A Pulled Pork Sort of Day

We decided to have a few people over yesterday and pulled pork was on the menu. In the morning Sharon seasoned the pork shoulder - cover it with yellow mustard and then Costo Salt Free Seasoning with a few extra Sharon touches - and then onto the smoker. Last summer I bought a Weber Smokey Mountain and have never looked back. I use something called the Minion Method, which involves starting some coals in my chimney and pouring them over a full load of unlit hardwood briquettes with some flavoring wood in the base of the smoker. Then, put the pork on and let it rip. I can get at least 10 hours out of my coals without touching them. All I have to check on during the day is the level of water in the smoker's water pan, perhaps some adjustments to the airflow to control temperature, and after about seven hours, the temperature of the pork. I'm looking for about 190 degrees. At this point the fat and connective tissues have given up their fight and the pork is done. I pull it off the smoker and put it in a large mixing bowl to cool a little, then with heavy duty insulated rubber gloves, I pull the pork then add Sharon's barbecue sauce. Ummmm.

Neighbors Terry and his daughter Loren came over along with neighbors Linda, Steve, and Marge. Of course Lee and Peg were here and Suzanne and Christian joined us to. Everyone brought something - from flowers to dessert. We had a feast of green salad, potato salad, carrot salad, fruit salad, baked beans, pulled pork with home made buns, and I also grilled pacific cod for the vegetarian leaning guests.

We had cocktails of muddled raspberries and blackberries, with gin and lemonade and a squirt of seltzer and served with colorful straws. We opened some red and white wine and had a delightful time. To finish the dinner, Terry made an amazing ricotta cake with fresh berries. Wow. Some of us were on the side patio by the pond and some inside and always moving in an out. Thankfully the temperature abated in the evening and it began to cool. We had all the ceiling fans going as well as floor fans inside and you could barely tell it was 90!

We are so lucky to have wonderful friends and neighbors who enjoy food and cooking as much as we do. I was so involved I took no pictures so there are none to add to the blog. You will have to use your imagination. Think smiles and grins and full bellies.