So sorry. All of a sudden a dinner to cook came up last night.
Dry wood. Less than a handful of wood total.
Simple dry rub:
1/4 c ground mild chile or paprika
2 T granulated onion
2 T granulated garlic
2 T thyme
2 T black pepper
2 T sugar
2 t rubbed sage OR ground bay leaf (the latter, preferably)
2 t marjoram
1 t ground cumin
Salt the butts generously and let the salt draw moisture to the surface while you mix the rub. Apply the rub over the salt.
You'll have a lot of meat doing two, likely. Go with your smoke-to-195 plan this time. Note that you can foil the butts, though, to speed cooking, after they have cooked halfway or so.
I'll post this now and immediately hit the Edit key--and will keep doing that so that you can see what I am writing sooner. I hope I am not too late.
Pork for tamales is either shredded, chopped or, as Gary notes, ground, though not so finely as to be mush--there needs to be texture so, if grinding, use a processor and pulse briefly. All are traditional approaches, left to the cook's preference.
********************
Note that in all cases I prefer to toast the chilies first to enhance their flavor. Though I suggest this and it doesn't take long, you can skip the step if you wish to save a little time.
Tamale sauce #1:
12 (or so) ancho peppers
4-6 guajillo peppers (or 2-3 more anchos)
1-2 cascabel peppers or chiles de arbol (optional)
2 T black peppercorns
2 T whole cumin seed
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1-2 cups pork or chicken stock
In a dry skillet over med-high heat, toast the chilies, a few at a time, till fragrant, pressing them onto the pan's surface with a spatula briefly, then immediately flipping, 45-60 seconds total. Remove to a saucepan; repeat with the remaining chilies. Leave the skillet on the heat.
Cover the toasted chilies with hot water, bring to a boil over high heat, covered, then simmer till the chiles are softened, 5-7 min or so. Meanwhile, toast the peppercorns and cumin seeds in the skillet you used for the peppers, till very fragrant and toasted, about 30-45 seconds. Pour into a blender, pulsing briefly a few times to grind coarsely. Add the garlic cloves, pulse a few times to chop.
When the peppers are soft drain them. When cool enough to handle (rinse briefly in cold water to cool quicker if you wish), remove the stems, if present, and most of the seeds (a few seeds here and there are not a big deal). Add the peppers to the blender and some of the stock. Blend, adding more stock as necessary to make a sauce the consistency of tomato soup. Remove and reserve.
After the pork is shredded, chopped or ground, place it in a large bowl or pot. Fold the sauce into the pork. Use enough to moisten the pork well. Add more chicken stock if you've used all the sauce and the pork is still on the dry side. Taste for salt.
(Note that you can use already ground spices instead of the whole ones, if you wish.)
***************
Tamale sauce #2:
10 (or so) ancho peppers
2-3 guajillo peppers (or 1-2 more anchos)
1-2 cascabel peppers or chiles de arbol (optional)
2 tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 t black peppercorns
2 t whole cumin seed
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup pork or chicken stock
1 c stock (saved from boiling the chilies and tomatoes)
2 T lard (or use shortening or neutral oil)
1.5 T flour
Toast the cumin and peppercorns; reserve on a plate. In the same dry skillet, next, toast the peppers, if desired, as noted above. Place in a pot with the bay leaves and add the tomatoes. Cover with water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer till softened. Reserve 1.5 c of the cooking water then drain the tomatoes and peppers. Discard bay leaves. Remove the stems from the chilies and most of the seeds.
Grind the toasted spices in a blender briefly, then add the garlic and chop in the blender briefly. Add a little salt. Put the chilies and tomatoes in the blender with about .5 c of the reserved cooking water and .5 c chicken or pork stock. Blend very well. Strain the contents of the blender into bowl, adding another .5 c each of the reserved water and the stock. Stir.
Heat the lard in your skillet. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, till the flour turns golden. Reduce the temp to med-low, then add the contents of the bowl, slowly whle whisking, to the pot. Bring to a slow simmer, then cook about 10-15 min, till the sauce mellows. Salt to taste, but go on the light side, as the pork has salt already on it. Cool.
Add the sauce to the pork when it's ready, adding a little more stock and reserved water, as needed and if needed, to moisten very well.
*******************
Tamale sauce #3:
Chilies, in the quantities noted in #2, toasted if desired
2 t Mexican oregano
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 c chicken stock or pork stock
2 T lard or vegetable oil
1.5 T flour
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Place the toasted chilies in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Alow to soak till softened. Discard water; stem and seed the chilies and place in a blender with the oregano and 2 cloves of the garlic. Add half the stock. Puree well then strain to a bowl. Stir in the remaining stock.
Heat the lard in a pan. Crush the remaining 2 garlic cloves and cook in the lard till lightly browned. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, till golden. Reduce the heat then add the puree, carefully and whisking constantly. Simmer gently till the chile flavor mellows, about 10-15 min. Salt lightly, as noted above. Cool.
Fold into the pork, as noted above, adding a little more stock if necessary.