Vent: Old timer at a comp in Memphis told me I was wasting my time with pellet grills

I was at the Memphis in May competition last spring, and this guy who looked like he'd been smoking since before I was born walked up to my setup, pointed at my pellet grill, and said 'that thing ain't making no real barbecue.' He didn't even taste my ribs. Has anyone else dealt with that kind of gatekeeping at competitions?

4 comments

4 Comments

aaron88011d ago

Actually the smoke ring thing is a bit of a myth. A smoke ring comes from nitrogen dioxide reacting with myoglobin, and it can form just as easily with clean burning wood in a pellet grill as it does with a stick burner. The real difference is the depth of the smoke flavor. Pellets give you a cleaner, lighter smoke that some judges actually prefer for certain meats, especially poultry. I've seen guys with offsets produce a ring so dark it looked painted on, but the meat tasted like licking an ashtray. That old timer probably didn't realize that the Memphis in May judging criteria don't even mention the fire source, just taste, texture, and appearance.

robinp8912d ago

Ray nailed it with the "real barbecue is about the final product" bit. I had a guy at a local comp tell me my brisket was "impressive for a pellet rig" right after I got second place, and I just smiled and asked him how his did.

ray_sullivan12d ago

Bring up the fact that pellet grills are actually tougher to dial in for competition than folks want to admit. People think it's cheating but controlling temp swings in a smoker that relies on electronics and augers takes more finesse than babysitting a firebox. I've seen guys with offsets dump wood on and let temps jump 50 degrees without a care. Meanwhile you gotta watch your pellets, clean your burn pot, and pray the wifi doesn't glitch right before turn in. That old timer probably never had to troubleshoot an auger jam at 4am with a flashlight in his mouth. Real barbecue is about the final product on the judges' table, not the fuel source. If your meat gets a perfect bite and smoke ring, nobody cares if you used a tire fire or a pellet grill to get there.

tessa_carr11d ago

Started practicing with a cheap offset first and learned fire management there before switching to pellets for consistency.