Beer Braised BBQ Pork Butt (Shoulder or Picnic or Shoulder Roast or Shoulder Butt)

The Butt of a pig is actually the shoulder area through mid front calf. There is a lot of fat and connective tissue, which results in moist, succulent meat after many hours of cooking. Shoulder is the shoulder and Picnic is the part in-between the shoulder and the calf of the animal. Either will work. Picnic is usually a little fattier and cheaper. Both portions, however, are inexpensive.

Pulled pork, which is what this recipe is called in the South, is an absolute beauty of a BBQ if done right. This recipe is easy to follow, cheap, and delicious.

For the dry rub:
1 tablespoons salt
About 40 grinds black pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground mustard seed
12 ounces good ale or dark beer, Warsteiner works best
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 5-pound pork butt (shoulder of the animal) .

Trim the skin and majority of the easily removable excess fat off of the meat. Don’t be too careful, most of it will cook off.

Combine rub ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Rub all over pork butt. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours and as long as overnight (do not exceed 10 hours or meat will become too salty).

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Unwrap pork and place in a roasting pan with sides about 2 inches high. Cook 45 minutes until dark browned and even blackening in places. Remove from oven. Lower oven to 325 degrees F. Pour beer over the top and add chopped garlic around the pork. Cover tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil or twice with regular foil. Poke about 10 holes all over the top of the foil. Cook pork butt 2 1/2 hours longer until so tender that it comes away very easily from center bone.

Place the meat on a plate and pour the pan juice (there will be plenty) into a saucepan. To the pan juices add:

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons regular Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Bring to a simmer until reduced by half and thick, about 20 minutes.

While the sauce is boiling down, pull apart the pork with 2 forks.

Serve either on a plate with the sauce on the side (or over the top) or on a bun with the sauce on top.

Enjoy!