Looking for things to do outside in your yard? Try some of our ideas below!
May 2 Grill-Out!
How to Smoke a Pork Shoulder with Rob Bond, Superintendent of Aquatics:
Needs:
- 6-8lb bone-in pork shoulder
- Mustard
- BBQ spice rub: buy pre-made brand like McCormick Grill Mates or make own recipe
- Charcoal grill
- Wood chunks for smoking: I used hickory & mesquite. Also recommend apple wood or oak
- Apple juice
- Spray bottle
- Instant read meat thermometer
- Aluminum foil and/or butcher paper
- Forks or claws for shredding
Important tips:
- Mustard holds rub on meat.
- The night before, cut shoulder in half to reduce cooking time and create additional surface area for "bark".
- Water trays over the charcoal help control cooking temperature.
- Check cooking temp every 45-60 minutes, and mist meat with apple juice when checking.
- Meat is best shred at an internal temp of 195-205 degrees.
- Plan for approximately 1.5 hours of cook time per pound of meat: 4 pound shoulder should take approximately 6 hours.
- Let meat rest 15-30 minutes after removing from grill.
- Wrap meat in butcher paper or foil when resting. Butcher paper better maintains bark, while aluminum traps too much moisture.
- Fatty or crunchy bark pieces can be chopped up and mixed into the meat for extra flavor.
Smoking essential items will include:
- Injector
- Spray bottle
- Basting mop
- Pink butcher paper (dispenser optional)
- Heat/smoker prep gloves in leather
- Food handling gloves rubber dishwasher safe
- Rib rack-electric thermometer system with remote alert or Bluetooth phone sync
- Oversized tongs
- Night lights for grill/smoker
- Claw shredders
- Beer can chicken stand
Sports Drills
- Soccer drills. You can also search YouTube for "Soccer Drills to do at home by yourself for (your age)".
- Basketball drills. You can also search YouTube for "Basketball Drills to do at home by yourself for (your age)".
- Baseball drills. You can also search YouTube for "Baseball Drills to do at home by yourself for (your age)".
- Football drills. You can also search YouTube for "Football Drills to do at home by yourself for (your age)".
Try a photo scavenger hunt. Take a picture of: a cloverleaf, 3 different kinds of leaves, a squirrel, a rock bigger than your hand, something red, something flat, something soft, something prickly, something fuzzy, something round.
Family Treasure Hunt
Make a treasure map with clues. Then have the family find the treasure at the end of the map.
Collect rocks and paint them with pictures and cheerful words. Then hide them in the community for others to find.