Slow BBQ


 

Steve Petrone

TVWBB Diamond Member
A couple of decades ago, I might smoke BBQ 3 or more times a month. Now not so much. I doubt that I averaged once a month this year. Vac-U bags have helped with that. Not having kids in town makes a difference too.

Now I enjoy slow BBQ. No schedule is best. No dinner with guests to feed at a given time-give or take 30 minutes. So what does Slow BBQ look like?
Today I started early in the afternoon purchasing 2 bone-in butts and a couple of baby backs. After a plumbing emergency at one of the shops, I returned home to make a rub. Typically, I'll look at K Kruger's Butt Rub for Jane for a start and improvise from there. It is a joy to take whole dried peppers of multiple variety, cut them up and toss em around in a hot cast iron skillet-bringing them back to life. That smell is wonderful. Not as good as hickory in the WSM but close. They are the base that will include salt, sugar, black pepper, coriander, cumin, celery, garlic, onion, cinnamon, allspice and finally sage. Making the rub is a part of BBQ for me.
Around 5.30-6pm the butts went on under the ribs. 250 +/- 5*. Yard grown wood tonight including oak, maple & dogwood. Dogwood? Why not. Finally, I thew some hickory chips on the fire for good measure. Seems like hickory is a requirement.
Life is good till I have to do something with the ribs.
 
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Nice illustration; it demonstrates that individuals can put little or much into their BBQ endeavor. Case in point: at this point in my outdoor cooking experience I rely on commercial rubs and sauces nearly 90% of the time. I'm still quite busy at my job, so I don't want to consume lots of time in what is for me an escape and hobby. Later on, when I have more free time I can make a greater investment of time with this hobby. Either way, the food tastes great and it is fun.

Enjoy your shoulders and ribs!
 
Ribs were foiled after 3 hours. They came off the smoker around 11pm. The two butts chugged along for a total of 17 hours and came off with an internal temp of 201. Judging by how they pulled after a 3 hour rest, they should have stayed on longer or been foiled or both.

Ribs were very good, perhaps a little dry. Pulled pork was very good. Slow BBQ was a success. Not something to rush. But, I guess with a busier day, one could speed this up.
 

 

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