A Pitmasters Year: Twelve Months of Smoke at Home

A whole year on the smoker doesnt happen by accident. The smartest pitmasters I know plan a season ahead, stocking pecan in the spring, ordering whole packers in the fall, and curing bacon when the kitchen finally cools off. Hosting Memorial Day for fifteen people goes a lot better when you bought the brisket two weeks earlier and gave it a long rest in the fridge first.

Start with a year-on-a-page calendar and pencil in your big cook dates: backyard birthdays, neighborhood block parties, the Fourth, Labor Day, fall tailgates, and Thanksgiving. Then work backwards. Want pulled pork sandwiches at the office on a Tuesday? That is a Sunday cook with a Monday rest in the fridge. Want a turkey on Thanksgiving morning? That is a Wednesday afternoon brine.

Stocking the freezer is its own game. The best pulled pork is the pulled pork you smoked two months ago, chilled overnight, and bagged with a splash of mop for the long haul. Same with brisket burnt ends, smoked sausage links, and the chunks of belly you turn into bacon. Smoke big, eat small, and your week always has dinner ready.