pat onto the meat making sure as much of the rub as possible adheres. More rub will adhere to the meat if you are wearing latex gloves during the application.

Preheat smoker to 210 degrees F. Place butt in smoker and cook for 10 to 12 hours, maintaining a temperature of 210 degrees F. Begin checking meat for doneness after 10 hours of cooking time. Use fork to check for doneness. Meat is done when it falls apart easily when pulling with a fork. Once done, remove from smoker and set aside to rest for at least 1 hour. Pull meat apart with 2 forks and serve as sandwich with coleslaw and dressing as desired.