Mad Jack’s Mountaintop Barbecue owner James Jackson shares the special, signature rub that makes his BBQ pork sing.

  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons celery seed
  • ¼ cup coarse pepper
  • ¼ cup paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • ¼ cup dried onion flakes
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 six-pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and tied with butcher twine

Makes 10–12 servings

1. Preheat oven to 250°. In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, kosher salt, celery seed, coarse pepper, paprika, garlic powder, dried onion flakes, and cayenne pepper.

2. Rub a quarter of the mixture all over the tied pork shoulder and place the meat in a roasting pan. Roast for 6 to 8 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 195°. Leave uncovered until it has a nice “bark” developing and then gently cover it with foil so the outside doesn’t burn.

3. When the pork is done cooking, let rest at room temperature until it’s cool enough to safely pull apart into pieces with your hands. As you’re shredding the pork, sprinkle a little of the rub into the shredded meat, tasting as you go. You’ll likely have some extra rub to
use later.

4. Let cool to room temperature before transferring to the fridge for up to 4 days.

This recipe originally appeared in "Mad About You" by Marianne Sundquist.