c/bbq-pitmasters

A fellow competitor at the Kansas City Royal told me my brisket bark was too salty, so I cut my rub salt by a third and the flavor is way more balanced now.

Has anyone else had a judge or fellow cook give you a piece of advice that really improved your process?

Noticed a big shift in how people talk about brisket on the competition circuit

Back in 2019, I remember most judges really wanted that super dark, almost black bark on a brisket flat. Now, at the last three events I've been to, the winners have had a much lighter, mahogany-colored bark that's just as firm. I think the change started when some top teams, like the one from Lockhart, began talking about using less pepper in their rubs to let the beef flavor come through more. Has anyone else seen this, or is it just a regional thing where I am?

Showerthought: I've been wrapping my ribs in foil for 10 years because a guy at a contest told me to

Last weekend, my buddy from Texas came over and saw me pull my St. Louis ribs off the smoker after the 3-2-1 method. He took one bite and just said, 'Man, that's pot roast.' I was confused until he pointed out the foil was steaming them, not smoking them, and making the bark soft. I tried a cook without any wrap at all, just a water pan, and the difference was huge. The bark got crispy and the smoke flavor was way stronger. Has anyone else had a 'wrap' wake-up call like that?

A judge at the Kansas City Royal said my ribs were 'mushy' and it totally changed my prep

I entered my usual baby back ribs last year, and one judge wrote on my score sheet 'great flavor, but texture is mushy, no bite'. I realized I was wrapping them in foil for way too long, like 3 hours! Now I only wrap for 90 minutes max, and I check for a clean pull off the bone, not fall-off-the-bone. The difference in my last cook was huge, they had that perfect tug. Has anyone else gotten feedback that made you cut your wrap time way down?

A guy at a Memphis contest told me my brisket was 'too smoky' and I still think about it

I was at the Memphis in May event a few years back, just starting out. I was proud of my brisket, using a mix of hickory and cherry wood. This older pitmaster, who had a big, quiet setup, tried a piece. He chewed slowly, looked at me, and said, 'Son, you're hiding the meat. It's just smoke.' He wasn't mean, but it hit hard. I realized I was cooking for flavor I wanted, not the flavor of the beef itself. That one comment made me change my whole approach to wood choice and timing. Has anyone else had a judge or fellow cook give you advice that totally flipped your method?

Recording my smokes helped me see why pitmasters post so much online.

Why I skip the all-night brisket vigil

The meat turns out fine with a shorter cook time.

Pitmasters' attention to wood type finally makes sense to me.

The smoke flavor varies so much with different woods.

Showerthought: My attempt to organize my BBQ rubs ended with a colorful mess.

I built a new shelf in my garage to sort all my dry rubs and spices for competitions. While labeling jars, I knocked over a big container of paprika onto the floor. The red powder went everywhere, coating my shoes and making the place look like a crime scene. Now my garage smells like a spice rack and I'm finding paprika in weird spots for days.

I was set in my ways with BBQ fuel until last week

I used any wood I could find for my smoker, not thinking about the impact. Then I saw a show on how cutting trees for charcoal hurts forests, and it changed my view. What about you, ever switch things up for the earth?

Am I the only one who learned heat control by nearly lighting my backyard on fire?

Tbh, that panic moment fixed my temperature swings forever.

My smoker lid habit was wrecking my ribs until I changed it

I used to open the lid too much to see my ribs, and they always came out dry. After I kept it shut for the whole smoke, the bark set right and the meat fell off the bone. How do we break the habit of messing with a good thing?

My hospital visit changed how I run my smoker.

I ended up in the ER after a 12-hour smoke without a sip of water. The doctor said I was severely dehydrated. Now I set timers to drink every hour. It's not weak to take care of yourself, it's smart. Your BBQ will thank you too.

What the mailman said about my smoke changed everything...

The mailman saw my smoker going and told me about Texas pitmasters... He said they watch the fire like it's telling a story. I always rushed things before, but now I slow down. Just watching the smoke curl up taught me more than any book. My last cook was the best yet...