The Smuggler's Journal

Pork's having its moment - cheaper than beef, forgiving to cook, and pulled pork feeds a crowd for not much outlay. The Smuggler's bread and butter route.

The Cut

A bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt), 3-4kg. Fat cap left on.

Smuggler's Pick (and two ways to run it)

Every good smuggler runs a few routes. Pick the one that suits your crew:

• The Classic Run — Taippan BBQ Brazilian Pork: built specifically for low & slow pork, sweet-and-savoury with genuine backbone.
• The Fruit Route — Sinsque Grunt Cherry Pork Rub: cherry-backed sweetness with a little chipotle heat.
• The Comp Run — Rum and Que Rib Rocker Pork Rub: competition-proven, works just as well on a whole shoulder.

Method

1. Season the shoulder heavily on all sides, rest at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.
2. Smoke at 110-120°C until internal temp hits 65°C and the bark is set, roughly 4-5 hours.
3. Wrap in butcher paper or foil, continue cooking until internal temp hits 95-96°C and the bone wiggles free.
4. Rest wrapped for at least 30-45 minutes.
5. Pull apart with forks or claws, mixing in bark throughout for texture.

Serve it with

Soft rolls, coleslaw and a squeeze of BBQ sauce - or straight into tacos with pickled onion.

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