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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