Smoke map · Pork, hickory, dust

Tennessee / Memphis

Memphis made the rib a city food. Dry is a crust of spice, not the absence of care. Wet is a choice you make in the last minutes. The shoulder sandwich is the other half of the argument: pulled pork, slaw, a bun that can take a drip.

Meat	Spare and baby-back ribs, pulled pork shoulder, a little chicken.
Wood	Hickory. Period. Fruitwood can ride along. Hickory is the voice.
Sauce	Dry ribs wear a paprika-garlic dust. Wet ribs take a thin glaze late. Shoulder gets a tangy tomato-vinegar if it gets sauce at all.
Plate	A rack dusted so the bark looks rust-red, pickles, white bread, maybe a shoulder sandwich.

Dry racks

Membrane off. Dust on. Hickory. Bend test, not a clock. The rub should taste like paprika, garlic, a little brown sugar, and celery seed — not a sugar crust.

Wet racks

Same cook. In the last 10–15 minutes, a thin glaze. If it puddles, you used too much.

Shoulder stack

Pull warm. Mix a little dip into the meat, not a soup. Slaw on top. Eat over the tray.

Sides

Slaw · Beans · White bread · Pickles · Iced tea

Cooks in this book

River Dust Spare Racks — beginner
River City Shoulder Stack — weekend