• n a large spray bottle (one that will hold at least 5 cups of liquid), combine all the ingredients.
• Shake well to blend.
• Now it can be told: My favorite ribs to cook and eat are baby backs.
• They’re the rib of choice for MBN contests, which I’ve done so well at over the years—so they’re kind of a sentimental favorite, too.
• Over the years I’ve developed a real love for them because I had to work hard to perfect my baby back technique, and they’ve won me a hell of a lot of money.
• And here it is, for free, for you.
• Well, almost for free.
• But this recipe alone is worth the price of this book, I promise you.

Preparation of Ribs:

• Place the spareribs, bone-side down, on a cutting board.
• Trim off excess fat, especially around the first three ribs.
• Remove the thick membrane covering the bones by sliding a knife underneath and pulling it off.
• Trim any loose fat from the ribs.
• Cut the ribs into uniform slabs using the longest bone near the breastbone as a guideline.
• Place the trimmed ribs in a deep aluminum baking pan and cover with rib marinade.
• Let marinate for 4 hours.

Cooking Process:

• Preheat the smoker to 275°F (135°C).
• Remove the ribs from the marinade and pat them dry with clean towels.
• Apply the rub to the ribs and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Transfer the ribs to a clean aluminum baking pan and place them in the smoker.
• Smoke the ribs for 3 hours, spritzing them with the rib spritz every 15 minutes after the first 45 minutes.
• After 3 hours, transfer the ribs to a clean pan, pour apple juice over them, cover with foil, and smoke for 2 more hours.
• Remove the foil, apply pork glaze to both sides of the ribs, cover again with foil, and let them rest in the smoker for 1 hour.

Serving:

• Remove the ribs from the smoker and let them rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes.
• Cut the ribs into individual portions and serve immediately.

Rib Marinade:

• To be prepared in advance according to your preference.

Rib Spritz:

• To be prepared in advance according to your preference.

Pork Glaze:

• To be prepared in advance according to your preference.

• Prepare a smoker with soaked wood chips and heat it to 225°F (see this page).
• Alternately, prepare a gas grill or charcoal grill for smoking and heat to medium-low heat (see this page).
• Use a sharp chef’s knife to trim the ham’s tough outer skin and excess fat.
• Place the ham meat side down in a deep aluminum baking pan.
• Cover the pan and smoke the ham in the prepared smoker for 2 hours without uncovering it.
• After 2 hours, remove the pan from the smoker.
• While the ham rests, make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine the jam, mustard, and brown sugar, stirring to combine.
• Uncover the ham and brush it all over with half of the glaze, reserving the remaining glaze.
• Cover the ham with the foil and return the pan to the smoker.
• Smoke the ham for about 1 hour more, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
• Unwrap the foil and baste the ham thoroughly with the remaining glaze.
• Cover the ham pan again and place it back in the smoker.
• Smoke, covered, for about 1 hour more.
• At this point the ham will be at least 145°F, or maybe a bit higher.
• Remove the ham from the smoker, loosely tent it with foil, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
• Carve the ham into thin slices and serve it either warm or at room temperature.

• Transfer the belly to a large zip-top plastic bag, pour the sauce over the top, close the bag and make sure to squeeze all the air out of it, then massage the meat with the sauce.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
• When you are ready to smoke the belly, prepare the smoker and heat it to 275°F.
• Prepare the belly for smoking: Use a sharp paring knife to score the pork belly by making a few slices in both vertical and horizontal directions across the top of it.
• The cuts should not be too deep or penetrating into the belly—only ¼-inch through at most.
• Transfer the belly to a medium-size aluminum pan.
• Place the pan in the smoker and smoke the belly for 3 to 4 hours, until internal temperature is 200°F.
• Remove the pan from the smoker and let the pork belly rest, uncovered in its pan, for 10 minutes.
• Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the pork belly into 1-inch-thick slices.
• To assemble the sandwiches, place a slice of pork belly, a scoop of slaw, and a slice of cucumber on the bottom half of each slider bun.
• Top with the other half of the buns and serve immediately.
• Folks eat these up like they’re candy.

• Place the pork roast in a medium-size aluminum baking pan.
• Pour the marinade over the meat and cover the pan.
• Let the loin rest, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
• When you are ready to cook the pork, heat your smoker to 350°F.
• Remove the pan from the refrigerator.
• Remove the pork from the marinade and discard the marinade.
• Use paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to pat the pork dry.
• Coat the pork all over with the rub.
• Place it back in the pan, put the pan in the smoker, and smoke the pork for 1½ hours, or until its internal temperature reaches 155°F.
• Remove the pork from the smoker and brush it all over with Tangy Sweet Sauce.
• Return it to the smoker and cook for 15 minutes more, until the sauce caramelizes.
• Remove the pan from the smoker and let the loin rest, loosely covered, for 30 minutes.
• Cut it into ½-inch-thick slices and serve.

• Prepare your smoker and heat it to 250°F.
• Remove the bulb end of a turkey baster.
• Use the opened end to core through the middle of the log of bologna.
• You will remove a long, thick tube of the meat.
• Reserve two 2-inch pieces of that tube and save the rest for another use.
• Fill the open core of the bologna with the pepper jack cubes, then use the two reserved pieces of bologna to plug the ends.
• Put the bologna in a large aluminum pan, place it in the smoker, and smoke for 1½ hours.
• Remove the pan from the smoker and glaze the bologna with the barbecue sauce.
• Return it to the smoker and smoke it for another 15 minutes, or until the sauce is thoroughly caramelized on the outside of the bologna.
• Remove the pan from the smoker.
• Let the bologna rest in the pan, loosely covered, for 10 minutes.
• Slice the bologna into ¾-inch slices.
• Place each slice on a piece of sourdough bread.
• Slather the meat with mustard, add a few drips of hot sauce, and top with slices of sweet onion.
• Cover with another slice of bread and serve immediately.

• Heat a smoker to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, combine the pork, diced onion, salt, pepper, and barbecue sauce.
• Knead to combine, but do not overwork.
• Form the mixture into 2 large or 4 small patties.
• Place the patties in an aluminum pan (either a small one for 2 burgers or a medium one for 4), and set the pan in the smoker.
• Smoke for about 7 minutes, or until the bottoms of the burgers begin to brown and form a crust.
• Remove the pan from the smoker and gently flip the burgers using a spatula.
• Return the pan to the smoker and smoke the burgers for 8 more minutes.
• Cook until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the side of a burger reads 160°F for medium.
• Serve the burgers, topped with a scoop of coleslaw, on the prepared onion rolls, which you may slather with mustard and top with pickles if you like.

• Place the Boston butt in a large aluminum baking pan, add the marinade, and cover.
• Marinate the butt in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
• Prepare the smoker and heat it to 300°F.
• Prep the shoulder: Remove the meat from the marinade and discard the marinade.
• Pat the meat dry all over with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
• Apply the rub all over the meat.
• Place it in the smoker for 2 hours.
• This allows the meat to absorb enough smoke to flavor it and get a good mahogany color.
• After two hours, remove the shoulder from the smoker and transfer it into a new clean, deep aluminum pan.
• Pour in the apple juice.
• Put the pan back in the smoker, still running at 300°F.
• Pull it out when the internal temperature reaches 200°F, 2 to 3 hours, with a total cook time of 4 to 4½ hours.
• Remove the pan from the smoker, cover it with foil, and wrap it in an old thick blanket to rest.
• Let the shoulder rest this way for 2 to 4 hours.
• Resting is as important as the cooking, as the shoulder will continue to cook when it’s off the heat.
• When you’re ready to eat, you can pull the pork, chop it, or slice it as you wish and serve it immediately, with extra sauce and buns on the side if you like.