Hear me out though, I actually kind of disagree. I tried meal prepping like @the_elliot suggested and I just couldn't stick with it. That Sunday afternoon setup felt like a chore, plus by Wednesday I was sick of eating the same thing. I'd rather spend a bit more grabbing a fresh burrito bowl or a sandwich from the deli down the street. The variety keeps me from giving up and ordering pizza halfway through the week. I know it's pricier, but I actually save more long run because I don't waste a whole container of sad chicken I never ate.

Did your friend mention how long they've been using it? My neighbor down the street got one of these gadgets for her home office a couple months back. She called me over the other day to show me something and I asked how it was working out. She said it hasn't messed up once, not even with her complicated spreadsheet that always gives her trouble.

I did the exact same thing with a 2 pound bag of red lentils last fall. Turned them into this thick paste that tasted fine but looked like baby food gone wrong. I ended up mixing in some curry powder and a can of coconut milk and it made a halfway decent dal after all. Still had to scrub the pot for an hour but at least my garbage disposal survived.

Wait so that guy worked with crown for five years cutting it upside down? I gotta ask how did nobody catch that sooner? Like did his corners just never line up right and he thought that was normal or what?

Is it really that serious though? I mean yeah, losing sleep over a brisket is rough, but isn't part of the fun the ritual of tending the fire? I get that everyone's got different priorities, but I feel like people act like they're either running a marathon or filing for divorce over a pork shoulder. Maybe it's just me, but I think there's middle ground where you can enjoy the process without it turning into a whole life crisis. Your mileage may vary, but I don't think a sleep schedule should be the deciding factor in how you cook your meat.