Can we talk about how pellet guys at comps never win the big money?

I judged my first KCBS contest in Mesquite last month and out of 42 teams, not one pellet cooker made the final table in brisket. The grand champ was running an old offset he built himself in 2011, and he told me straight up that pellets are for backyard naps, not prize checks. I get the convenience thing, I own one too, but when money is on the line these guys all go back to sticks for a reason. Am I crazy here or does pellet smoke really run too clean and thin to score on taste?

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iris_rivera443d ago

The line about pellets being for backyard naps is harsh but it's hard to argue with what you saw in Mesquite. I feel the same way watching scores come in, the clean thin smoke just doesn't lay down that deep bark and fat flavor the judges want on brisket. You're not crazy at all, this is just how it shakes out when real money is on the table.

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