Weekend BBQ bash - need a plan

[JC in GB]

I am doing a BBQ bash on Sunday with my new smoker. I have 6 racks of spare ribs that I am going to do St. Louis cut and most likely Kansas City style. I am going to try some Za'Atar spice on some of the rib tips. Should be interesting.

I am also doing 2 pork butts and I am going to use Kosmos-Q pork injection for one or both of them. I may make up my own injection to go head to head with the Kosmos product.

Anyway....

I am just not coming up with any inspiration on how to season the pork butts.

Texas?

Kansas City?

Carolina mustard?

Would love to hear what you would do with these.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

IMO if you are trying to keep it simple you cant go wrong injecting with apple juice and using jeffs rub. Simple and produces great Q. If you are looking for something commercial stubbs makes pretty good rubs and wont cost you $12 a bottle like some of the others.

 

[JC in GB]

I love Jeff's Original rub and will be using it on my ribs. I am just worried that the ribs and pork butt are going to taste the same. Maybe that isn't a bad thing. I just got my new smoker and am really going overboard with notions of what to do first....

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Nice! What kind of smoker did you get?

Inject one of the butts with cherry Dr Pepper. Something different gives the PP a little sweeter profile. Always gotten lots of compliments when I've done it.

 

[JC in GB]

This is my new smoker.. Will post BBQ bash pics Sunday....

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Damn that's a nice pit I'm jealous! Read nothing but good things about Stumps.

 

[JC in GB]

It is one sweet rig. It is even more impressive up close. I was running just charcoal in it to season it and I was like damn even plain charcoal smells good coming out of this thing!

Temp control was a snap. A very well thought out design and one that will get plenty of winter use here in Wisconsin.

 

[tallbm]

Ever done Salt, Pepper, Onion, Garlic, and Paprika (all equal parts) on a pork butt before?
It is simple and gives great flavor.

Also, when you shred the pork butt you can shake this directly into the shredded meat until you get the desired savory flavor you want. It has no drawbacks being mixed in this way where some other "magic" combinations of seasonings may not fair so well when mixed in the same way :)

Simple yet amazing :)

 

[gmc2003]

I like to go simple on most rubs that I use. SPOG is used as the base then I'll usually add some cayenne pepper to kick it up a notch. For the PP I would just have a few different finishing sauces available for the guests to choose from. As for the ribs. Sauce a couple and let the rest go naked. The texture of the two different meats should be enough of a separation. Enjoy that smoker and let us know how it goes.

Chris

 

[rjob]

Many great rubs on SMF JJs mild is a favorite one for us. Also suggest no rub/injection on one butt. Pull it and have several "sauces" for guests to try. Let them select a favorite.

 

[texomakid]

Man my personal preference would be Carolina Mustard for the pulled pork. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

 

[tallbm]

I like to go simple on most rubs that I use. SPOG is used as the base then I'll usually add some cayenne pepper to kick it up a notch. For the PP I would just have a few different finishing sauces available for the guests to choose from. As for the ribs. Sauce a couple and let the rest go naked. The texture of the two different meats should be enough of a separation. Enjoy that smoker and let us know how it goes.

Chris

I'm right there with you on the seasoning approach. I SPOG plus a touch of Cayenne is what I do for my steaks or chops :)
Lately I have been doing SPOG + Kashmiri Red Pepper instead of cayenne on my steaks. Kasmiri red pepper is like a more flavorful yet milder heat than Cayenne so I can get even more flavor without burning people out!!! :)

 

[JC in GB]

I think I will go with simple seasonings then offer a Kansas City style sauce and BubbaQ south Carolina juice.

 

[JC in GB]

Man my personal preference would be Carolina Mustard for the pulled pork. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

I am going to do a Carolina mustard sauce for sure.

I like the idea of a simple rub. I think I might add sugar to aid in developing bark.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I think I will go with simple seasonings then offer a Kansas City style sauce and BubbaQ south Carolina juice.

Do you have the recipe you need?...JJ

 

[JC in GB]

Do you have the recipe you need?...JJ

Yes I do thank you for asking...

 

[jokensmoken]

For a long time I used 1 cup brown sugar - 1/3 cup chili powder - 1 TBSP kosher salt - 1 tsp each onion and garlic powder and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper on.my butts...
Simple and gives a nice bark...
If you want something different...
Take 2 TBSP of that rub and add 1 package of unsweetened black cherry koolaid...
inject the butt with 1 cup cherry dr pepper + 1/2 cup pineapple juice + juice from one 8oz jar of marschino cherries... (reserve about 1/2 cup to mix in when you pull)
Apply the koolaid rub first...let it rest for 30 minutes then apply 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the other rub...
When you pull take remaining injection juice mix in 2 TBS rub and mix it in as you go...
I get rave reviews on this recipe.

 

[JC in GB]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I used many of them.
The BBQ turned out great and I learned a ton of information by being able to try different methods side by side.

 

[tallbm]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I used many of them.
The BBQ turned out great and I learned a ton of information by being able to try different methods side by side.

If it's not too much to ask, what did you go with in the end? Inquiring minds and all :)

 

[JC in GB]

Certainly.

For the ribs, I used Jeff's Original rub and BBQ sauce. I added a bit more salt and some chipotle.

Three racks were foil wrapped and got done faster than I thought and were fall off the bone. Everyone loved them!

I used all reader suggestions for the shoulders with the exception of the Kosmos Q injection.

The first pork shoulder got Kosmos Q original pork injection overnight. Injection mixed with honey crisp apple juice.
I then made a simple SPOG rub and applied it 45 minutes before putting in the cooker.

I made a South Carolina style mustard sauce for this shoulder. Was fantastic. Never had a South Carolina sauce before but will have this handy from now on. I used the Bubba Q recipe.

The second shoulder I did a simple rub of SPOG and added paprika and sugar.
For this shoulder, I used Jeff's BBQ sauce and thinned it a bit with some pan juice.

Everything turned out great. The Kosmos Q injection kept the pork nice and moist and had a very well balanced flavor. I would use this product again.

The non-injected pork had a nice, natural pork flavor. I thought the pork flavor really shined through on this shoulder.

Ribs took 5.5 hours, shoulders took 9 hours both at 250 degrees F.