It's not as "rocket science" as you might think [EDITORIAL]

[YYCRed]

Watching a video or writing down a recipe was my start and I expect a lot of others as well. The good part of this is your personal adaption of these recipes to suit your style. Another enjoyment was being part of this group, I have learnt so much from here.

Yup. I will follow a recipe the first time I do it with only minor modifications. After I see (and taste) how it turns out, I make notes of what changes I would make the next time. It's all about personal preferences.

 

[miguelb]

Through this group, I actually learned that the pit temperature is not the most important thing. That was one of my issues when I first started. Trying to get the "right" temperature and thought that if I didn't get that 'perfect' 225 degree or 275% then my food would not tasted the 'right' way. In addition, discovering that the probes from the Traeger were not the perfect either which that explained a lot of my food (in the beginning) not coming out as done. Since then, getting a Fireboard & Thermapen® ONE has improved my cooking.

And yes, I still use all of the probes from Fireboard even on a single piece of meat

 

[cableguynoe]

Great thread.
I've often been disappointed in my brisket or ribs because it's not just right, like in the videos i watched.
But yet the family eats it up and loves it, even when I hated it.

 

[Shedd]

Great thread.
I've often been disappointed in my brisket or ribs because it's not just right, like in the videos i watched.
But yet the family eats it up and loves it, even when I hated it.

I grew up in a BBQ Family (here in SC we consider pulled pork BBQ, we also cook beef hash, ribs and chicken) and I never saw a thermometer being used until I was in my 30s. I never owned one until my forties. We went by looks and feel. If everyone liked it you always had people asking for more, if not then you would ask the ones that would tell you the truth about why it wasn’t good, then adjust for that. In general depending on what part of the state you’re from it was all similar. Everyone shared tips and such it wasn’t a competition, just families getting together enjoying good food and spending time with each other. This is still the way for most but some do get carried away with watching the ones trying to sell you their rubs and sauces making you believe they cook everything differently/better. Everyone has a little different preferences in taste but most know that everyone cooks their own way. I find a difference in taste from one McDonald’s to another, or my favorite local restaurant isn’t as good sometimes. For me I just enjoy cooking what I like to cook. It makes it better knowing I have many people waiting on me to cook.

 

[Slimpicker]

Great thread.
I've often been disappointed in my brisket or ribs because it's not just right, like in the videos i watched.
But yet the family eats it up and loves it, even when I hated it.

EXACTLY, I've been told at times, "best ribs I ever tasted"... makes me think they don't get out much

 

[RayClem]

Someone who BBQs is often called a pit master. That term comes from the original method of digging a hole/pit in the ground,adding some coals from a wood fire, adding a large piece of meat such as an entire pig, goat, etc. adding more coals on top and then covering up everything with dirt. Many hours later, the pit would be dug up and the cooked meat would become dinner. There were no thermometers to check the fire temperature and no internal meat thermometers to know when the cook was done. It was all done based on experience.

Today, we get our heads tangled up in all the technology. We worry about whether the cooking temperature is 225 or250F. We worry about whether we should remove the brisket at 200F or 205 F. As long as you enjoy cooking the food and eating it, everything else is unimportant.

 

[Shedd]

Someone who BBQs is often called a pit master. That term comes from the original method of digging a hole/pit in the ground,adding some coals from a wood fire, adding a large piece of meat such as an entire pig, goat, etc. adding more coals on top and then covering up everything with dirt. Many hours later, the pit would be dug up and the cooked meat would become dinner. There were no thermometers to check the fire temperature and no internal meat thermometers to know when the cook was done. It was all done based on experience.

Today, we get our heads tangled up in all the technology. We worry about whether the cooking temperature is 225 or250F. We worry about whether we should remove the brisket at 200F or 205 F. As long as you enjoy cooking the food and eating it, everything else is unimportant.

Several months ago I had everything figured out, I used my green egg for the past 30 years and never ran a probe during a cook. Other than my dome probe I could tell by looks and feel. Then along came my Traeger and this forum, I do use probes now because this is a complete different kind of experience. Eventually I will get used to it and I’m hoping to not rely on the probes but I got to admit I really like sleeping through the night knowing an alarm will sound if thing’s go crazy.

 

[Parrothead1809]

Modern BBQing has taken on some sort of "perfectionist faze" that is never meant to be in real BBQing. and BBQ Smoking.
BBQ & BBQ Smoking is supposed to be FUN, a way to EXPRESS YOURSELF thru food, be your own chef, cook YOUR WAY to meet YOUR TASTES.

We get caught up in all these "contests" and BBQ shows thinking there is a 'right' and 'wrong' way to smoke that meat... according to WHO????
Who is the SMOKED MEAT GOD????? Yeah sure, go ahead and name your favorite guy on YouTube, or your fav show, but just note this, all that crap wasn't around the first time I fired up my Bandera side box smoker. I put out some damn good food with temp swings from 200-350 when I wasn't paying attention and I never ruined a piece of meat!!!

YES, it's fun to watch guys do 'successful' good cooks, everything turns out PERFECT, and you LEARN A LOT from watching. That's how I taught myself almost everything in life, I WATCH and imitate.
There are GREAT THINGS to learn from some of these guys on Social Media, tips and tricks, fine points and even FACTS about the science of the MEAT itself. I don't have HALF the talent/knowledge these guys do, but i still make great smoked meat.

BUT don't get SUCKED into thinking your cooks have to be that PERFECT!!! I have followed many recipes that I thought tasted like ... we all have different TASTES.
Some like more sugar and some more salt, some do EVOO and some do Mustard, some wrap, some don't.

So there are advantages obviously for noob BBQ Smokers to learn from all these different things, but don't fall into the trap that these are all BIBLE TRUTHS. MEAT IS MEAT, it's been the same meat since God told the Israelites to throw cows on the fire for burnt offerings, sometimes certain parts of the cow and lamb were saved for EATING!!!! AHHH the first BBQers!!!!!

Anyway, just a word of advice I guess. My biggest observation over all these years is this: MEAT IS VERY FORGIVING of anything you might call a mistake. Your cook doesn't HAVE to go perfectly like the recipe, or your TEMP doesn't HAVE to stay right on the dot, or your rub doesn't HAVE to have that (whatever) in it to make it perfect.

Obviously use online recipes and videos and info as a GREAT GUIDELINE, but by all means, try to be yourself and HAVE FUN!!! (why do you think we have all these different guys and recipes, because each one is trying to be "himself" and not just follow the leader)

For the most part I think everyone here does this quite well.

Meat is very forgiving!! I'm not a great BBQ Smoker, THE MEAT IS!!!!

Well Said!! I whole heartedly agree. There is no ONE way to smoke and BBQ. Everyone has to dial it in to their personal tastes. Enjoy the ride, I say, and don’t get hung up on right vs. wrong. Aim squarely for “what works for me”. Where YOUR tastes, time-table, family & guests are your target zone.
-PH