BBQ Season Kickoff, Malcom's Best Pork Butt Recipe & Whole Hog Secrets

Malcolm Reed kicks off barbecue season with a deep dive into the art of cooking pork butt and whole hogs, revealing that the secret to perfect pulled pork isn't just time or temperature—it's about trusting the process, protecting the loin with sausage and bacon, and mastering the final dry-off phase. He shares his no-injection, no-brine method, emphasizing seasoning, low-and-slow smoking at 235°F, and using a double-layer foil wrap with a clever 'crimp and fold' technique for easy probing. For whole hog cooking on reverse flow smokers, Malcolm debunks the myth of even cooking, showing how to protect delicate loins by removing ribs, stuffing them with spicy breakfast sausage, and insulating with bacon—tricks that ensure juicy, balanced results even when the hams and shoulders lag. The episode also tackles real-world questions: why pizza tastes better cold, how to fix a smoker with uneven temps, and how to tell picanha from tri-tip. With humor, practical wisdom, and a love for community, Malcolm proves that great barbecue isn't about perfection—it's about presence, preparation, and sharing the table. The episode’s standout insight? The best barbecue isn’t cooked—it’s finished. The final 15 minutes of drying, glazing, and resting are what transform a good pork butt into a masterpiece. Malcolm’s advice to ‘baby the hog’ with sausage, ice, and insulation turns a high-risk cook into a guaranteed win. And his take on cold pizza? It’s not a flaw—it’s a feature.