💡Thought Shares

c/bbq-pitmasters

10

miles_hall•8h ago

That expensive smoker gasket I installed failed mid-brisket last weekend

I spent $35 on that fancy nomex gasket for my offset smoker about 6 months ago, and I figured it would be a permanent fix for the door seal. Well, I loaded up a 15 pound brisket last Saturday morning, got the fire dialed in at 250, and then around hour 3 I noticed smoke pouring out of spots where the gasket had peeled off in chunks. Turns out the adhesive they use just can't handle the heat near the firebox for that long. I ended up having to wrap the whole door opening with wet towels just to keep the temp steady, which worked okay but not great. The brisket came out edible but the bark was way softer than I wanted, probably from all that steam. Has anyone else had nomex gaskets fail on them, or am I just buying the wrong type?

9

vera_johnson9•9h ago

Threw $150 at a 'competition grade' pellet smoker and got sawdust flavored chicken

I bought this pellet smoker claiming it competes with offset pits, but after a 6 hour brisket that tasted like a campfire's regret, I'm leaning hard towards team real wood. Has anyone else been burned by a pellet pooper that promised more than it could deliver?

17

gracec16•15h ago

Ran into an old pitmaster at the gas station and it messed with my head

I was grabbing ice at the Shell station off I-35 last Thursday and saw this guy I hadn't seen since like 2018. He used to run a trailer setup that won 3 grand prizes at local comps. He told me he quit competing because the judges don't care about smoke rings anymore, just sweet glaze and Instagram looks. It hit me different cause I've been chasing those dark red rings for years and maybe nobody actually gives a damn. Has anyone else had a conversation that made you question your whole approach to cooking?

4

nancyn69•19h ago

Hot take: I left the Memphis in May contest last year thinking competition BBQ is overrated

Everyone raves about that event like it's the holy grail of smoking meat. I went down there in May 2023 to watch and help a buddy on his team. After 8 hours of watching people stress over 1 degree temp swings and tweeting about their exact wood blend, I decided it just wasn't for me. The ribs we ate were fine, but nothing compared to what my neighbor makes on his beat up offset at home on a Saturday. Has anyone else left a big competition feeling like it killed the fun for them?

10

jakejones•1d ago

Just realized I've been using the wrong wood for brisket after talking to an old pitmaster in Lockhart

He told me post oak is all you really need for beef, and I've been wasting money on fancy fruit woods for years... has anyone else had that moment where a simple change changed everything?

3

the_anthony•2d ago

Got told off by a pitmaster in Kansas City for my brisket wrap method

I was at a competition in KC last fall and Aaron from Smokey Oaks BBQ watched me wrap my brisket in foil and said I was steaming it instead of smoking it. He told me to switch to butcher paper at the stall so the bark stays crunchy. Any of you guys had a similar wakeup call about wrapping technique?

32

the_simon•3d ago

Watched my buddy ruin 4 briskets before he finally listened to me about trimming

My friend Mike kept posting these hockey puck briskets to the group chat for like 3 months straight. Finally went over to his place in Austin last weekend and saw him trimming maybe an ounce of fat off each one before throwing them on his offset. I made him stop mid-trim and showed him how to actually take off the hard fat cap and silver skin. The before and after on his last cook was night and day - 8 hours versus his usual 14 and it actually pulled apart. Has anyone else had to physically show someone their trimming mistakes before they believed you?

13

the_taylor•5d ago

Neighbor told me to flip my ribs and I couldn't believe what happened next

So I'm out back on a Sunday, running my usual 3-2-1 method on some St. Louis cuts, using a Weber kettle with a Slow n Sear. This guy from two houses down walks over and says I should try flipping my ribs halfway through the smoke. I laughed and said no way, you never flip ribs, right? He convinced me to give it a shot on one rack and that side came out way more even, no burnt ends on the thin part. Has anyone else broken the "don't flip" rule or am I just late to the party?

6

corablack•5d ago

Found out Aaron Franklin only uses Post Oak for brisket 100% of the time

I always figured he mixed woods depending on the cook. Read it in his new book last night. Anyone else thought he switched it up sometimes?

1

williams.sage•6d ago

Swapped from a water pan to a foil drip pan on my offset and my bark came out way better

I was fighting with a soggy bark on pork shoulders for months, then I ditched my heavy water pan for a cheap foil half tray. The moisture difference was night and day, anyone else tried ditching the water pan and got better results?

15

wesleyb20•6d ago

Tried lump charcoal over briquettes for a brisket smoke

Made a big difference in taste and heat consistency. The briquettes gave me steady temps but the lump charcoal left a cleaner smoke flavor on the meat. Anyone else find lump harder to control or was it just me messing up the airflow?

3

avery_jackson•21d ago

Switched from charcoal to lump oak for my brisket and wished I did it 4 years ago

I rolled with standard Kingsford charcoal for the longest time because it was cheap and easy. Then last weekend I grabbed a bag of B&B lump oak on a whim at the Ace Hardware near my place. The flavor difference was night and day, way cleaner burn and my brisket actually had a solid smoke ring for once. Has anyone else made the swap and noticed a big jump in quality?

19

elliot_gibson27•22d ago

Had a chat with a retired pitmaster in my town and it messed with my whole approach to ribs

I was buying rub at a little shop last week and an older guy started talking to me about cook times. He said he runs baby backs at 225 for 2 hours no wrap, then finishes them hot and fast at 350 for 30 minutes. I've been doing 3-2-1 for years like everyone online says. He told me I'm basically braising meat into mush and stealing all the bite from the bone. I tried his method on Sunday and the texture was totally different, way more chew but still tender. Has anyone else messed around with skipping the wrap step on ribs or is that just me?

18

miller.rowan•22d ago

I finally realized I was trimming brisket all wrong after 6 years

Was at a competition in Austin last month and a pitmaster named Dave pointed out I was cutting against the grain before the cook. He showed me his method of leaving a fat cap that keeps the flat from drying out. After trying it on a 14 pound prime packer it came out way juicier than anything I ever made before. Anyone else have a basic technique they messed up for way too long?

15

ray356•23d ago

My Uncle Ray told me to wrap brisket in butcher paper at 150 degrees, he was DEAD wrong

I was cooking a 14 pound packer last Saturday, got it to 150 internal after about 6 hours on my offset. Uncle Ray swore that's the magic number to wrap. So I did it tight in pink butcher paper, put it back on. Meat came out at 203 after another 4 hours and it was DRY as sand. I tried his method again the next weekend with a smaller 10 pounder, same result. Next time I'm waiting until 170 before wrapping like my buddy at work told me. Has anyone else had bad luck wrapping too early?

17

daniel140•23d ago

Warning: My offset smoker grate collapsed mid-cook last Sunday

I was doing a brisket for a birthday party and about 4 hours in, the grates just gave way on one side. Pit was at 275 and I lost about 10 pounds of meat onto the charcoal bed. Had to pull everything out and brace the remaining grate with firebricks just to finish the cook. Anyone else had this happen with a cheaper offset and found a grate upgrade that actually holds up?

20

ray_martinez82•26d ago

Hit 100 briskets smoked last weekend. Never thought I'd get there.

Started keeping count two years ago after a buddy dared me. Finally cracked triple digits on Saturday with a 16 pound prime packer from Costco. Used a mix of oak and hickory on my offset. Took 14 hours but the bark was perfect. Anyone else keep a tally or am I just weird?

24

fiona_west21•1mo ago

Hit 200 degrees internal temp on a brisket and it still came out dry

I was cooking a 15 pound brisket on my offset smoker last Sunday and got it to 200 degrees after 12 hours. The flat was so dry I could barely slice it without it crumbling. Has anyone else found that targeting a higher temp like 203 or 205 gives you better results on big briskets?

25

luna_wright•1mo ago

Spent $150 on that fancy ceramic charcoal starter and it cracked on first use

My old cheap steel chimney lasted 5 years and this expensive one split right down the side after one cook, so has anyone else had bad luck with those ceramic starters?

3

linda114•1mo ago

Took me 4 hours to figure out why my brisket stall wouldn't break

Ngl, I kept cranking the heat on my offset smoker but the temp just sat at 160 for what felt like forever. Turns out I had a clogged exhaust vent from creosote buildup, and clearing it took maybe 15 minutes - should have checked that first. Anyone else ever waste half a day on something that simple?

7

knight.dylan•1mo ago

Comparing a 20-year-old offset smoker to my fancy insulated cabinet smoker

I spent last weekend at my buddy's place in Kansas City using his old-school offset that he's had since 2003. The thing is beat up, rust spots on the firebox, gaps around the door you could fit a pencil through. He just throws oak splits in and manages the fire by feel, opening the door to check every 20 minutes or so. Meanwhile I've got this insulated cabinet smoker that holds temps within 5 degrees for 12 hours without touching it. But you know what? His brisket had that deep, smoky flavor that mine just doesn't get. Mine comes out clean and consistent, perfect for a dinner party, but his has that soul, that red smoke ring that goes a quarter inch deep. I'm starting to think the new tech makes things easier but takes away some of that character. Has anyone else switched back to an old offset after using the new stuff?

3

cole_baker•1mo ago

Switched from apple wood to pecan for brisket and never looking back

Used apple wood for like 3 years straight on my briskets cause thats what my buddy told me to start with. Last summer I ran out mid-cook and grabbed some pecan from my neighbor's pile. The bark came out way darker and the flavor had this nutty sweetness that just worked better with the beef fat. My family noticed the difference before I even said anything. Anyone else find a wood switch that totally changed their cook?

5

the_jana•1mo ago

Finally figured out why my pork butt stalled at 165 for 45 minutes

Turns out my cheap thermometer was reading 15 degrees low the whole time, and I only caught it after burning through a whole evening and three beers.

2

keith900•1mo ago

Spent $350 on a thermoworks signals and it saved my brisket from the stall monster

After three ruined flats last summer I bit the bullet on that fancy thermometer setup and now I actually sleep through overnight cooks instead of panicking every two hours, has anyone else had a gadget that paid for itself in meat saved?

19

susanb34•1mo ago

Spent 6 hours chasing a temperature swing on my WSM 22

Thought my gasket was shot, checked that. Then the door seal. Then the intakes. Turned out my charcoal was stacked uneven and it was channeling. Anyone else spend way too long on a simple fix?