Low and Slow Aotearoa

Low & slow BBQ looks incredible on social media, but there's a side to it that rarely gets talked about. I share the realities of the hobby that most people only discover after they start their journey . The long hours of waiting, the cleaning and maintenance, the cost of fuel and meat, and adapting to New Zealand's unpredictable weather. Despite the setbacks, it's all part of what makes low & slo...

Welcome to the first Side Dish episode — shorter conversations and quick thoughts from the world of low & slow BBQ. This time, we're tackling a big debate in barbecue: should great BBQ need sauce? From ribs and pulled pork to brisket, we look at where sauce fits into a cook, when it enhances flavour, and when it might be covering up something underneath. We also talk about the saucy social med...

After a few months away, Low & Slow Aotearoa is back with its first one-on-one guest interview. In Episode 9, I sit down with Equator Whetu at The Blue Ox Babe in Pukekohe, where his humble BBQ journey first began. Starting out under experienced pitmasters, Equator learned the craft from the ground up before eventually becoming a pitmaster himself. We talk about the lessons learned along the w...

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,...

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...

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 compe...

I talk with competitors at the "New Zealand Barbeque Alliance" competition in Kumeu Auckland, to get a real feel for the scene here in Aotearoa. We chat about how BBQ competitions work in NZ, what to expect stepping into your first comp, and the advice they’d give to anyone thinking about giving it a go. We also touch on cooking styles, prep work, how to score good points with the judges, competin...

This episode is about where our meat comes from, and why that matters. From local farms to trusted butchers, we talk about the paddock-to-plate journey and the role it plays in good low & slow BBQ. We cover grass-fed beef, quality over quantity, and why taking a bit of care with your meat changes how you cook it — and how you appreciate it. It’s not about being fancy or perfect, just being mor...

In this first episode of Low & Slow Aotearoa , I’m setting the tone for what this podcast is all about — slow food, real smoke, and the backyard way of doing things here in New Zealand. I’m not a pitmaster or a professional. I’m just an average backyard smoker who’s learned a lot through trial, error, and a few long cooks that didn’t go to plan. This podcast is about sharing those lessons, the...

In episode two of Low and Slow Aotearoa , I break down the core basics of low & slow BBQ: choosing the right wood, preparing the right cuts of meat, and understanding time, temperature, and patience. I talk about how different woods affect flavour, the importance of clean smoke, and how to match wood to meat — including fruit woods, nut woods, and New Zealand favourites like mānuka and pōhutuk...

We dive into what gives low & slow BBQ its New Zealand flavour — the woods we use, the way we cook, and the Kiwi style that makes it our own. I talk about native and locally available woods, how they affect smoke and flavour, and why understanding what grows around you matters just as much as following a recipe. From lighter smokes to stronger profiles, it’s about using wood thoughtfully and l...

A taste of what's to come. Launching Jan 5 2026 with 3 episodes. New episodes fortnightly.