Smokin' a butt

[Sanders]

Got a Boston butt going on the ugly drum smoker I made. It's keeping a temp of 225 right now, and I have a few oak chunks for the smoke.

It was going good earlier, but then I noticed the temp dropping. I figured out why right away. Because the drum seals up so well, I figured I didn't need a water pan under the meat to keep it moist. What I didn't think of is the water dripping from the meat and putting out my coals. So, I put a pan under it and the temp is back where it should be.

Made some homemade BBQ sauce (first time making it - tastes too strong of paprika, though) to put on the pulled pork later, and will make sandwiches out of it. I was going for a sweet/sour/spicy sauce. I got the sweet and sour right, but it needs some more chile or black pepper. My wife is allergic to pepper and can't eat spicy foods, so I'll just keep it like it is for now. The recipe could benefit from a little cayenne pepper, though.

BBQ sauce recipe (measurements are approximate)

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons paprika (may want to cut this down to 1 tablespoon)

1 tablespoon red chile powder

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon ground mustard powder

1/4 cup pickled minced onions (from my garden, canned last year)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoon thyme

2 teaspoon celery seed

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add onions and caramelize. Add garlic and sautee for a minute or so. Then add paprika, chile powder and mix into a paste. Add liquid ingredients. Bring to a simmer and add the rest of the spices, whisking them in. Let simmer another 15-20 minutes then turn the heat off, cover and let cool.