This month’s guest blogger is Peter Cravath. Peter, of Des Plaines, Illinois, has been an avid griller for more than 25 years. He works a cost analyst for an avionics equipment manufacturer and is active with the New England Barbecue Society as a BBQ judge and competitor. His team, “Ring of Fire,” has always finished “respectably,” he says, within the traditional KCBS categories of chicken, pork, ribs, and brisket. But his beef shoulder clod has become his signature dish.

My quest for a cut of meat which will yield consistent results with a minimum of “babysitting” is over: I discovered beef shoulder clod. This large cut of beef, which can exceed 20 pounds, is equivalent to a pork butt in a bbq sense. The cut is so forgiving when you cook it slowly over a wood fire. The clod (also known as a chuck roll) is juicy and shreds easily like a pork shoulder. The flavor is of great beef, and with a little attention, out of this world.

This cut has intrigued me for some time. It was popular in Austin, Texas, where I once lived. But I’d never attempted one myself until I stumbled across it in Steven’s book, BBQ USA. The recipe filled in the gap, and I was off and running. Clod is simple to season, and much less finicky than other cuts about spikes and drops in the cooking temperatures. If you try your hand at this cut, take the internal temperature to 193 ; let it rest for 20 minutes before shredding. An instant read thermometer is indispensable in this endeavor. Alternatively, a thermometer with a probe that stays in the meat during cooking would be my first choice. It allows you to monitor the meat’s progress without opening the smoker door. Now, shred to your heart’s content. Include the smoky black bark on the outside. Clod’s great with a vinegary tomato sauce with just a touch of sugar. Serve on cheap white fluffy buns (CWFBs). Enjoy every tasty morsel. And one more thing: Choose well-seasoned wood for this cut, such as oak, hickory, and fruitwoods. (I don’t pre-burn my wood in a separate pit or remove the bark first.)
BARBECUED BEEF SHOULDER CLOD



Peter Cravath (left), and Maggie and CJ Caldwell at the NEBS Snowshoe Challenge.

The recipe is paraphrased from Steven’s book, BBQ USA. Thank you Steven!

3/4 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup cracked black peppercorns
2 - 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 beef shoulder clod (13 to 15 pounds)
15 cups oak chunks or other smoking wood
About 1 hour before cooking, mix together the salt and peppers in a bowl, and rub liberally into the meat. Allow to stand on the counter for an hour. Set up your cooker for indirect smoking, and bring it up to temperature; I maintain 235 for this cut. Toss on some of the oak and load the smoker with the clod, fat side up. Every half hour or so, check you fire for proper temperature and the presence of smoke. Add more lump charcoal and wood chunks if necessary.
Remove the meat when the internal temperature reaches 193 . It’s nice to have a buddy to help remove the clod from the smoker as it is large and falling-apart-tender. I’ve found recruiting help easy, given the effect the aroma has on friends and neighbors…!