BBQ & Smoking Basics
Proper BBQ is not grilling. It's low temperature (110-135°C), indirect heat, wood smoke, and patience. The result is fall-apart tender meat with a bark and smoke ring you can't get any other way. Start with pulled pork — it's the most forgiving.
Bradley Robinson. 10 years professional experience. Engaging, practical, no nonsense.
Low and slow: 110-120°C is the sweet spot. If your thermometer reads higher, close the vents to reduce airflow and drop the temperature.
Pulled pork shoulder (bone-in) is the best first cook — it's fatty, forgiving, and almost impossible to dry out. 8-10 hours at 115°C.
The stall is real: around 70°C internal temp, the meat will stop rising for hours. This is moisture evaporating. Don't panic. Wait it out (or wrap in foil — the 'Texas crutch').
Rest the meat wrapped in foil, then towels, in a cool box for 1-2 hours. This lets juices redistribute. The rest is as important as the cook.
Choose your cut: pork shoulder (easiest), beef brisket (harder), pork ribs (crowd-pleaser)
Apply a dry rub the night before: salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, cumin
Set up your BBQ for indirect heat — coals on one side, meat on the other (or use a dedicated smoker)
Add wood chunks (not chips) for smoke: oak, hickory, cherry, or apple. 2-3 chunks at a time
Maintain 110-120°C throughout the cook. Monitor with a BBQ thermometer (ideally probe + ambient)
Spritz the meat every hour with apple cider vinegar or apple juice to keep the surface moist
PORK SHOULDER: Cook to 93-96°C internal temperature. This takes 8-12 hours
When probe-tender (thermometer slides in like butter), remove and wrap in foil + towels
Rest in a cool box for 1-2 hours minimum
Pull apart with forks. Mix in your favourite BBQ sauce or eat it as-is with the bark
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