Jefferies’ founding father credentials were solidified in 2017 when he joined forces with American barbecue personality Moerlando “Big Moe” Cason when he was selected to be on Cason’s BBQ World Championship team.
“They invited me back after that,” Jefferies said.
He has now been a part of Cason’s team for over five years.
When Jefferies and fellow pitmasters Shane Southby and Todd Richardson met up with SunLive, the three had started getting the brisket ready at 4.30am ready for a cooking tutorial the same day.
(From L to R) Mike Jefferies, Shane Southby and Todd Richardson.
“We are cooking all day, and none of us will probably eat all day just because we take on enough of the smoke.”
Jefferies said barbecue is almost a religion in the States, and each state does things slightly differently and prioritises different types and cuts of meat.
“Texas is brisket, Carolina is ribs. It’s different in different States.”
He likes to cook his brisket Iowa-style in honour of his mentor from Iowa, the Hawkeye State.
The one he had in the smoker had been cooking for 10 hours. He fed the smoker with hardwoods, as wood like Applewood, peach, or cherry burns too quickly for large pieces of meat.
The Brisket, about to be wrapped in peach butcher paper and put back into the smoker. Photo / Tom Eley
“When it’s not dry enough, the meat can get acrid or bitter, which it can easily do,” Southby said,
One of the most important tips Jefferies could give regarding low and slow cooking was timing and fire management.
“It’s got to be under a certain temperature; normally, I have everything at 275 fahrenheit.”
