The Friday Fire #3 — The Pulled Pork Issue
Hey —
Five things worth knowing before you light the fire this weekend.
1. The Guide
How to smoke pulled pork on a Weber charcoal kettle. You don't need an expensive smoker to make great pulled pork. A standard kettle with a two-zone setup works better than most people expect. This guide covers the snake method, water pan placement, and when to wrap.
2. What I'm Cooking
Pork butt this weekend. Nine pounds, bone-in. I always go bone-in because the bone slides out clean when it's done, and that's my favorite doneness test. No thermometer needed for the final call. If the bone wiggles free, you're there. Going on at 6am, hoping to pull it by 4pm, then an hour rest in a cooler wrapped in towels. Pulled pork is the most forgiving cook in BBQ. Hard to mess up, easy to nail.
3. Gear of the Week
Bear claws (meat shredding claws). I resisted buying these for years because they looked gimmicky. Then I used a pair at a friend's place and shredded an eight-pound butt in about two minutes. Forks took me fifteen. They're $12, they work, and I was wrong to judge them.
4. Worth Reading
"How to Plan a Multi-Protein BBQ Cook" — our own blog post on running brisket, ribs, and sides together. If you've ever tried to time multiple proteins to finish at the same serve time, this walks through the logic. It's the reason I built Braai in the first place.
5. Quick Fire Tip
Rest your pulled pork longer than you think. Minimum one hour. Two is better. Wrap it tight in foil, then in old towels, and set it in a cooler (no ice). It'll stay above 160°F for up to four hours. The rest lets the juices redistribute, and the pork shreds easier when it's not screaming hot. Most people skip this. Don't skip this.
See you next Friday.
🔥 Rob
