Smoked Pork Butt with Collards & Black-eyed Peas

Smoked Pork Butt with Collards & Peas

We like to mix our collards with black-eyed peas for our New Years Day meal. I always use the canned black-eyed peas 1) because of the convenience and 2) because they are cooked just right. Every time I try to cook the dried version they always come out mushy and tasteless. I add them just about 5 minutes before the greens are done so that they are just warmed up. Cooked collard greens are one of the best Southern dishes that we enjoy. I do cook them on low for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Some folks like a little crunch but that is just not the Southern style. I use bacon grease (just a small amount) for the smoked pork flavor, cider vinegar for the tangy component and chicken bouillon cubes to give it the salty taste. While this is all going on, my husband will smoke a pork butt half on the smoker and finished in the oven. If you don’t have a smoker, cooking a pork butt entirely in the oven is fine. We serve all of this good stuff over cheese grits. Delicious!

Smoked Pork Butt

6 lbs. pork butt (bone in)

1 T Kosher salt

½ t Cayenne pepper

2 T Black pepper

2 T Sugar

2 T Chili powder

1 t Dry mustard

Mix all the dry ingredients together for the rub. The night before rub the pork all over with the rub mixture and refrigerate uncovered. The next morning prepare your smoker according to the manufacturer instructions. Maintaining a temperature of 250 degrees, smoke the butt for 4 hrs. Remove the butt and wrap in foil and place in a baking dish, roast the pork in a 230 degree oven for 4 ½ hrs or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. Let it rest for an hour, pull apart removing the fat pockets and bone. The pork butt can be smoked and roasted the day before you serve it.

Collards Greens & Black-eyed Peas

2 T bacon grease

3 bunches of collards greens, washed, core stems removed & chopped

2 quarts water

½ c cider vinegar

8 chicken bouillon cubes

2 (15 oz) cans Southern Style Black-eyed Peas, rinsed

In a large stock pot, melt the bacon grease over medium-low heat. Add the collards greens, water, vinegar and the chicken bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to a simmer. Stirring occasionally cook for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. On the last 5 minutes add the black-eyed peas.

Cheese Grits

1 cup stone ground grits or old fashioned grits

5 cups water

5 chicken bouillon cubes

5 oz. white cheddar cheese, grated

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and bouillon cubes to a rolling boil. Whisk in the grits and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until desired consistency stirring occasionally. Whisk in the cheese and serve.

To assemble:

Ladle grits into bowls. Top with pieces of pork. Add the collards and black-eyed peas including the pot likker (liquid from the greens) to taste. Garnish with hot sauce if desired.

Serves 8-10