Nw Applewood Smoked Pork & Sauce - pork shoulder

Method

• Set up smoker per manufacturer's directions. Include water in the liquid pan if it has one. Place a full charge of applewood chips (pre-soaked in water) in the smoke box. Preheat to 225°F.
• Combine the measured salt, pepper, brown sugar, smoked paprika, mustard seeds, thyme, rosemary, and garlic in a small bowl and stir together to make a dry rub.
• Apply the dry rub (reserving 2tsp for later use) all over the pork and place it fat-side-up in a low-sided pan that will just fit it. I use disposable foil pans or a quarter sheet pan lined with parchment paper for this.
• Place the meat on a middle rack in the smoker and smoke at 225°F for about 4 hours, pausing to refill the water pan and recharge the smoke tray with fresh wood chips about three times (I do this on the hour). After 4 hours, the pork should have an internal temperature of 150°F, but it isn't necessary.
• Prepare a large (at least 7 quarts) enameled cast iron Dutch oven or a large crock pot for the braise: Place the sliced onion and apples in the bottom, sprinkle on the reserved 2tsp of dry rub and crushed juniper berries (use a mortar and pestle or the side of a chef's knife) and pour in the vinegar and Calvados. Place the pork on top of the bed of apples/onions and pour in any juices that collected in the pan while in the smoker.
• Cover with the lid and braise for at least 4 hours and up to 20 hours over low heat on the stovetop or high heat in a crock pot. Aim for a constant low boil. If you want to speed the cooking process for a shorter braise, cut the large chunk of meat into 4-8 smaller chunks in the pot.
• After about 4 hours, the meat should be tender enough to "pull" by simply stirring it with tongs. Remove the bone at this point. If it isn't soft enough yet to separate, give it more time and heat. If a lot of liquid has built up, crack the lid for the final hour of cooking and stir often to reduce and concentrate the juices. This is harder to accomplish in a crock pot because most products don't supply enough heat to keep a boil with the lid cracked. That's the main reason I prefer stovetop preparation. If you just can't get the juice reduced, pull some off with a ladle and keep it for another use such as a soup or the accompanying barbecue sauce.
• Adjust the salt, acid, and sweet seasoning as desired before serving. I often mix in half a cup of barbecue sauce to further moisten and flavor the meat.
• Melt butter in a 1-2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, white pepper, a few pinches of salt, baking soda, and 1 tsp of the brown sugar. Stir and let it cook uncovered until the onions start to brown and stick to the pot a little (7-10 minutes).
• Have some water handy in a small cup. Pour in about 2 tsp of water, and deglaze the browned bits from the bottom of the pan using a flat-tipped wooden spoon. Let the onions cook and brown again undisturbed (but watch carefully--don't let them burn!) for about 5 minutes. Repeat the water deglazing. Again repeat the browning rest and deglazing a third time until a deep brown-colored paste is achieved. If you think it can get darker without burning, go for a fourth rest and deglaze.
• Now add half the apples with a little salt, stir, add a little water and quickly close the lid. This rapidly steams a portion of the apples and speeds up the breakdown process.
• After 5 minutes, remove the lid, add the remaining apples, cider vinegar, remaining brown sugar, smoked paprika, and allspice. Stir and continue to cook over medium-high heat while watching carefully to prevent burning.
• Once the apples are browned and starting to disintegrate (5-10 minutes later), add the pork braising juice or stock and cook for another 5-10 minutes. For a sweeter sauce, add molasses (my favorite), honey, maple syrup or any combination thereof. A tablespoon of ketchup or two is optional but really ties the flavors together well. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender then try a taste test. Adjust with salt, cider vinegar, or brown sugar as needed.