Smoked pork

I ran out of project updates to share with you from last weekend at the cottage, so instead, I'm going to regale you with some of our preparations for Mom's birthday dinner. Yummy!

So, the menu was mesquite-smoked pork roast, spare guys (a.k.a. asparagus), and potato salad.  Mom made the potato salad for her own birthday dinner, because her potato salad is insanely good and the kids will accept no substitutes.

First, we soaked the mesquite chips. I picked up a bag of them at Walmart, of all places. (They're probably pressure-treated off-cuts for all I know!)

Then, the Captain (because touching raw meat gives me major heebiejeebies) sliced the roast and unrolled it to make a long, flat "steak".

We chopped up some rosemary, green onion, and garlic, and added a bit of salt and oil before mashing it into a paste.

And then, I forgot to take a picture because I was turning the cottage upside down trying to figure out where we put the butcher's twine (answer: it was still tied to one of our home-made kites). While I was doing this, he spread the paste over the steak, and rolled it and then tied it with the string found in the knick of time.

The soggy wood chips were loaded into a tinfoil packet, which was poked on the top-side to create holes that would let the smoke escape. This was put on the coals in the BBQ, with the burner lit directly underneath the packet. The pork bundle was put on the other side, no burner (cooked with indirect heat).

Then, it was time for dinner! The smoked roast smelled like heaven. It was so good, I almost forgot to take an "after" picture until it was nearly all gone!

It ended up a little over cooked (lesson learned for next time) but it was delicious.

Look at that smoky crust! YUM!

For dessert we had strawberries and whipped cream. The only mixer at the cottage is an ancient hand-held. You'd think it was the newest game console the way the kids were clamouring over who got to use it next.

These are farm-fresh berries from Johnson's, just down the road. Oh man were they good.

So.. are you hungry now? (-: