*carabelli aside (don't even consider doing this without wood on the fire,
apple, hickory, pecan, cherry, oak in a pinch - just nothing with resins
(PINE!!!)), if you don't see a butt at the store ask the butcher - they'll
cut one for you.  If you don't have a smoker it can be done on a Weber -
they make a deal that holds the charcoal on two sides to allow you to cook
the butt indirect (not directly over the coals).  A pain - you will be
adding charcoal and wood way too often - get a cheap bullet smoker*

First, start you barbecue and get it up to temperature, 220 to 275F.

*carabelli aside - If you let the temp go over 275F I will turn you in* -
really don't worry too much - just low and slow.

Open the package and give the butts a rub with cheap yellow mustard.  This
adds some flavor and helps the 'butt rub' to stay on the outside of the
meat.  As for rubs, most any barbecue rub will do.  However, I like to use a
rub with little of no sugar in it as the butt turns out a deep red color
instead of black, as it will if you use a rub with a lot of sugar in it.

*carabelli aside - NO SUGAR*

Whatever butt rub you use, give the outside of the meat a generous rub with
the spice blend.

Bill's Butt Rub

8 tablespoons paprika
4 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons onion powder
4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cumin
4 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

*carabelli aside - looks good to me - add anything else you think would be
good - spices are legal*

Mix ingredients and store in an air-tight bottle.

There are many commercial rubs available that are very good on pork butts.

OK, so you've got your butt rubbed, put the meat on the cooking grill and
covered the barbecue. Every 2 hours, turn the butts over and rotate so no
side gets too much heat.  I no longer mop or baste my pork butts as the fat
on and within the meat self bastes them.  If you want to mop, by all means
go ahead.  You can use a mixture of 50:50 canola oil, apple juice and a
tablespoons of your butt rub.  Mop the butts when you turn them.

*carabelli aside - if you really want to check it - open a beer, pour 1/4
over the butt - drink the rest - maybe turn it once if you remember -don't
be peeking at it all the time - the lid needs to be on!!*

After 8 hours of cooking, I will usually stick the Polder temperature probe
into the meat.  It's done when the internal temperature in above 190F.  This
temperature will arrive faster the higher the temperature you keep the
cooking chamber.  I usually no longer bother checking the temperature as I
have barbecued so many butts, I can now tell by a fork jab if the meat is
ready to come off the smoker.

*carabelli aside - 10-12 hours, forget the thermometer, poke it with your
finger and if it feels like it will fall apart you're home*

Let the butts rest for about an hour and then with gloves on your hands
begin to tear it apart, discarding the bone, the fat, connective tissue and
gristle as you go along.

Barbecued pork butt can be eaten sliced, pulled or pulled and chopped.  I
like it all three ways and especially in Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

I like to use 'gourmet' style hamburger buns to serve the pulled pork on,
resulting in a pulled pork sandwich.  Open the bun, squirt on some sauce,
heap on some pulled pork and add some more sauce and put the top in the bun.
the pulled pork sandwich should be dripping sauce as you eat it.

I like to serve pulled pork with a Kansas City style sauce.

*carabelli aside - I like this guy*

When I use this sauce for pulled pork sandwiches, I often will add a
tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a cup of this sauce to give it a little
more 'tang' and a pinch of cayenne chile powder to give it a little more
'bite'.

In the Carolinas, the pulled pork sandwiches are served with a scoop of
coleslaw on the sandwich or on the side.  A real Carolina pulled pork
sandwich will also use a very different sauce, consisting of vinegar and hot
peppers.  this sauce is something you need to grow up with and is not very
popular with Californians.

*carabelli aside - they're not stupid in North Carolina - try it this way
too - really good!!)