Smokedto the bone.

1. 00:00—

   Brine

   Overnight in salt, sugar and aromatics. Every hour here is an hour the meat cannot dry out later.

2. 00:00225°F

   Fire up

   Chamber comes up to temperature and holds. Nothing goes in until the smoke runs clean and blue.

3. 03:00225°F

   Smoke window

   Smoke only binds to a cool, damp surface. The first three hours decide the entire flavour.

4. 06:30150°F

   The stall

   Internal temperature stops climbing, sometimes for hours. Beginners panic. We wait — this is the bark forming.

5. 11:00170°F

   Collagen turns

   Connective tissue finally becomes gelatin. This is the difference between stringy and rich, and it cannot be rushed.

6. 13:15195°F

   Bark sets

   Surface tightens into mahogany crust. The last stretch is about texture, not heat.

7. 14:00Rest

   Off and wrapped

   Forty-five minutes minimum. Cut it early and the juice ends up on the board instead of in the meat.

Swipe the rail →