Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Well, Thanks DAVE! Because of you, I found a #10 Pork Butt for 79 cents a pound and felt it had to be a sign. So this morning with the temp sitting @ 28F with blowing and drifting snow, I struck out at 5:30 AM to warm up the BFO.
I'm making mine with Cuban MoJo. So, it got brined and injected and is ready to go. It's a little past 8, so in it goes... low and slow. If this works, I might retire my New Braunfels Black Diamond. More later.

PizzaPolice

Sounds great! I can't wait to see the results! and the recipe

[PizzaPolice]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Well, Thanks DAVE! Because of you, I found a #10 Pork Butt for 79 cents a pound and felt it had to be a sign. So this morning with the temp sitting @ 28F with blowing and drifting snow, I struck out at 5:30 AM to warm up the BFO.
I'm making mine with Cuban MoJo. So, it got brined and injected and is ready to go. It's a little past 8, so in it goes... low and slow. If this works, I might retire my New Braunfels Black Diamond. More later.

PizzaPolice

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Dave you're porchetta pics make me hungry all over again, even on a full stomach - WOW!! The price you paid for that meat makes me incredibly jealous though - I can't believe how cheap it is. Maybe I'll have to move to Texas, or is it like that everywhere in the US, and just us Canadians getting gouged for everything?!
Expensive as it is here, though, I'll definitely still have to try that!

Sarah

Well.. we have a large Hispanic population and pork butts are popular for a number of dishes.
Tamales, guiso, carne guisado, etc.
So I guess that's why it's so cheap.
I'm not really sure though. Pork prices are really cheap, as well as poultry, but beef is on the expensive side right now.

Milk is on the rise too, about $3.50-$4.00 a gallon, sometimes $5. (U.S.)
Which of course is forcing upward pressure on cheese and other dairy products. I have been getting 5lb blocks of mozzarella for under $12 though.

I am lucky, this part of Texas is cheap to live in as compared to other parts of the U.S. and the world I guess.
Wages aren't as high though.......
But lots of people retire here for the climate and low cost of living.

[sarah h]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Dave you're porchetta pics make me hungry all over again, even on a full stomach - WOW!! The price you paid for that meat makes me incredibly jealous though - I can't believe how cheap it is. Maybe I'll have to move to Texas, or is it like that everywhere in the US, and just us Canadians getting gouged for everything?!
Expensive as it is here, though, I'll definitely still have to try that!

Sarah

[Acoma]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

RT, I agree about the delicious meal Dave created. Please share the methods of your success. And I thought that only great oven building techniques would be shared on this forum. We seem to be excelling in excellance on every facet of Oven building (now foods).

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

No... set, not get. I even bought a few more when Acoma got his - just in case. I just meant I gotta get back out there and work to get done so I can start cooking. You biting into that pork sammy is very inspirational to those of us who are getting close. Makes me see a bright light at the end of my entry tunnel.

dusty

O I C........ I thought you were out!


Back to the grindstone!!!

Can't wait to see you fire that badwfo up!

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

With all the information I've gathered I am pretty confident I won't screw it up.....my wife keeps saying "we had better not be forced to eat hot dogs on Xmas" Think I will have dough ready for pizza, just in case

Low temps, and long cook time. I would start about 325f or so.

Thanks again for sharing.RT

Anytime. My oven keeps me out of trouble. My wife loves it when I go outside and play with fire. It gives us a little alone time to chat and talk, and with 5 children at home... well you can imagine.

By the way, my money is on one of you TX boys for the 20k post. RT

My moneys on Acoma.... But don't count us out!

Besides I'm bored at work today.




Thanks for the comments. I do love to cook. My wife thinks I am am nuts when I walk through the cooking aisles looking at all the gadgets I would love to have, but I think I have the ultimate cooking gadget in the back yard.

Low temps and long times.... that's the way I'm going the next time

Good luck, and let me know how it turns out!

Dave

[dusty]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

You run out?

No... set, not get. I even bought a few more when Acoma got his - just in case. I just meant I gotta get back out there and work to get done so I can start cooking. You biting into that pork sammy is very inspirational to those of us who are getting close. Makes me see a bright light at the end of my entry tunnel.

dusty

[RTflorida]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Dave, you've given me a few good tips for my Christmas dinner. I will be doing a 20lb+/- (bone in weight) shoulder as a porchetta. My pork butcher says it should bone out at 15-16lbs.
I have researched recipes to death, looks like I will be doing my own version based on what I've read. Like you, the more garlic and onions the better.
I would rather not go the route of covering it with foil, going to go lower on the temp for a longer time. Call me a sucker for tradition, but porchetta predates aluminum foil and they usually do a whole hog ( would be a lot of foil). I want it crispy, no char - we'll see how it goes. Thanks for taking one for the team (at least this team). With all the information I've gathered I am pretty confident I won't screw it up.....my wife keeps saying "we had better not be forced to eat hot dogs on Xmas" Think I will have dough ready for pizza, just in case

Thanks again for sharing. By the way, my money is on one of you TX boys for the 20k post.

RT

[Acoma]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Dusty is very lucky since he only has to drive a short distance to an incredible brickyard. I will be down there soon enough for my second load.
Chow..

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Awesome as usual pal. But enough typing... I gotta go set some more bricks!

dusty

You run out?

I think I made about 5 trips to the brick store.

I bought 12 on the 4th trip
and 15 on the last trip

I still have 7 left!

That's how I roll

[dusty]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Awesome as usual pal. But enough typing... I gotta go set some more bricks!

dusty

[Acoma]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Ken, get the Maverick Redicheck remote. Well worth it for under $40. I use it for my smoker. BBB has it.

[Ken524]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

I'm all over it! Thanks Dave.

[asudavew]

Re: Dave's West Texas Version of Porchetta

Dave,

What's that Pyrex thermometer gadget? How does it work? Is that what you are measuring the oven temp with or the meat temp? Does it have a meat probe?

If it's a cool, inexpensive gadget, I probably want one .

Less that 20 bucks Ken. I bought mine at Bed Bath and Beyond.
Yes, it has a probe that sticks into the meat. It only goes up to 400 hundred, so I have been measuring my oven temps with that. But it is really designed for checking temps on food. It works great because you can stick it in the thickest part of the meat, run the wire out to your thermometer, and close the door. Then just watch.

But I would recommend one that Lowe's and HD carry. It's wireless. Check it out! I think I'm going to get one. I couldn't find them at their online store, but here is a link to one like theirs.

Newegg.com - Oregon Scientific AW129 Wireless BBQ Thermometer

You will enjoy either one.

Dave