March 10, 2006
A BUTT EVEN J-LO ENVIES (via Mike Daley):
Puerto Rican Bitter Orange Butt
1/2 pork butt (Boston butt), about 3-3 1/2 #'s
Dry Rub
2 Tbl achiote (annatto seed) paste, found in most larger supermarkets and
specialty stores
2 Tbl ground black pepper
1 Tbl spoon coarse salt
1 Tbl dried oregeno
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne
Marinade
1/2 of a 6oz can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (I've seen people
not thaw, hence the warning.
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 clup lime juice
1 tsp vegetable oil
Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
Remaining 1/2 can of frozen orange juice concentrate
2 Tbl rum
1 garlic clove, minced
Other
2 Tbl butter
3 large ripe Haas avocadoes
thin sliced green onion rings
Lime wedges
At least four hours before, and up to the night before you plan to smoke/cook the pork, cut the butt in half lengthwise, forming two long strips.
Put pork in sealable plastic bag.
Combine dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. In another bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients and stir in half of the dry rub.
Pour marinade over pork and leave for the desired time in fridge.
Bring smoker/grill/oven to a temp of 225-250.
Remove pork from fridge and drain. Pat down with remaining rub and let sit at room temp for 1/2 an hour.
Transfer pork to cooking unit and cook until internal temp reaches 165-170.
While pork cooks, make the sauce.
Warm sugar over low heat in a heavy saucepan.
When sugar is melted and golden brown, pour in the vinegar, watching out for the steam. Raise heat to medium and add the lime juice, orange juice, rum and garlic, simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in butter and keep warm.
Remove pork when finished and let sit for 15 minutes or so.
Halve the avocadoes and peel, take a thin slice of bottom if they're not sitting level.
Shred the pork. Spoon a Tbl of sauce on plate put avocado half on it, spoon shredded pork over avocado and spoon additional sauce over the pork.
Scatter green onion rings over pork and garnish with lime wedges.
So little time, so many butts. ;-)
This sounds even more delicious than the one from yesterday.
Posted by: Rick T. at March 10, 2006 10:01 AMRick T:
You can also take the basic dry rub in the recipe, add a little lime juice, and marinate skewered large shrimp for a quicker grill. The key is the achiote paste. Its a great flavor and colors the shrimp nicely (be careful, achiote acts as a dye for anything it touches). Out west, achiote is readily available. I suspect this is true in parts of the country where there are Mexican immigrant neighborhoods, which is, well, everywhere.
Posted by: Fred Jacobsen (San Fran) at March 10, 2006 12:02 PMThanks, Fred. I've used the seeds before (for making oil) and have them on my shelf but not the paste. There are a couple of Mexican grocery stores I go to - and love - so I'll look for it this weekend.
Posted by: Rick T. at March 10, 2006 12:12 PMRick:
By 'paste', I mean a compressed block (a few inches wide/long by half an inch thick) of dry, crumbly, processed annatto. The blocks aren't large (a little achiote goes a long way), and they keep a long time in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator.
Posted by: Fred Jacobsen (San Fran) at March 10, 2006 2:16 PMHere is an Achiote substitute:
1.5 T paprika
1.0 T white vinegar
3/4 t dried oregano
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 t ground cumin
You grillers and barbequers - let me know how it compares to the real thing.
Posted by: paul s at March 10, 2006 3:12 PMI'd like to try it slow/low cooked in a pot, as in pulled pork. Sounds good.
Posted by: Genecis at March 10, 2006 5:49 PM