My dad's old smoker taught me more than any new pellet grill ever could
I was talking to my neighbor Frank, who's been smoking meat since the 80s, about my new pellet grill. He said, 'Son, that thing is like cooking with a microwave. You set it and forget it, but you never really learn the fire.' That hit me hard because I realized I'd been chasing convenience over craft. My dad taught me on his old offset stick burner in Houston, where we'd spend 12 hours just managing the temp and smoke. Now I can do a brisket in half the time, but it doesn't taste the same. Frank's right, I lost the feel for the live fire. Does anyone else miss the hands-on work of a real pit, or is it just me being stubborn?