# BBQ'ing pulled pork **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 10, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508 "2012-05-10T15:27:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/21 "2012-05-10T17:40:17Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > What about the reverse? With both ribs and beer-can chicken, I’ll start them in the oven, then just finish them on the grill with wood chips for the last 20 minutes or so. It’s a bit different. I would just call those grilled ribs, or grill-finished ribs or something like that. It’s not what I expect when I hear barbecue. Barbecue takes some time for the smoke flavor to infuse (up to about 4 hours before the meat can’t take on any more smoke), but 20 minutes on wood chips is just grilling over wood. Not the same flavor. It’s still good, but not the same as barbecue. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/22 "2012-05-10T17:43:18Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I’ll get crucified for this, but what the heck. There is nothing wrong with finishing meat in the oven or crock pot. Nothing wrong with it at all. My brisket always finishes in the oven. After a few hours, I’d rather have the steady temperature than more smoke anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/23 "2012-05-10T17:44:38Z")
I prefer to start stuff on the grill or smoker and then finish in the oven. As noted, meat can’t absorb but so much smoke. After you hit that point, there is nothing magical about finishing the cooking in the smoker. The oven works just as well with less babysitting. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/24 "2012-05-10T17:44:43Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s a bit different. I would just call those grilled ribs, or grill-finished ribs or something like that. It’s not what I expect when I hear barbecue. Barbecue takes some time for the smoke flavor to infuse (up to about 4 hours before the meat can’t take on any more smoke), but 20 minutes on wood chips is just grilling over wood. Not the same flavor. It’s still good, but not the same as barbecue. Oh, I wouldn’t _compare_ the two..it’s just what I started doing because I don’t have a proper smoker! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/25 "2012-05-10T17:53:09Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Oh, I wouldn’t _compare_ the two..it’s just what I started doing because I don’t have a proper smoker! I do that sometimes, too. I might start off some meats with a slow cook or braise inside, and then finish them outside on the grill for the browning and flavor. It’s not “barbecue” per se, though. Calling them “grilled” is as far as I’d stretch the terminology for a couple reasons: the short cooking time is not enough to absorb any significant barbecue-type wood smoke flavor (although you will get some smokiness and fat-in-the-fire flavor if it’s directly grilled over the heat source), and because you are finishing it usually directly over a high heat source, which is opposite of barbecue, which is normally indirect over a low heat source. (Although barbecue can be direct, as well, but with enough space so as to be a low heat source at the grate.) ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/26 "2012-05-10T18:11:36Z")
This is a thread hijack. I smoke on an el cheapo Brinkman offset grill that I bought from a Navy guy going to a change of station, so I got no instructions. I had a hell of a time maintaining heat the first time out when I just used charcoal and wood chunk in the box to the side, but not in the main section under the lid. Am I doing it wrong to have 2 fires going, one in the side box to make smoke, and a second smaller one under the meat to provide heat? I have no qualms about a fire in the main part if I’m not smoking, FWIW End hijack. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/27 "2012-05-10T19:53:26Z")
**VunderBob** , in an offset grill like that with a side firebox, all your heat should come from the smaller chamber. You don’t need to also have a heat source in your main chamber. It’s basically a more extreme ‘indirect heat’ method. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/28 "2012-05-10T20:10:05Z")
**vunderbob** - and any others that want to read - get this book -[Low & Slow](http://www.amazon.com/Low-Slow-Master-Barbecue-Lessons/dp/0762436093/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336680506&sr=8-1) and read it - it will help you understand how to set and control the fire/heat in several types of grill setups - as well as get the feel for the technique. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/29 "2012-05-10T20:56:34Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Interesting distinction between “grilling” and serious bbq. I love the Weber BBoG, but you’re right – it’s worked well for me for everything that cooks relatively quickly. Pulled pork has always been a disappointment. > > Seems like lower & slower & much, much longer is the way to go. Try, try again. > > (I’m using a gas grill, btw, although I don’t want to get into a holy war on charcoal vs gas. 🙂 ) One thing–when you do ‘real’ BBQ, (ie: low & slow) you’ll notice that the meat will get to an internal temp of like 150-160 and just…_sit_ there for hours on end…literally, it can be 3-5 hours at that temperature plateau. This is _good_. You’re melting all the tough, yucky collagens that hold the meat together. As the collagen melts, the meat kinda “sweats” it out, keeping the meat at that plateau. When all the collagen is gone, it’ll start to go up in temp fairly rapidly afterwards. The first time you do this, you’ll think “Oh _shit_. Something’s _wrong_!!!” and you’ll keep checking to see if your cooker is working. It’s fine. 🙂 Just be patient. (PS–you can finish it in an oven on a really low temp, but putting it in a crock-pot considerably changes the meat–it’s still good, but it’s not what I think of as pulled pork. You really want a dry heat, not a moist one.) PS: Charcoal all the way baby. :: flees :: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/30 "2012-05-10T21:20:00Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > Should you do this, get a starter chimney so the taste of the starter fluid doesn’t get into the meat. Or get an electric charcoal starter. It’s a little slow, but it does work. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/31 "2012-05-10T21:55:18Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Or get an electric charcoal starter. It’s a little slow, but it does work. I’ve been having good luck with those ‘starter cubes’ from Weber - but I always have a chimney on hand. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508/32 "2012-05-10T22:03:46Z")
> [@simster](#): > > **vunderbob** - and any others that want to read - > > get this book -[Low & Slow](http://www.amazon.com/Low-Slow-Master-Barbecue-Lessons/dp/0762436093/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336680506&sr=8-1) and read it - it will help you understand how to set and control the fire/heat in several types of grill setups - as well as get the feel for the technique. Yep, that’s the book you want. I started my barbecue journey a few years before Gary Wiviott wrote that book, when all his wisdom was available on a website. You can still find it archived [here](http://web.archive.org/web/20080610010959/http://www.wiviott.com/index.html). Regardless, I would recommend buying the book, as it has a whole lot more information and isn’t geared expressly towards the Weber Smoky Mountain. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bbqing-pulled-pork/621508.md?page=1)