willow244•1mo agoProlific Poster

Showerthought: That conversation with a retired pitmaster about brisket temps

I was talking to this old timer named Carl at a competition last month. He said I was overthinking my brisket by chasing exact internal temps every time. Told me he goes by feel and color more than a probe reading, and that's how his crew won 3 state titles in the 90s. It hit different because I've been throwing away good meat by pulling it too early or late based on a number. He showed me his method on a $150 offset smoker, not some fancy rig. Made me wonder how many of us are relying too much on gadgets instead of learning the basics. Has anyone else had a veteran cook change your whole approach with one piece of advice?

2 comments

2 Comments

jason_stone1mo ago

Respectfully, the jiggle test is legit but that grandpa probably spent 30 years learning it, most of us don't have that kind of time to waste meat lol.

fionaa351mo ago

My buddy Dave ditched his expensive thermometer after a grandpa at a cookout just showed him the jiggle test.