c/bbq-pitmasters

Pro tip: A rainy day almost ruined my brisket, but I adapted

It started pouring during my overnight brisket cook, and my smoker temp dropped. I had to move it under cover and adjust the vents. The bark got a bit soft, but the meat was still juicy. Now I always check the forecast before a long smoke.

Vent: My uncle's endless fire tending finally clicked for me last weekend

I realized his non-stop poking at the coals was how he got that perfect bark on his brisket every time.

DAE have a smoker flare-up ruin a good batch of chicken?

I was smoking some chicken thighs for a backyard thing yesterday, everything seemed fine at first. Had my charcoal going and wood chunks added for that nice smoke flavor. Out of nowhere, grease dripped into the fire and caused a huge flare-up. The flames shot up and charred the skin on half the thighs before I could move them. Ended up with some pieces burnt and others undercooked, total mess. I felt pretty silly serving that to friends who were expecting juicy BBQ. Now I'm rethinking my grate placement or maybe adding a drip pan. What do you folks do to prevent grease fires in your smokers?

Pro tip: Noticing more pitmasters skip wrapping during smokes

Lately, I've seen a shift at cook-offs where folks are leaving briskets unwrapped the whole time. Tried it on my last cook and the bark got way better. It takes a bit longer but the texture is worth it. Just keep an eye on the temp to avoid drying out. This small change really stepped up my results.

How the Texas crutch won me over after a decade of stubbornness

I always thought wrapping brisket during the cook would ruin the bark. Watching pitmasters at events use the Texas crutch made me try it, and now my briskets are way more tender. What other old BBQ ideas have you guys proven wrong?

Update: Joining the DIY trend, my pallet tool rack improved my setup a lot.