Hit 15 brisket cooks before I finally got a decent bark, and it was on a $200 offset smoker

3 comments

3 Comments

Oh man, honestly that grind is so real. 15 cooks is a lot of meat and patience, I've been there. Took me almost that many on my old barrel smoker before I got that crust right, it's frustrating when you know what it should look like but it just won't cooperate. Real respect for sticking with it though, that first solid bark on a cheap offset feels like a huge win.

the_holly1mo ago

Hmm, I gotta push back a little on "first solid bark on a cheap offset feels like a huge win." I actually think that bark is overrated and people obsess over it way too much. Give me tender, juicy meat with good smoke flavor any day, even if the crust is a bit patchy. It's the taste that matters at the end of the day, not how pretty the outside looks.

the_nina28d ago

You mentioned that struggle with the crust not cooperating, and man, I feel that. What finally worked for me was spritzing with apple juice every hour instead of just water, made a huge difference in getting that bark to set. A little sugar helps caramelize and darken things up without drying out the meat or getting too sweet.