You are looking at BBQ. Not just any BBQ, but pulled pork. Pulled pork is the King of all BBQ. When my friend Jimmy Hagood told me he was driving his Big Red Rig from Charleston up to the NC Mountains to cater a party, I had to make the trip up to watch a master in action.

The Big Red Rig is Jimmy’s one of a kind BBQ trailer/cooker/mobile party/headquarters for Black Jack BBQ. How cool is that, cooking down below with a spiral staircase leading to seating above. This 7,000 lb trailer does more than just look cool. It can also turn out some amazing BBQ.

Equipped with 2 smokers, charcoal starter, gas burners, it has everything you need to create the perfect BBQ. Of course it would not be complete without a kitchen sink as well!

Great BBQ must start with great pork shoulders. These 5 shoulders weigh in at a combined 80 lbs. Mmmm 18 or so hours later they will look much different.

A little coating of mustard added some flavor, but more importantly created something for the rub to adhere to.

Next, the application of the rub. The rub is a secret mixture of herbs and spices that will cook into the meat creating an amazing flavor. Every BBQ master has their own secret recipe for their rub. I am not exactly sure what Jimmy had in his, all I know is it smelled amazing.

Mmmmm all spiced up and ready to for the injection.

The shoulders are injected with a secret vinegar mixture. Now the meat is ready to meet the smoke!

Hot coals and pecan logs were placed into one of the smokers. The shoulders were left in here for about an hour. After a few minutes the the smoker began spilling out smoke and an amazing aroma.

While the shoulders were smoking, Jimmy built a “ring of fire” out of charcoal and peach wood chunks. This ring would burn in a counter clockwise direction during the entire 18 hour or so cooking process.

With the double insulated smoker fueled up it was time to transfer the shoulders and say goodbye for a while, but not without a little more rub being applied.

I came back the next day to find the shoulder looking quite different. Overnight, Jimmy had wrapped the shoulders in foil to hold them together and prevent too much browning. After unwrapping the shoulder, it was time to let them firm up a little before adding the sauce!

Mmm look at that. Jimmy coated the shoulders in his butterscotch bourbon BBQ sauce.

Doesn’t that look amazing!

Roughly 18 hours later this is what you have.

Just look at those smoke rings and caramelized skin. With Jimmy being from Charleston, BBQ is not all the Big Red Rig brought to the party that day.

What do you get when you take boiling water, seasoning, sausages…

potatoes, corn…

and shrimp?

You have an amazing low country boil!

Not only was there great food at the party, but there was an amazing view…

and an awesome performance from Joey and Rory…

After watching Jimmy in action I have a greater appreciation for pulled pork. This is the first time that I had witnessed the process from start to finish. This experience is proof of the old saying “good things come to those who wait” My patience was rewarded when the pork was done. No knife or fork here, you can just pull it off the bone. Hence the name for pulled pork. This is definitely a BBQ experience I will not soon forget. Anytime that Jimmy and his Big Red Rig are close to me, I think I will have to follow and see what they are cooking.