My uncle the old school pitmaster changed my mind about gas grills

I was bragging about my new pellet smoker at a family cookout last month, and my Uncle Ray, who's been using the same beat-up offset for 30 years, just laughed and said 'son, heat is heat, it's what you do with it that matters.' Then he pulled a brisket off a little gas grill that had the juiciest bark I've ever seen, and I had to eat my words along with his meat. Has anyone else had a moment where someone totally flipped your opinion on gear?

3 comments

3 Comments

shane6552mo ago

Take it from someone who burnt a ton of meat chasing gear - skill beats hardware every time.

taylor.amy2mo ago

My pellet smoker sits in the corner collecting dust since I borrowed my neighbor's beat up Weber kettle last summer. @shane655 nailed it, I was so caught up in the gadgets I forgot the basics of temperature control and wood placement. Some of my best ribs came off a $30 bullet smoker after I actually learned how to manage airflow instead of just pushing buttons. That brisket from your uncle probably tasted amazing because he knows his fire and his rub, not because of the brand name on the side.

anderson.david1mo ago

Hold up, a $30 bullet smoker put out some of your best ribs? That's wild. I gotta ask, what kind of mods did you have to do to keep temps steady on that thing?