2 Tbs. kosher salt
1/2 Tbs. white pepper
3 lbs. boneless pork shoulder
1/4 cup sorghum
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
3 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. hot sauce, preferably Frank’s
Olive oil
2 qts. barbecued baked peanuts (recipe follows)
2 pts. pickled okra (recipe follows)
Barbecue Boiled Peanuts
(Makes 2 quarts)
1 lb. raw peanuts, preferably red skin
3/4 gal. water
1/2 lb. smoked bacon
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup crushed garlic
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup sorghum molasses
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 tsp. ground clove
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. black pepper
Pickled Okra
(Makes 2 pints)
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. mustard seeds
1 Tbsp. celery seeds
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 allspice berries
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic
3 cups small whole okra, washed
Using an outdoor grill, prepare a fire with wood or charcoal on one side. Make sure it remains on just the one side and make it nice and hot.
Combine salt and pepper, mixing well. Rub the pork shoulder with the mixture until coated.
Place the pork over the grill coals and sear for four to five minutes. Flip the pork and sear again for four to five minutes. Move the shoulder to the side of the grill with no coals. Close the lid to the grill. Regulate the grill temperature to about 225°F using the thermometer on the grill’s lid or an oven thermometer.
Continue adding wood or small amounts of charcoal as needed to keep the temperature at 225°F for five hours. The shoulder should have an internal temperature of 180°F when finished.
Remove the shoulder from the grill and let it cool for one hour at room temperature. Wrap the shoulder tightly with a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap the shoulder tightly in the opposite direction with a second piece of plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
When ready to serve, preheat the grill to high heat. Combine the sorghum, vinegar, mustard, and hot sauce and mix well. Remove the plastic wrap from the shoulder. Cut the shoulder into four equal-size pieces. Lightly oil the pieces. Place them on the hot grill and cook for three minutes. Flip them over and baste them with the sorghum mixture. Grill for another three minutes. Flip and repeat until the pieces of pork are reheated and have a nice caramelized crust from the sorghum.
Remove from grill. To serve, spoon barbecued peanuts into bowl. Place pork in the center and top with pickled okra.
Barbecue Boiled Peanuts
Put the peanuts and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature to a low simmer. Cover the peanuts and cook for two to three hours, or until the peanuts are soft.
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Put the bacon, onions, and garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the boiled peanuts and their cooking liquid and the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Transfer into a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for one hour. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm.
Pickled Okra
Combine all ingredients except the okra in a non-reactive pot. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the okra and boil for four minutes. Remove from heat and put the pot in a bowl of ice water to rapidly cool the ingredients.
Divide the pickled okra and its liquid between two sterilized pint glass jars. Store in the refrigerator for at least one week before using. The pickled okra will keep for about one month in the refrigerator.
To Plate:
In the center of four plates, place a 1/2 to 3/4-cup each of BBQ boiled peanuts. Be sure to get some of the liquid from the BBQ peanuts. Place sorghum-lacquered pork shoulder on top of boiled peanuts and garnish with pickled okra.
