Cajun Barbecue Blog

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Yield: 6 servings

1 whole pork shoulder Not A Picnic
1 gallon chicken broth
3 cups homemade or commercially prepared dry barbecue spice rub, ground to a powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup homemade or commercially prepared barbecue sauce plus additional for glazing
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 pound butter, melted
1 cup olive oil
About 1 gallon apple juice
2 tablespoons corn syrup for glaze, optional

Equipment Needed:
A charcoal or wood-fired grill or smoker;
A meat injector

Light a fire in the smoker or grill.
Allow the fire to burn for about 2 hours until the temperature in the cooker is 225 degrees F.

Meanwhile, remove the pork shoulder from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large pot.
Add 2 cups of the rub, then add the sugar, barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and simmer until all are dissolved.
Using a handheld mixer or whisk, gradually stir together the melted butter and olive oil.
Mix until the broth and fat emulsify. Set the marinade aside to cool.

Rub the pork shoulder all over with the remaining cup of dry rub, then set the meat aside for 20 minutes.

Measure the marinade, then add enough apple juice to achieve a 3 to 1 marinade-to-juice ratio.

Inject the marinade and juice mixture into the pork repeatedly until the meat is saturated and can not absorb any more of the marinade.

Cook the pork shoulder at 225 degrees F in the grill or smoker (adding more coal or wood as necessary to maintain the temperature).

After about 4 hours the pork should have turned a rich red-brown.

Remove the meat from the cooker, wrap it in aluminum foil, and then return the meat, fat side down, to the grill or smoker.

At this point begin checking the temperature of the meat with a thermometer every hour until it reaches an internal temperature of between 180 and 190 degrees
F. at the center.
(This should take about 4 more hours; the bones will pull clean while the meat stays firm.)

Glaze the shoulder with barbecue sauce, mixed with a little corn syrup for extra shine if you like.

Using a large fork, pull the meat from the bones and serve.

CAJUN SHRIMP AND EGGPLANT BEIGNETS

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup onions
1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups solid vegetable shortening
All purpose Cajun/ Creole Seasoning

Season the eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne. Heat the two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the eggplant until slightly soft, about two to three minutes. Add the onions and sauté for about three minutes. Add the shrimp and sauté until the shrimp turn pink. Remove and set aside to cool. Combine the eggs, milk, baking powder, and the remaining one teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in a mixing bowl. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, beating until the batter is smooth. Add the eggplant and shrimp mixture and fold to mix. Heat the shortening in a deep pot or deep fryer to 360º F. Drop the batter, a heaping tablespoon at a time, into the hot oil. When the beignets pop to the surface, roll them around in the oil to brown them evenly. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with the seasoning mix and serve immediately. Makes about 2 dozen.

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Ingredients

4 pounds of catfish
2 onions
1 bell pepper
1 8 ounce can cooked whole tomatoes (Rotel)
1 small can of tomato paste
1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
3 cloves of garlic

Chop the onions and bellpepper finely. Mince garlic. Saute onion and bellpepper until onions look almost clear. Add tomato sauce, whole tomatoes, and paste. Add salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer on low heat 2 to 3 hours or until sauce has “flavored” taste. Add catfish and simmer for 20 minutes. Don’t stir catfish because it will break apart. Twist pot by handle to stir.

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There are different methods and techniques used across Louisiana to have crawfish boil. This forum is setup to discuss your favorite method for cooking crawfish. Share your secrets of how to cook the perfect batch of crawfish.