Went to a "Hawaiian Luau" themed party at my buddy's house yesterday, and they asked if I could smoke some goodies for them
Had to pull an all nighter on Friday night with the big smoker again, but the lack of sleep was well worth it! Ended up making a 15lb brisket and 2 Boston Butt pork shoulders. Pork sat in a brine overnight, made up of: cream soda, pineapple juice, salt pepper, garlic, brown sugar, and just a little bit of BBQ rub
Didn't use any "BBQ" rub on the brisket this time, because I finally got around to trying a beef rub that Rajun Gardener had sent me a while back. Thanks again, RG!
Injected with beef broth (just a bouillon cube). No mustard binder; just hit it liberally with a salt, pepper, and granulated garlic blend, then a hefty dose of the beef rub
Pork got hit with a rub I whipped up on the fly, but added a little cinnamon, coriander, and Valencia orange peel to it.
Pork Injection:
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dry mustard powder
A few hours in...
Wrapped the brisket at 160*F, trying to preserve that color
The top (point muscle) came out a little bit dry, but the bottom (flat) was juicy as hell!
Luau, right? So, you know I had to get a little funky with the pork
Once the color was where I liked it, I topped them with CANNED pineapple rings and wrapped them in banana leaves (note: fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that'll turn the meat into a mushy mess)
Now, "THIS."
^ This. This. This. THIS!!! My God, was this good!
Pineapple, soaked in Fireball, then rubbed with turbinado sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon
I didn't feel like going out and buying a rotisserie that I'd rarely use, so I smoked the pineapple at 400*F for about 2 hours, then grilled it on high heat, while rotating them every couple of minutes. Cubed it up and the people at the party were on them like vultures! Freakin' delicious appetizer! Hmmm..... now I'm thinking I should make skewers with these, and some cubed pork tenderloin, wrapped in bacon next time
Long day yesterday, but well worth it!
My, what a "Treat" that was!