One carnival cookoff taught me more than any class

Went down to the Hico cookoff last month just to watch and ended up talking to this old pit boss for like an hour. He showed me how he wraps his briskets in butcher paper but then pops them open for 15 minutes before resting. I tried it on my next cook and the bark stayed way crunchier than my usual foil method. Cost me nothing but a cold drink and some patience to learn that trick. Anyone else picked up better tips from a stranger at a competition than from a paid class?

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bencampbell8d ago

Funny you mention that. I used to be all about paying for classes and watching YouTube videos from the big names. Then a guy at a local event showed me his simple trick for keeping ribs from drying out, and honestly, it beat anything I ever got from a paid lesson. Just goes to show the best secrets are often shared over a cooler.