Pulled Pork with Beer Barbecue Sauce

Pulled pork is a Southern religion. Serve on hamburger or hot dog buns, on toasted English muffi ns, with pickle relish, with pickled jalapeño rings, with sliced red onions, or with hot red pepper sauce on the side, or with A Bowl of Vinegary Cucumbers .

One 31⁄2- to 4-pound boneless pork shoulder roast

Butcher’s twine

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon salt, preferably kosher salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups grilling wood chips, soaked in water at least 3 hours, then drained, if grilling Beer Barbecue Sauce

• Tie the pork shoulder with butcher’s twine so that it resembles a football. (Some pork shoulders are sold with a twine netting already in place.)
• Mix the brown sugar, chili powder, salt, dry mustard, cumin, cinnamon, pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Massage this mixture into the pork. (Wash your hands carefully afterward to avoid getting cayenne in your eyes.) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least overnight or up to 48 hours.
• To grill: Heat half a gas grill to medium heat and place a drip pan under the unheated section of the grate; or build a well-ashed, medium-heat coal bed in a charcoal grill, rake the coals to one side, and place a drip pan or other disposable aluminum pan on the unheated side of the grill. Place the wood chips in the drip pan. Set the pork on the unheated section of the grill grate over the drip pan. Cover and barbecue until the meat is charred and falls apart when pulled with a fork, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 175°F, about 3 hours.
• To bake: Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Set the pork in a roasting pan and bake until the meat can be pulled apart with a fork and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 175°F, 31 ⁄2 to 4 hours.
• Transfer the pork to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice off the twine, then cut the meat into chunks. Pull these chunks into threads with two forks, saving all the juice on the cutting board.
• Place the shredded pork and all juice in a large saucepan. Stir in the Beer Barbecue Sauce. Heat over medium heat or place the pot directly over the heat on the grill until simmering. Cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Makes 8 servings