Jul 09 2026
Restaurants›Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q›Little Bob Gibson Sampler Recipe

Little Bob Gibson Sampler Recipe

Inspired by Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q
Time12h
Serves4

Pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked turkey and a quarter chicken.

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Ingredients

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Pulled Pork

Beef Brisket

Smoked Turkey

Quarter Chicken

Finishing / Serving

Method

Pulled Pork

  1. 1

    Make rub

    Combine kosher salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

  2. 2

    Prep pork

    Trim any excessive hard fat from the pork shoulder, leaving a thin fat cap. Pat dry with paper towels. Generously apply the dry rub all over the pork, pressing it into crevices. Let rest at room temperature 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.

  3. 3

    Prepare smoker

    Preheat smoker to a steady 225°F using indirect heat and hickory or oak wood. Place a drip pan under the grill grate to catch drippings.

  4. 4

    Smoke

    Place pork on the smoker fat-side up. Smoke at 225°F, adding wood chunks as needed to maintain smoke, for approximately 5-7 hours or until the bark develops and internal temp reaches ~195°F. Starting at hour 3, spritz every 45-60 minutes with apple juice (use a spray bottle) to maintain moisture and help bark formation.

  5. 5

    Wrap and finish

    If the pork stalls between 155–170°F and you need to speed up, wrap tightly in foil (Texas crutch) with the apple cider vinegar + water mop added into the foil and return to smoker. Continue until internal temperature reaches 203°F and the meat is probe-tender (probe slides in like butter).

  6. 6

    Rest and pull

    Let the wrapped pork rest in a cooler or warm place 45–60 minutes. Unwrap, discard excess liquid if desired, and use forks or meat claws to pull the pork apart. Mix in 1 cup of the tomato-based BBQ sauce to taste, reserving sauce for serving.

Beef Brisket

  1. 7

    Make brisket rub

    Mix kosher salt, coarse black pepper, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and mustard powder in a bowl.

  2. 8

    Prep brisket

    Trim excess fat to leave about a 1/4-inch fat cap. Pat brisket dry. Apply rub evenly over entire brisket and press gently so it adheres. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight for deeper penetration.

  3. 9

    Prepare smoker

    Arrange smoker for low-and-slow at 225°F with indirect heat. Add wood chunks (hickory or oak) to the coals or wood tray for steady smoke.

  4. 10

    Smoke brisket

    Place brisket fat-side up on the smoker. Smoke for 6–8 hours at 225°F, maintaining a steady temperature. Starting around hour 3, spritz the brisket every 60 minutes with beef broth to keep the surface moist and encourage bark formation.

  5. 11

    Wrap and finish

    When the brisket reaches about 160–165°F and has a deep mahogany bark, wrap tightly in butcher paper or foil. Return to smoker and continue until internal temperature reaches 203°F and a probe slides with slight resistance but no tug (probe-tender).

  6. 12

    Rest and slice

    Rest the wrapped brisket in an insulated cooler for at least 60 minutes. Unwrap and slice against the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Reserve juices from the wrap to drizzle over sliced brisket when serving.

Smoked Turkey

  1. 13

    Brine turkey

    In a container large enough to hold the turkey, dissolve kosher salt and brown sugar into 8 cups of cold water. Add bay leaves, black peppercorns and crushed garlic cloves. Submerge the turkey breast completely in the brine, cover and refrigerate 6–12 hours (6 hours minimum for a 4 lb breast).

  2. 14

    Rinse and dry

    Remove turkey from brine, discard brine, rinse the turkey under cold water to remove excess salt, and pat completely dry with paper towels. Allow to air-dry in the refrigerator uncovered for 1–2 hours if time permits (helps skin crisp).

  3. 15

    Prep and season

    Rub softened butter under and over the skin. Mix paprika, dried thyme and black pepper and rub evenly over the skin and exposed meat. Let sit 20–30 minutes at room temperature before smoking.

  4. 16

    Smoke turkey

    Preheat smoker to 325°F for turkey (higher than pork/brisket so skin crisps). Place turkey breast on the smoker and smoke until internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part, about 2.5–3.5 hours for a 4 lb breast. Maintain steady smoke and avoid drying by not over-smoking.

  5. 17

    Rest and slice

    Remove turkey, tent loosely with foil and rest 15–20 minutes. Slice or carve into thin slices for the sampler.

Quarter Chicken

  1. 18

    Season chicken

    Pat chicken leg quarters dry. Toss with olive oil. Combine kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder and rub evenly over each quarter, working under the skin where possible.

  2. 19

    Smoke chicken

    Preheat smoker to 275°F. Place leg quarters skin-side up on the smoker. Smoke until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 175–180°F (safe and yields tender dark meat), approximately 1.5–2 hours depending on size.

  3. 20

    Crisp skin (optional)

    For crispier skin, increase smoker or grill temp to 400°F for the last 5–10 minutes of cook time or finish skin briefly over a hot grill, watching carefully to avoid flare-ups.

  4. 21

    Rest

    Remove quarters and rest 10 minutes before serving to lock in juices.

Finishing / Plating

  1. 22

    Portion

    For each sampler plate, assemble approximately: 4–6 oz pulled pork, 4–6 oz sliced brisket, 4–6 oz smoked turkey slices, and one chicken leg quarter.

  2. 23

    Sauce & garnish

    Warm the additional BBQ sauce. Serve pulled pork with a light toss in sauce if desired; provide extra sauce on the side. Add sliced dill pickles and sprinkle chopped parsley over the plate for color and brightness.

  3. 24

    Serve

    Serve hot. Recommend letting all meats rest the proper amount before plating to maintain juiciness. Leftovers refrigerate up to 3–4 days.

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