Low & slow BBQ feels everywhere in New Zealand now — smokers in backyards, brisket on social feeds, and BBQ sections growing in hardware stores.

But it wasn’t always like that.

In this episode, I look at how low & slow cooking went from a niche hobby to something far more common across Aotearoa. From the influence of social media and overseas BBQ culture, to gear becoming easier to access, lockdowns giving people time to cook, and the quiet resurgence of hands-on hobbies.

More importantly, we talk about what happens next. Was this just a trend, or is something more lasting being built?

Because low & slow might have started as something we copied — but the people who stuck around are shaping what Kiwi low & slow BBQ becomes.

This one's a bit more personal.

I share a backyard BBQ cook that nearly made me quit low & slow smoking altogether.

It wasn’t about burnt meat or a failed brisket — it was about pressure. I’d built the cook up in my head as a proper thank you to my dad after he helped me out at home. Somewhere between confidence and overconfidence, things slipped, and it hit harder than it should have.

We talk about what happens when a BBQ cook goes wrong, how ego can creep into low & slow, and why we sometimes take mistakes more personally than we need to. This episode isn’t about technique — it’s about mindset, humility, and learning from a failed cook.

Because great BBQ isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up, learning, and doing better next time.

In the last episode, we stepped inside NZ BBQ competitions. This time, we break down what actually matters for backyard cooks.

What do competitions get right? Planning, fire management, cooking with intention — discipline over expensive gear. But they can also overcomplicate things, chasing perfect appearance and cooking for judges instead of people.

I talk through what’s worth learning from competition BBQ, what you can ignore at home, and how to apply the right lessons without losing the enjoyment of cooking.

Because most of us aren’t chasing trophies — we’re chasing better cooks, fewer mistakes, and food that brings people together.

Competition BBQ is useful — but only if you steal the right parts.