Can you barbecue low and slow with a rotisserie? We get that question a lot, and the answer is simple. Of course, you can. Low and slow barbecue existed long before kamados, smokers, and aluminium foil.
Back in the day, when pork was being smoked to make pulled pork, rotisseries weren’t used, but everything was still cooked over glowing charcoal in a pit. So if it worked then, it should definitely work with a rotisserie. There are just a few things to remember, and we’ll walk you through them all.
Choose High-Quality Meat
Since we’re making this pulled pork entirely on the rotisserie, the meat won’t be wrapped at any point. That’s why you need a well-marbled cut.
We used a 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) pork collar with beautiful intramuscular fat. That’s the thin white lines running through the meat. This fat ensures a tender, juicy bite, precisely what you want with pulled pork.
A pork collar, or pork neck, is the ideal cut because its shape allows for even rotation and has a uniform texture throughout. A whole pork shoulder is usually too large and incorporates multiple cuts, resulting in uneven cooking.
Wet Brining the Pork Collar
Once you’ve got the proper cut, it’s time to wet brine it. Wet brining keeps the meat juicy during cooking. Since we’re not wrapping it once it has absorbed enough smoke, it will naturally release moisture around 65ºC (149ºF). Usually, that moisture is caught in foil, but in this case, it will drip straight into your grill.
We brine the pork collar for two days in a mixture of 1.5 litres (6 cups) of water, 90 grams (3.2 oz) of salt, and 60 grams (2.1 oz) of brown sugar. That’s 60 grams (2.1 oz) of salt and 40 grams (1.4 oz) of sugar per litre (4 cups) of water. First, determine the container size for brining so you know exactly how much water you need, then calculate the salt and sugar accordingly.
The salt penetrates deep into the meat’s cells, helping them retain moisture. Sugar molecules are too large to go deep, so they stay on the surface, where they caramelize for extra colour and flavour.
The brine should be cold and under 6ºC (43ºF). To achieve this, you boil 200 ml (0.85 cups) of water to dissolve the salt and sugar. Then, add ice-cold water (chilled in the freezer for an hour) to bring the brine to the proper temperature before adding the meat.
Seasoning the Meat
When the meat has brined, it’s time to add even more flavour. In this case, a good dry rub is essential. Not only for taste but also to create those delicious dark, crusty bits. Here’s our rub, but feel free to use your own:
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp chipotle powder
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp granulated garlic
You’ll notice there’s no extra salt in the rub. That’s because the brine already deeply seasoned the meat. Adding more salt would make the pulled pork unbearably salty.
Using the Rotisserie Basket
The tricky part is mounting the pork on the rotisserie. The goal of making pulled pork is for the meat to become so tender that it falls apart effortlessly. The problem? It might literally fall apart and drop into the bottom of your grill.
That’s why we use a rotisserie basket, a clever system that holds the meat securely inside. You can adjust the grates inside the basket to fit different shapes and sizes of food, making it versatile for various recipes.
No Basket? No Problem!
If you don’t have a basket, you have to place a drip tray under the rotisserie. If any pieces fall off the spit, you won’t lose them.
Setting Up the grill for the rotisserie
You could cook the meat over direct heat if it’s far enough from the coals. However, dripping fat will cause flare-ups, and if flames hit the meat, you’re no longer barbecuing low and slow.
Instead, we set up an indirect heat zone and placed the rotating pork collar above it. The charcoal and a few chunks of smokewood go beneath a single heat deflector. This setup prevents excessive direct heat and controls flare-ups while allowing you to slow-smoke the meat on the rotisserie.
When Is the Meat Ready to Pull?
Let the pork spin for at least two hours before peeking. We know you’ll want to, but resist the urge! As the saying goes, “If you’re looking, you’re not cooking.”
Just monitor the grill temperature and find something else to do. You’re good if your grill stays under 150ºC (302ºF). If it climbs above 160ºC (320ºF), the sugars will burn, giving the meat a bitter taste.
The collagen in the meat will break down between 93-100ºC (199-212ºF), making it tender. Our pork collar hit 99ºC (210ºF) after four and a half hours and was incredibly soft.
Check doneness by probing the meat with your thermometer. If the probe slides in effortlessly, it’s time to pull it off the rotisserie.
How long it takes to make the meat this tender will vary based on meat quality, starting temperature, thickness, and grill conditions. Patience is key with pulled pork. Just start early and keep yourself busy.
Resting the Meat Before Pulling
Resting is a crucial step. As mentioned earlier, the meat releases moisture while cooking. If you pull it immediately, much of that moisture will end up in the drip tray or evaporate, wasting flavour and juiciness.
Let the meat rest in a tray covered with aluminium foil. As it cools slightly, the juices redistribute throughout the muscle fibres. Thirty minutes is usually enough, but if you need more time before serving, wrap it tightly in foil and place it in a cooler. This way, the meat will stay hot for hours.
After resting, it’s time to pull the pork. You’ll notice that, as promised, the meat is dryer than pulled pork made the authentic way, and less juice has pooled in the tray.
But don’t worry because this pulled pork is still incredibly juicy. That’s mainly because we chose high-quality pork and brining it properly.
Are You Going to Make Rotisserie Pulled Pork?
Let us know in the comments below if you give this a go. Or even better, snap a photo and share it on your socials. Tag @bbqhelden so we can check out your masterpiece.
