May is National Barbecue Month so Fire Up Your Big Green Egg

National Barbecue Month Recipes for your Big Green Egg

The upcoming Memorial Day holiday marks the unofficial start of summer, so it comes as no surprise that May also marks the beginning of peak barbecue season–and that’s why May has also been designated as National Barbecue Month.

So in the spirit of National Barbecue Month, we’re sharing recipes for some of our barbecue favorites: brisket, ribs and pulled pork.

Texas-Style Brisket

Ingredients

One 10 to 12 lb (4.5 to 5.5 kg) whole packer brisket (Choice or higher)

Brisket Rub Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240 ml) coarsely ground pepper
  • 1 cup (240 ml) non-iodized salt
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) granulated garlic
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) onion powder
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) paprika

Instructions

Mix the rub ingredients (listed below) in a large bowl. This mix will make more than you need for one brisket; store the remainder in an airtight container.

Trim the excess fat and silver skin from the brisket. Also, remove any “hard” pieces of fat as they will not render off during the cooking process. Trim the fat off the bottom of the brisket leaving only ¼ in (6 mm) fat. Apply rub to all sides of the meat liberally … I mean liberally! Cover the brisket and place in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.

Set the EGG for indirect cooking with the convEGGtor at 250°F/121°C.

Place the brisket on the grid, fat-side down – this is my preference, but highly debated in the barbecue world. Fat-side up is fine if that is your preference, but fat down is what many competitors do as it gives you a much better presentation. When the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F/71°C, double wrap the brisket in non-waxed butcher paper or aluminum foil – this is what we call the Texas crutch. The bark will have formed nicely by this point.

Continue to smoke the brisket until the meat is “probe tender,” which means when you probe it there is no resistance … think of a toothpick in a cake. Each piece of meat is different but this will likely be at an internal temperature of between 200-202°F/93-94°C. Remove the brisket from the EGG, wrap in a towel and place in a cooler for at least one hour. This will allow the juices to redistribute in the meat. Unwrap the brisket and slice against the grain.

Big Beef Ribs With Beer

Ingredients

  • 1 Rack Beef Plate Short Ribs, 3-4 bones and 5-6 pounds
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper, coarsely ground
  • Granulated garlic
  • 1 bottle dark beer

Instructions

Set the EGG for indirect cooking, with the convEGGtor at 265°F/130°C with a small amount of oak wood added for flavor.

Peel the membrane from the bone side of the ribs. Brush the ribs all over with a light coating of olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper and lightly with the granulated garlic.

Place the ribs directly on the cooking grate bone side down and cook for 2 hours. Flip the ribs and cook for another hour or until the ribs are deep golden brown. Place the ribs in a foil pan and pour the beer over them. Cover tightly with foil and return to the EGG.

Continue cooking until the ribs are very tender to the touch and have reached an internal temp of at least 200°. The ribs will shrink quite a bit. This should take another 2-3 hours but they’re not done until they are very tender.

Remove the ribs from the pan and cut into individual bones. Serve whole or cut into serving sized pieces. Serve with white bread, pickles, raw onion slices and barbecue sauce on the side.

Serves 4

Pulled Pork

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs pork butt, on the bone
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
  • 1⁄4 cup paprika
  • 2 tbsp coarse kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp  garlic salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 4 cups wood chips, for smoking, soaked in water
  • Your favorite barbecue sauce for serving

Instructions

Remove the meat from the refrigerator. Combine the sugar, paprika, salt, garlic salt, black pepper and cayenne. Rub the meat with oil and rub liberally with the spice blend. Leave at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Set the EGG for indirect cooking at 275°F using wood chips for flavor (cherry and hickory are recommended). Soak the chips in water for at least an hour, then wrap them in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the foil- wrapped chips on the coals.

Place the pork butt in the EGG and cook until the internal temperature is 165°F. This should take about 5 hours. Keep the EGG temperature around 250°F; the goal is low and slow. Then, remove the meat and wrap it in a double layer of foil

Return it to the EGG and cook until desired doneness or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F. This will take another 2 to 3 hours.

Remove the meat to a cutting board with a moat (drip groove). Cover it with foil and let it rest for about 20 to 30 minute; its temperature will continue to rise.

Shred the cooked pork butt using a pair of Big Green Egg Meat Claws or a pair of large forks, discarding the fat and bones. The meat should easily fall apart and have a pink, smoke ring.

Place the meat in a bowl and add sauce to taste. Mix well and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serves 6

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