Instructions: We celebrate Americas Independence Day on July 4th. Traditional celebrations include families and friends getting together for cook-outs and fire works. For this menu we feature homemade pork barbecue. We have included instructions for smoking the pork with either a charcoal grill or a gas grill. For either method the secret to this style of preparation is indirect cooking where the smoke actually cooks the pork rather than the direct heat of the fire.

There is a certain art to this preparation that depends in large part on the heat of the fire and the amount of smoke generated by the hardwood chunks. It is best to leave the lid on the grill as much as possible to trap the smoke and allow it to cook the pork. If you notice that the smoke is dying down, then lift the lid. The addition of the fresh air should spark the hardwood and increase the heat. Then when you replace the lid the smoke will increase as well. You can also add additional hardwood chunks to the fire whenever necessary.

Under slow cooking conditions with only indirect heat and smoke cooking the pork, it may take up to 4 hours to complete the smoking process. However, if the fire is hotter or the pork closer to the direct heat, then the pork will cook faster. The pork should be done after 3 to 4 hours and will have a dark, deeply smoked surface. Also, you are going to finish the pork in a crock pot or oven after the smoking so there is little danger of ending up with under-cooked pork.

With a little practice you will master the subtle methods to control the heat and smoke. The end result is fabulous pork barbeque that everyone will love. This menu serves 6 to 8.

This barbeque is a labor of love. It takes most of the day to prepare but, because you are using indirect heat and low temperatures, you can leave it cooking for hours at a time without having to check on the pork. Just start early and work around the house on all those projects you have been putting off. This menu serves 6 to 8.

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