I thawed it completely and doused it with Worchestershire, and applied my combination of Mike Mills' Magic Dust and Texas BBQ rub. You can order Texas BBQ rub here, and I highly recommend it. I threw it in my vacuum barrel and let it rotate for about 20 minutes. I find the vacuum makes the meat a little more tender and lets the rub/sauce combo sink in. I put it in the fridge and let it sit overnight.
In the meantime, I was checking lots of websites to determine what the proper temperature should be for the cut of meat. Some places I read said to treat it like a roast and cook no higher than 140; others said to cook it like a brisket and take it up to 190-200. I thought better err on the side of caution and stick with the low temps.
Sunday was cool and overcast, with a fairly decent wind. I started my fire about 1230, using Frontier Lump charcoal with a single hickory log for smoke. I put the meat on the top grid of the ECB (El Cheapo Brinkmann) at about 130, with the starting temp at about 45. I had taken the meat out of the fridge about 2 hours earlier, but it didn't get anywhere near room temp.
I was initially worried that the wind would steal all my heat and make this take forever, but the temp started climbing nicely and was at 135 in about 2 hours. I pulled it off and put a loose foil tent over the top, with the temp maxing out at about 138. When I sliced it, it was perfectly medium rare:
There was also a nice smoke ring on it, which you can sort of make out despite my shitty camera. The rub was probably more for a pork shoulder, as I think this wold have kicked ass with a salt based rub and a few less spices. All in all, a very successful experiment. I think I am going to add this to the menu for Easter dinner.
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