Oklahoma Joe’s Pulled Pork (Rusty’s pork)

¼ c salt
¼ c firmly packed light brown sugar
2 T sugar
2 T garlic powder
2 T onion powder
2 T Spanish paprika
2 T chili powder
1 T celery salt
1 T freshly ground black pepper
1 t freshly ground white pepper
1 t dried thyme
1 4–7 lb bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt) roast
1 c apple juice
1½ c your favorite BBQ sauce
4 c oak or hickory wood chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Special equipment: spray bottle for apple juice.

Combine all the spices in a bowl, mix well. Pat the spice rub onto the meat, making sure to heavily season the entire surface area. Cover or wrap the pork and let it sit at room temperature while getting the smoker or charcoal grill fired up. Do not leave at room temperature for longer than 1 hour.

The grill is ready when the charcoal has burned to a white ash. If using a grill instead of a smoker, arrange the coals on 1 side of the grill, leaving an area large enough for the pork to cook indirectly with no coals directly underneath the meat.

When the grill has reached 200° to 225°, scatter ¼ of the wood chips over the coals, close the grate, put the pork on the grill and close the lid.

Maintain a 200° to 225° cooking temperature inside the grill, adding coals every 2 hours or as necessary. Add wood chips and spray the pork with apple juice every time you add new coals. Try not to lift the lid of the cooker at any other time.

When the pork reaches an internal temperature of 165° to 170° on an instant read meat thermometer (after about 4 to 5 hours), remove it from the grill and double wrap in aluminum foil to keep the juices from leaking out. Return pork to the grill (or smoker) The pork is finished cooking when it pulls apart easily and reaches an internal temperature of 190° to 195°, about another 1 to 2 hours. Let rest for 1 hour, then unwrap the pork butt and pull the bone out. “Pull” the pork by hand, shredding it and discarding any large pieces of fat. Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce. Serves: 4 to 6.

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