c/bbq-pitmasters

TIL my brisket finally didn't need sauce after three years of trying

Last week in my backyard, I pulled a flat off the smoker that was actually juicy all the way through. I think wrapping it in butcher paper at 160 degrees made the real difference. Has anyone else had that 'no sauce needed' moment with a specific cut?

My pork shoulder stalled for 8 hours on the smoker yesterday

I wrapped it in butcher paper and bumped the temp up to 275, which finally got it moving. Anyone have a better method for pushing through a stubborn stall?

My kid asked why we don't just get ribs from the restaurant anymore

We were cleaning the smoker last weekend and my youngest pointed at the grease bucket and said it looked gross. He asked why we go through all this when we could just pick up a rack from that place in town. I told him about the 14 hours for a full packer brisket, the smell of post oak at 3 AM, and how his grandpa taught me to wrap in butcher paper. It hit me that the work is the whole point, not just the food. That slow process is what connects the whole thing. What's a simple thing you do that keeps the tradition feeling real for you?

I hit 225 degrees on my brisket way faster than I expected this weekend

My old offset usually takes 14 hours to get there, but this time it was done in just under 10. I think the real difference was wrapping it in butcher paper right when the bark set (around 170 degrees, for the record). Has anyone else had a cook time drop that much just from changing the wrap timing?

My neighbor swore by a 225 degree flat cook for pork shoulder, but I got mush

He said 'low and slow never fails' for 14 hours, but the fat never rendered and the texture was awful. I've found a hotter cook, around 275, gives me way better bark and pulls clean. Anyone else had a similar experience with a trusted tip falling flat?

My brisket turned to leather during a surprise heat wave in Austin

Was doing a backyard cook last month, temps hit 105 out of nowhere. My usual 14 hour plan went out the window. The fire in my offset pit got way too hot, way too fast. I was fighting it for hours, adding wood chunks that just flared up. The flat dried out before the point even got close to probe tender. Ended up with a 9 pound brisket that was tough as shoe leather on one end. Ruined a whole Saturday and about $80 worth of meat. Anyone have tips for managing a cook when the weather just goes crazy on you?

Appreciation post: I finally tried a whole hog cook after years of just doing pork shoulders

Last weekend in Memphis, I cooked a 120-pound hog on my offset smoker instead of my usual two 8-pound shoulders. The difference in flavor and bark was huge, way more complex and juicy. I think the mix of different meats and fats from the whole animal made it better. Has anyone else made the jump from single cuts to a whole hog and noticed a big change?

Appreciation post: I used to think a pellet grill was cheating, but a guy in Austin showed me his 16-hour brisket process last month.

He explained his precise temperature and smoke level changes every three hours, which convinced me it's more about the cook's plan than the fire source. Anyone have a similar switch on a different piece of gear?

A judge at the Memphis in May contest told me my brisket was 'dry as a bone'

That comment hit hard, but it made me look at my whole process. I realized I was rushing the rest period, pulling my briskets off the smoker and slicing them within 30 minutes. The judge, an old guy named Carl, pulled me aside and said, 'Son, that meat needs to sweat. Wrap it in towels and let it sit in a cooler for at least two hours, maybe three.' I tried it the next weekend on a 16-pound packer. The difference was night and day. The brisket held its moisture and the fat rendered perfectly. Now I never skip the long rest. Anyone else have a contest critique that actually improved their game?

My brisket finally got that perfect bark after three tries in my Oklahoma Joe

The trick was keeping the temp steady at 225 for 14 hours and using a simple salt and pepper rub. Anyone else find that less fussing leads to better results?

Appreciation post: My brisket went from dry to perfect after I stopped opening the smoker to 'check' it every hour.

I went from a 7-pound flat that tasted like leather to one that actually bent when I picked it up, just by leaving the lid shut for the full 12-hour cook.

DAE think the 'Texas crutch' is a total cheat for brisket?

I wrapped my last brisket in butcher paper after 5 hours, like everyone says, and it came out steaming like a pot roast, zero bark. My buddy in KC said I probably wrapped it too early, before the fat had fully rendered. Now I'm thinking of just going no-wrap next time, even if it takes 18 hours. Anyone else ditch the wrap and get a better crust?

Back in 2015 at the Memphis in May contest, I saw a guy spritz his brisket with apple cider vinegar and coffee.

I was set up next to him and his bark looked way better than mine by hour eight. I started mixing a little cold brew into my spritz bottle the next cook, and it made a huge difference in the color and flavor. Anyone else pick up a weird trick from watching another team at a big event?

Hot take: I dropped $300 on a 'competition grade' rub that was just salty sugar.

Bought it online after seeing a big name pitmaster talk it up, but my first brisket tasted like a candy bar. That was a whole paycheck down the drain for a fancy jar. What's the biggest waste you've ever bought for your smoker?

Remember when a good brisket was all about the smoke and not the gadgets?

A few years back, I dropped about $400 on a fancy pellet grill with a digital controller. I thought it would make everything easier. Honestly, it just made the meat taste flat, like it was steamed instead of smoked. I went back to my old offset smoker after two cooks. Has anyone else tried a pellet grill and felt let down by the flavor?

Just read that Myron Mixon once cooked a 1,200 pound hog for a single event

Found that wild stat in an old interview from the Memphis in May archives. Has anyone else come across a competition cook that massive?

I smoked a brisket at 225 for 20 hours and it was way too dry

I mean, everyone says low and slow is the only way, but I followed that rule exactly on a 16 pound packer from my local butcher in Austin. It hit 203 internal, rested for 2 hours, but it just turned out tough and dry all the way through. Maybe it's just me, but I think the 'never go above 225' advice needs a second look. Has anyone else had better luck bumping the temp up a bit for a more forgiving cook?

Watched a pitmaster's brisket go from dry to perfect in under a year after he switched to wrapping in butcher paper instead of foil.

He posted a video of his sad, crumbly slices from a competition last April, then another one yesterday showing a juicy, tender brisket, and the only thing he said he changed was ditching the foil wrap for pink butcher paper halfway through the cook.

Serious question, has anyone else tried wrapping brisket in butcher paper versus foil?

I did a side by side test last weekend with two identical packer briskets on my offset smoker, both cooked at 250 degrees. The butcher paper one had way better bark and a deeper smoke ring, while the foil one got a bit too soft and steamy. Anyone have a favorite brand of paper or a different trick for the stall?

My brisket stall lasted 8 hours at a comp in Memphis and I still won

I was sure I was done for when the temp just sat at 165 for what felt like forever... I was using my old offset and had to fight the urge to wrap it early. Ended up taking first in the brisket category with a 9.3 score from the judges. Has anyone else had a stall go that long and still turn out okay?

Warning: I used to think a pellet smoker was the easy way out compared to my old offset in Austin.

After 3 tries on the same brisket, the offset's steady heat just gave me better bark and smoke flavor. Anyone else find that simpler gear sometimes wins?

Showerthought: I spent $80 on a 'competition style' injection marinade that ruined a whole pork shoulder

Got it at a big BBQ event in Kansas City, thinking it would add flavor deep inside the meat. Followed the directions exactly, but after a 14 hour smoke, the texture was mushy and the taste was way too salty. Ended up tossing about 15 pounds of pork. Has anyone else had a bad experience with those pre-made injections?

I had to pick between a full packer brisket or just the flat for a small party

My buddy's birthday was coming up and I offered to smoke the main dish, but only 8 people were coming. I mean, a full 16 pound packer felt like overkill, but the flat alone can dry out so easy. I went with the full packer anyway, figuring we'd have leftovers. It took almost 14 hours on my offset, but man, the point was so good and juicy, everyone went back for seconds. The flat was a bit drier, but we chopped it for sandwiches the next day. Has anyone else done a full brisket for a small group, or do you usually go smaller?

Watched a pitmaster in Austin go from 'good' to 'legendary' over one competition season. The change was his fire management, specifically how he builds his initial coal bed.

My uncle swore by a 3-hour rest for brisket, I called BS until I tried it on my last cook