The old timer who fixed my pork shoulder with a single look

I was at a backyard cookout in Austin about 8 years ago, sweating over a pork shoulder that just would not get past 160 degrees. A guy named Roy, probably 70 years old, walked over with a beer and just stared at my setup for a second. He said "your fire is too clean, son" and walked off. I had no idea what that meant until he came back and showed me how to toss a handful of soaked pecan chips on the coals to get some real smoke going. That pork shoulder turned out the best I ever made, and I still think about that lesson every time I fire up my smoker. Has anyone else had a random stranger change how they cook something?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_henry12h ago

So did you hug Roy or just shake his hand awkwardly?

the_henry10h ago

Ah, nah, you're mixing me up with someone else... I didn't meet Roy at all. It was his buddy Dave I ran into at the grocery store, and even then it was just a quick nod from across the produce aisle. I'm not a hugger anyway, kind of an awkward pat on the back type at best. So really it was more of a confused wave and a half smile from like twenty feet away.