barbecue

Is that a Brinkmann? That was my first smoker. Bought at Kmart on an open box sale. It was missing parts and my Barbecue science career was launched.

I had an ECB at one time, but donated it to a local history museum when Mrs. ricepad was grumbling about the collection of cookers accumulating in the shed. I’d really like to get a WSM, but I’m pretty sure she’d see it and confuse it for an ECB and ask why I got another one after getting rid of the first one. In truth, I don’t need one, but I surely do want one!

I don’t remember. I chose it from a list of things husband was offered after he had been at his job for awhile.

ETA I had to look up ECB!

I used to have one of those. I noticed that, when I bought this thing, I use it a whole lot more.

there’s no reason for anyone to be afraid of any piece of equipment, just the talent of the person cooking. ifotoh, the point of my post is that there’s no reason for someone cooking on a wsm to be afraid of a rig like yours and the people I’ve met with big rigs, typically underestimate a team cooking on two wsms.

best,

That was why I said it’s the cooker not the cook. I’m never one to start a conversation boasting and anyone who knows Harry Soo would be foolish to underestimate the product cooked on a WSM. And my point was and is that the WSM is just not nearly as versatile as my trailer because it can’t cold smoke while grilling a pizza and smoking ribs for 150 people. Then again, I never met a bbq champ with a trailer that mentioned beating people with wsms but people with wsms mention it. It’s a big world if you need limited cooking space or a pellet cooker to win, go for it. Everybody can’t be good at or enjoy fire control.

one of the reasons I like WSMs is that people give up on them and sell them for lowball prices. the last one I bought was $65, used twice, and the owner included four bags of good charcoal, 3 boxes of fire starters, a charcoal chimney and some other goodies.

to be fair, he won it at raffle at work, it came with all that stuff and he couldn’t figure out how to use it. But most of the units I’ve purchased have been < $100.

best,

lol, I wonder why.

(post deleted by author)

the story of david and golliath has universal appeal.

I guess. I never read it.

Not much. There are a few USA style BBQ specialists here and there, but few and far between. Much more common is the cooking of jerk style barbecue in oil drum jerk pans:

Unless a place is cooking their jerk on these contraptions, it doesn’t taste like much.

I hope you don’t think I’m criticizing your choice of smoker. If I had the space, I’d certainly have ordered something like it.

Cooking on a wsm at competitions puts one at an incredible disadvantage, the guys with the big rigs cook 6 racks of ribs, 3 briskets, 24 thighs and a couple of pork shoulders gving them a wide opportunity to pick the best bites. I cook one brisket, two racks of ribs and 12 thighs, juggling between the wsms on a precise schedule. Literally, one mistake (and I’ve made far more than one), spells the end of having a chance.

the dynamic at competitions is that you are completely invisible until they hand out trophys. at that point, a lot of people come over during cleanup, shake hands, express disbelief in nice way and talk for a spell.

I agree about comps. I have cooked at and run many comps – including NYC’s first sanctioned event. There’s a discipline to competition cooking.

Was that on the Brooklyn waterfront? I was thinking about entering that but got too busy.

They’re great for simple car camping 'qing.

The thing I have noticed at chili cook offs, is that is often either the gimmick or tomatoey, not hot mix that wins. BBQ competition largely removes that dynamic. It’s good meat, good trim, good rub, and paying close attention to everything for a long time.

I judged a chili contest, was sick for two days I don’t think my stomach was ready for all those chilies but tasted some great entries.

If your barbecue is too smokey, spicy or unique your chances of winning go down considerably. Most competitive bbq teams are using the same rubs, sauces and injections, When teams learned Myron Mixon used Parkay and muffin tins to cook chicken thighs, suddenly they all did. Winning weekend after weekend isn’t easy, but people tend to be pretty unoriginal about it. Then again most competition bbq is really meant for judges eating one or two bites, not someone eating a meal.

I also note that the difference between the best places, like Franklin and La BBA, and next tier places is often pretty subtle.