Opinions Matter

c/bbq-pitmasters

11

william_carter•2h ago

Appreciation post: that little BBQ joint in Lockhart, Texas

I drove down to Lockhart last weekend to hit up the famous spots like Blacks and Kreuz. But what really caught my attention was this tiny place off the main drag called Smitty's Market, where they still cook over post oak in these massive brick pits. The brisket had this deep, peppery bark that I just can't get on my home offset smoker. Has anyone else found a random spot like that that totally changed what you thought BBQ could be?

17

laura189•2d ago

Stopped by Snow's BBQ in Lexington on a Saturday morning

Got there at 7:30 and the line was already 40 people deep, worth every minute of standing around for that brisket, has anyone else made the drive out there on a weekday to see if it's any calmer?

11

simon_coleman•2d ago

Hot take: I think Franklin BBQ is overrated and here's why after eating there last month

I waited 4 hours in line at Franklin in Austin last month and honestly the brisket was good but not life-changing. The bark was solid but the inside was just a bit too soft for my taste, like it was almost mushy in spots. Am I the only one who thinks the hype has gotten way bigger than what they actually put on the plate?

6

the_evan•8d ago

My offset smoker fell apart mid-cook on Saturday

I was doing a 12 hour brisket for a family thing and about hour 6 the weld on my firebox door just snapped clean off. Smoke started pouring out the side and I couldnt get the temp back up over 225. Ended up having to finish the whole thing in my oven at 250 for the last 4 hours. The brisket still turned out okay but the bark was way softer than usual. Has anyone else had a pit fail on them mid-smoke and had to get creative with a backup plan?

22

pat_schmidt60•9d ago

I was dead set against pellet grills until my neighbor let me taste his brisket

I've been a stick burner guy for 20 years and always said pellets were cheating. But last Saturday he handed me a slice that had perfect smoke ring and bark, and it was the most tender brisket I've ever eaten. Has anyone else been converted after tasting the results firsthand?

28

the_ryan•12d ago

Took me 3 hours to dial in my offset smoker temp last Saturday

I was trying to get a steady 225 for a pork shoulder I planned on smoking overnight. The dampers were fine, the wood was split right, but that thing kept bouncing between 190 and 260 no matter what I did. Finally figured out it was a small air leak around the firebox door that needed a gasket kit. Has anyone else dealt with random temp swings that took forever to chase down?

17

stella_murray•12d ago

Shoutout to switching from foil wrap to butcher paper on brisket

I used to wrap my briskets in heavy duty foil for like 5 years. Thought it was the only way to get through the stall. Then about 2 years ago a buddy at a comp in Kansas City told me to try pink butcher paper. Said the bark stays way better. First time I tried it I was nervous the meat would dry out but honestly the bark was night and day different. Now I only foil if I'm in a huge rush. Anyone else make that switch and never go back?

18

drewsullivan•13d ago

Swapped my water pan for a foil drip tray on my offset

I kept getting dirty smoke after adding wood chunks because the water pan would steam and mess with airflow. Switched to a cheap half-size aluminum tray filled with sand and covered in foil. Has anyone else tried ditching the water and using sand or clay instead?

26

theasmith•14d ago

My temp controller died right in the middle of a pork butt smoke

I had a 9 lb pork butt on the WSM last Saturday, set my Flame Boss to hold 250, and went inside to prep sides. Came out 2 hours later and the thing was showing 180 degrees in the pit. Turns out the fan connector got knocked loose somehow, probably when I closed the lid. I had to babysit the vents for the next 6 hours to get it back on track. Anyone else have a wireless controller fail at the worst possible moment?

17

the_kevin•14d ago

Tried wrapping my brisket in butcher paper instead of foil

Last weekend I threw a 14 pound packer on the smoker at 5am like I always do. I usually wrap in foil once the stall hits around 160, but this time I tried pink butcher paper after hearing a guy at the hardware store swear by it. The bark came out way better, nice and crunchy instead of soft and soggy from the foil. But here's the thing, it took almost 2 hours longer to get up to 203. I was scrambling to get dinner on the table and the brisket wasn't done until 8pm instead of 6. That extra time cost me some patience but the flavor was spot on. Has anyone else dealt with timing issues switching to butcher paper?

0

the_jana•14d ago

That talk with a retired pitmaster from Texas changed my whole view on brisket

Ran into an older gentleman at the butcher counter last Saturday. He saw me eyeballing a packer and asked what temp I cook at. I said 225 and he just laughed. Told me he's been running his pits at 275 for 40 years in Lockhart and never looked back. Said low and slow is a myth pushed by people selling cookbooks. I tried it on a 15 pounder this Sunday and the fat rendered way better. No stall drama either. Anyone else get told something that totally flipped what you thought you knew?

15

parkerp80•15d ago

Everyone says low and slow is the only way, but I got a perfect brisket in 5 hours flat

I was cooking for a family reunion in Austin last summer and my smoker died on me. I had no choice but to throw the brisket in a pressure cooker for 90 minutes, then finished it on a hot grill with smoke chips wrapped in foil. Everyone raved about the bark and the meat was juicy all the way through. Has anyone else tried a hybrid fast cook when things go wrong?

1

oscarw83•15d ago

Just realized my fancy offset smoker was a total waste of money

I dropped $2,800 on a custom offset smoker from a guy in Texas last spring. Sounded awesome on paper with 1/4 inch steel and all that. But after 6 months of fighting temperature swings and thin blue smoke that wouldn't hold, I parked it in the corner. Meanwhile my buddy's $400 Weber kettle from Home Depot turns out consistent ribs every Sunday. Sometimes expensive gear just ain't worth the headache. Has anyone else regretted a high-end pit purchase like this?

18

rose_hart•16d ago

Had a conversation with a pitmaster in Lockhart that changed my whole rib process

I was down in Lockhart last month eating at Kreuz and ended up talking to one of the guys working the pit for like 20 minutes. He told me I was taking my ribs off way too early and that I should be looking for the bend test instead of just going by time. I always thought 5 hours was the magic number but he said his go-to is more like 5.5 with a spritz every 45 minutes. Tried it on my last cook and the bite through was way better than anything I've done before. Has anyone else had a pit crew member give them advice that totally changed their method?

13

angelar57•18d ago

Hit 100 racks of ribs this weekend without a single fail

I kept a log for fun and realized I've done exactly 100 racks of spare ribs on my offsets since I started three years ago. Anyone else track numbers like that or am I just weird about my cook stats?

23

rubyschmidt•19d ago

Drove 3 hours to that famous BBQ joint in Lockhart and found a possum in the smoker

So me and my buddy drove down to Lockhart last Saturday to finally try Kreuz Market. We waited in line for like 45 minutes and when we get up to the counter the pitmaster comes out all flustered. He yells back to someone that a possum got into the back smoker overnight and they had to scrap a whole brisket. I honestly didn't know whether to laugh or ask for a discount. Has anyone else ever had an animal crash their cook like that?

25

the_tessa•19d ago

TIL 225 degrees on my offset was killing my bark

Spent 6 months wondering why my brisket bark came out soft and mushy. Guy at a comp in Kansas City told me to bump it to 275 and stop messing with the fire every 15 minutes. Does anyone else run their stick burner hotter than the old recipes say?

8

rowan_roberts49•19d ago

Heard a guy at a comp say "time is just a suggestion" and it flipped my whole approach

I was helping with clean up at a backyard comp in Austin last month and this older pitmaster was talking to his buddy about how he pulls his ribs when they tell him they're done, not when the clock says. I used to be super strict about the 3-2-1 method for spare ribs. Timer goes off, they come out no matter what. But listening to him explain how every rack is different, and how he just goes by feel and temp now... I tried it on my last cook and honestly the ribs came out way better. Tender but not falling apart. Have you guys ever scrapped a strict timing method for something more flexible?

15

ruby_rivera76•19d ago

My buddy swore by the snake method for brisket and I thought he was crazy

He told me to wrap a whole packer in butcher paper at 165 and let it ride, so I tried it last weekend and that thing came out like butter. Has anyone else had a tip from a buddy that actually surprised you?

3

shaneb16•20d ago

Talked to an old timer at a comp in Kansas City and now I'm rethinking everything

I was at a small backyard comp in Kansas City last weekend and got paired up with this guy who's been doing competition BBQ for like 40 years. He said his secret was to pull his brisket off the smoker earlier than everyone else and rest it for way longer, like 4 to 5 hours in a cooler. I always thought hot and fast was the way but after trying his pulled pork that was stupid juicy I'm questioning my whole process. Has anyone else tried resting their meat for way longer than usual at a comp and seen better results?

22

olivia_rivera88•21d ago

Question about that pork shoulder advice from Myron Mixon

My buddy told me to cook my pork shoulder at 300 degrees instead of 225 because Myron Mixon does it that way, so I tried it last weekend. Hit 200 internal in 6 hours flat but the bark came out weirdly soft and the meat tasted more like roast pork than barbecue. Anyone else have this happen switching to a higher temp on a pork shoulder?

3

joseph_adams66•22d ago

Warning: my brisket flat turned into shoe leather after I trusted a new temp probe at a comp in Kansas City

I picked up one of those fancy instant-read thermometers from a vendor at the American Royal last fall and it was reading 10 degrees low the whole time, so my 225-degree cook turned into a 235-degree disaster and now I only use thermoworks gear because that $35 mistake cost me a top 10 finish, has anyone else had a probe fail at the worst possible moment?

26

sagew50•22d ago

Had the weirdest pit day last Saturday where everything just clicked

I fired up my offset at 5am for a pork shoulder and a brisket, and the temp stayed at 225 for 8 hours straight without me messing with the dampers once. Anyone else ever have a day where the smoke gods just smile on you for no reason?

23

ryanh56•23d ago

Finally stopped wrapping my brisket in foil

I was at a comp in Kansas City last fall and saw the guy next to me use butcher paper instead. He let me try a slice and the bark was way better than anything I ever got with foil. I switched right after that and now I only use pink butcher paper for all my packers.

26

anthonymurray•25d ago

Heads up about the new pitmaster at Smokey Joe's in Austin

I swung by last weekend and saw him pulling brisket off at 190 degrees internal. He's rushing the stall every time and the bark was totally soft. Anybody else notice a drop in quality there lately?