Saw a guy in Memphis throw out his thermometer and it blew my mind

I was at the Memphis in May contest back in 2019, just watching the teams. This one old-timer, his brisket was done, and he just tossed his digital probe right into his toolbox like it was nothing. He told me, 'If you don't know what 203 feels like by now, you're just playing.' I went home and didn't use a temp probe for a full year. My first few cooks were a mess, but now I can poke the flat and just know. Has anyone else tried to cook by feel instead of numbers?

3 comments

3 Comments

alicea263mo ago

What's the point of a tool if you don't learn the basics first? That year of messing up taught him more than a probe ever could. Sounds like the old timer was right.

blair6303mo ago

Why waste a year learning by messing up?

-1

perry.jessica16d ago

@alicea26 I get where you're coming from, but that year of messing up isn't the same for everyone. Some people learn faster by having a tool guide them through the process, even if it's the easy way. The old timer's method worked for him, but that doesn't mean it's the only path to understanding. Learning the basics is important, sure, but wasting a whole year on trial and error feels like a luxury most of us can't afford. Sometimes you need a shortcut to figure out the deeper stuff later, not the other way around.