It's always one of the joys of the Christmas holiday to catch up with former 7th grade student Brendan Shanley and his folks, Carol and Fred Wood. For the last however many years, that's usually involved me visiting them in the neighborhood across the street from Leesville Road Middle School, where I taught Brendan. Carol is a teacher at the adjoining Leesville Road Elementary School. They're all great folks and I'm glad that they have been so good about keeping in touch and making sure we see each other at least once a year.
This time around, I invited them to make the journey over to Winston-Salem, and they graciously agreed. Brendan hadn't been here since before the house renovation and addition, and Carol and Fred had last been here when the construction was underway...but nobody had seen the finished product. Carol made a wonderful UNC housewarming gift, which is already hanging up in the main hallway:
For our dinner, I fired up the kamado grill late last night and tossed onto it two 7-pound Boston butt pork shoulders (which had gotten an initial rub of Southern Succor Rub even the night before that!).
The smoker did its job overnight and all day long today. I kept an eye on it, trying to maintain the smoking temp at around 200°F.
Our appetizers tonight included my version of pimento cheese and Rachael Ray's take on a warm bacon dip. The bacon dip was the hands-down favorite.
With the smoked pork shoulders, we had coleslaw (without the blue cheese) and smashed sweet potatoes. I gave them a choice between two possible barbecue sauces: an Eastern North Carolina vinegar-based sauce, and a tomato/ketchup-based sauce that's more akin to what we might get here in the Piedmont region. Looks like the Piedmont-style was the clear winner this evening.
Desserts were chosen from the broad sampling of Christmas goodies on hand: date nut balls, fudge, sugar peanuts, and the last of this past Sunday's carrot cake. Brendan brought a home-made pound cake, which was moist and delicious.
The evening had to end too soon, but it was a long drive for them back over to Raleigh and Fred has to be at work tomorrow morning.
Kamado Meal #23
"The Renowned Mr. Brown" (p. 53-54) and "Vaunted Vinegar Sauce" (p. 349). In Smoke & Spice, by Cheryl and Bill Jamison. Boston: The Harvard Common Press, 2003.
"Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce," by Bryan Roof. In Cook's Illustrated, January & February 2010 (No. 102), p. 6-7.
"Swiss and Bacon Dip," from Rachael Ray. Available online at the Food Network website.
"South Carolina-Style Pimento Cheese." Recipe worked out by me, based on Sharon's Palmetto Pimento Cheese.
"Blue Cheese Coleslaw," from Ina Garten. Available online at the Food Network website.
"Smashed Sweet Potatoes" (p. 128), in Tupelo Honey Cafe: Spirited Recipes from Asheville's New South Kitchen, by Elizabeth Sims with Chef Brian Sonoskus. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, 2011.
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