Small Family Pack Recipe

Prepare the rub and meat

Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and brown sugar. Rub the olive oil over the meat, then massage the dry rub evenly over all surfaces. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight (bring to room temp 30–60 minutes before cooking).

Low-and-slow smoking or oven roasting

Preheat smoker to 225°F (or oven to 300°F if no smoker). Place the pork on the smoker grates or in a roasting pan fat-side up. If using a smoker, add wood chips (apple or hickory recommended). Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bone. Smoke/roast until internal temperature reaches 195–205°F for pull-apart tenderness, approximately 4–6 hours depending on size and temperature. Every 45–60 minutes spritz or baste with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water to keep surface moist. If a crust forms too quickly, wrap loosely in foil when internal temp hits ~165°F for a braise (optional) and continue until 195–205°F.

Rest and finish

When target temp is reached, remove meat and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 30 minutes. For pulled pork, shred with forks or knives and mix in a little of the reserved pan juices or your favorite sauce to taste. For sliced service, slice against the grain. Keep warm until serving.

Place potato cubes in a pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, 10–12 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.

While potatoes cook, hard-boil eggs: place eggs in a small pot, cover with cold water, bring to a rolling boil for 9 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes. Peel and chop coarsely.

In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, salt and pepper. Fold in diced celery, red onion and parsley. Add slightly warm potatoes and chopped eggs and gently combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill at least 1 hour before serving to let flavors meld.

In a large bowl combine shredded cabbage and grated carrot. In a separate small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper until smooth.

Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Let sit refrigerated 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving to soften cabbage and develop flavor. Taste and adjust salt/sugar if needed.

Preheat oven to 350°F (or cook on stovetop over low heat). In an oven-safe skillet or saucepan cook diced bacon over medium heat until fat renders and bacon is lightly browned, about 5–7 minutes. Remove most of the bacon if you prefer less greasy beans but leave drippings for flavor.

Add chopped onion to bacon drippings and sauté until translucent, ~4 minutes. Add drained beans, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and water. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.

Transfer to oven and bake uncovered 25–30 minutes until sauce thickens (or simmer on stovetop 15–20 minutes). Stir in cooked bacon pieces if removed earlier. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool slightly before transferring to serving pint container.

Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 6-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners. In a large bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl whisk milk, egg and melted butter until combined. Pour wet into dry ingredients and stir just until moistened (do not overmix).

Divide batter evenly among 6 muffin cups. Bake 12–15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops are golden. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm with butter.

Thinly slice dill pickles and combine with pickled red onions in a small container. Sprinkle chopped parsley over pickles just before serving as a fresh garnish for the meat and sides.