c/bbq-pitmasters

Talking with my neighbor about brisket changed my whole setup

Last Saturday I was out back splitting wood when my neighbor Mike, who runs a little smoke shack off Route 9, asked why I bother with my fancy pellet grill when he just uses a 20-year-old offset and a bag of lump. He said the bark comes out better when you let the fire fight you a little, and honestly after three cooks with his rub recipe I can taste it. Has anyone else gone back to a simpler rig after someone talked you out of all the gadgets?

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xena_williams•3d ago

Spent $180 on a pellet smoker that died in 4 months

I grabbed this off-brand pellet smoker from a flea market in Phoenix. Looked solid, had good reviews online. Hooked it up, ran it maybe 15 times. Then the auger jammed and the control board fried. No warranty, no receipt, just a paperweight in my yard. Tried fixing it myself, even watched a YouTube video on the controller. Total waste of cash and a whole Sunday. Anybody else gamble on a mystery brand and regret it? What do you trust under $300 now?

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jason562•4d ago

A retired pitmaster in Austin told me my brisket was too clean

He said I was trimming all the fat off like a surgeon and that the best briskets keep some ugly edges for flavor, so I left a messy flap on my last cook and honestly it came out juicier, has anyone else gone less neat with their trim on purpose?

c/bbq-pitmasters

Talking with my neighbor about brisket changed my whole setup

Spent $180 on a pellet smoker that died in 4 months

A retired pitmaster in Austin told me my brisket was too clean

Old timer at the county fair told me my smoking times were all wrong

That Saturday my brisket hit 203 in 4 hours and I almost served sawdust

Went back to my hometown BBQ joint after 12 years, the pit was gone

Is competition style judging killing backyard flavor?

That old shadetree guy in Texarkana taught me more in 20 minutes than 2 years of YouTube

I finally found why my briskets were drying out, it was the rest method

Watched a pitmaster in Lockhart use a leaf blower on his coals and I almost walked out

Had to eat my words about trimming brisket fat caps

Judge told me my bark was too dark, now I pull at 195 instead of 205

My offset smoker door warped after a 14 hour cook, almost ruined a brisket

That kiosk brisket in Tulsa made me question my whole setup

That $40 offset smoker from a garage sale turned my whole approach around

Hardwood lump vs briquettes, my backyard switch finally clicked

I finally told a pitmaster his brisket was dry and he thanked me

That 4 a.m. pork butt at the Franklin line broke my patience for good

My offset smoker was lying to me for 6 months

A stranger poked my brisket and gave me a one-liner I still think about

Had to pick between a pellet smoker and an offset for my first competition

Hot take: Should competition judges know the pitmasters name before tasting?

Just realized my uncle's brisket tip was completely backwards

Debate: Should competition BBQ judges be required to have cooking experience?

Went to Franklin Barbecue in Austin last week and noticed something odd about their pit setup