Losing my touch

[Mo Smoke]

I love to grill. Started with s Weber Kettle At 18. Now that I’m 50, built a smoker and discovered all these gadgets and techniques, and the money making potential for Bbq...I feel like I’m losing my touch. My latest cooks haven’t been as good as in the past. Sometimes I’m not having fun like I used to. I don’t trust my judgement the same. Either I overcook meat or I gotta look at my thermapen to KNOW something is done. It’s weird. I would love to quit my job one day and make money doing something I love like Grilling. But right now it feels like I’m losing my touch.


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[Weldun]

It's kind of funny to me how that happens, I too am 50 and seems like youthful ignorance/ simplicity seemed to always work out. I had better results right after building my mini and went through a decline and now have gotten back to where I was early on. I think in my case anyways I complicated things thinking that was the answer to the perfect Q when in reality simple has worked forever so why change it now. I still think some of the best ribs I ever made was in a makeshift barrel with a pile of charcoal in the bottom and a chicken wire basket to hold the ribs. I don't think you've lost anything I think you've simply moved away from it, much like I did.

[Big T]

We've all been there at some point, there was a time when I couldn't mess up ribs if I tried but lately I really have to pay close attention. As far as using a thermopen goes, I cook steaks and ribs by feel but pretty much everything else gets checked by thermometer. I've found that no 2 pieces of meat cook exactly the same so unless you check the temp, you really can't tell how done it is. I wouldn't get too discouraged just get back to the basics and it'll be just like old times.

[Dirtytires]

Every time I hire a new employee they get a 3x5 pocket notebook. They write down what is important for them to remember and every time they have to ask a question I remind them to add it to their notebook.

My point here? I only make a brisket 2-3 times a year. I make a turkey once. So, to help me remember what I did for each cook I started a notebook. I add all the notes of how long, outside temp, rub etc.

All this information has been invaluable to make me a better cook. Don't get down on yourself....maybe you are just a more refined food critic now.

[Pete Mazz]

[Mo Smoke]

It’s been crazy ride. I cooked wings for Super Bowl. Had a couple friends/family who wanted some so we agreed on a price for a couple of batches of 20. I was so disappointed that they weren’t near my best that I gave them extra wings and half their money back. They called me later and said they loved them. One guy said if these are bad wings I don’t want the good ones [emoji23].


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[Dirtytires]

And their you have it....your standards have increased along with you abilities.

Sleep well tonight knowing that most people will never smoke at the level this group does.

[Cole]

Went through that in 2016, took a couple smokes before I took a step back and slowed down. Went back to basics, simple and slow, patience and make it so I can enjoy the time. Cold hoppy beverages help, a chair by the smoker and the smell of the smoke in the air, plus the dog licking the drippings out of the smoker.

[swedeshutr]

I also experienced a "Losing my touch". I had been smoking for 20 years with a loose-goose smoker that breathed freely. I smoked without temp gauges, just fly by the seat of my pants. Then I bought a Masterbuilt which was airtight. I'm having to learn all over again. Installed a chimney, bottom dampers and temp gauges, and learning how to produce blue smoke. I've burned a few ribs and chicken thighs in the learning process. BUT am learning all over again ... I believe it was Winston Churchill who said, "Never give up. Never surrender".

[Rodcrafter]

I don’t know, if I keep trying I will keep getting a better product. I made a flan for dessert and a rack of ribs for dinner. I know you are going to say “no pictures never happened” so here you go.








Making memories!

[ajfoxy]

Nice RC... there is no end to your talents. A flan no less. I am impressed.

[Dirtytires]

That ain’t enough for leftovers! Looks great.

[Big T]

[Rodcrafter]

Thanks AJ

I have to say it was good


Making memories!

[Squiggle]

Nice work RC, looks fan-diddly-tastic!

I have to agree with the boys here cause I’ve had the same thing happen, I think your standards have increased & what you think is average is actually awesome to everybody else. ;)

[SAFETYHARBORREDNECK]

Flan.Kudos RC,WOW.(which part of your rig was it cooked in, the vertical?)
And Mo, simple is best and things taste better when you do it for fun,IMO.
Just relax and have fun.


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[Bricklayer2]

Flan

[Rodcrafter]

Thanks guys.

I did it in the oven but really only because my trailer rig is at work.

[Dirtytires]

still impressed.....

[towtruck]

I have been cooking ribs for the crew at work and even won a competition between two of us making them. A few cooks were perfect in my book and then I had a cook that I was not proud to serve......but everyone loved them so I shut my mouth and ate them. I had changed rubs and it was not to my liking. Writing stuff down and sticking to the simple things always gets me back on track. I have been planning a build and spending a lot of time thinking of how I will do it all the while still cranking out great food on my el cheapo off set....I am making country style ribs, as I type this, on it and they are coming out great....sometimes we just have to stick with what works for us. I'm sure once I get my new build there will be no looking back but everybody has a "stall" in their cooking every now and then.

[Stewart]

I feel like that every time I cook. Nothing looks perfect doesn't taste like the nectar of the gods. Then everyone else tastes it and they say it's the best they ever had. I think it's because we taste it so much we become blind to it. God knows I've torched my fair share of meats too.

[towtruck]

I feel like that every time I cook. Nothing looks perfect doesn't taste like the nectar of the gods. Then everyone else tastes it and they say it's the best they ever had. I think it's because we taste it so much we become blind to it. God knows I've torched my fair share of meats too.

This is true...you suck the smoke and smell the flavor during the cook and by the time you serve it you are numb to the complete flavor.

[Chromeski]

I'm confident your cooks are great. Just relax and have fun. Another tip is plan to serve 2-3 hours after you tell guests it will be ready with that technique they are so hungry anything will taste great

[JKalchik]

Sounds like I'm in the right company in these here parts... I got thoroughly addicted to Texas brisket when I was working outside of Houston some 25 years ago. I managed to start on my own quest to begin making my own brisket about 10 years, and it's gone all the way to building Frank's double pan gravity fed monster (it's not done yet, but done enough to smoke some good food.)

How can I tell I'm makin' it right? Well.... last weekend, about 20 people were in the back yard. There was a couple down from Marquette. Independently, they both made it a point to tell me that a friend of theirs THOUGHT he knew how to smoke brisket.... now they knew better, and where to get it!

Personally, I'll always be finding ways to improve what I'm making.

[Mo Smoke]

Way to keep the beat alive fellas. Good to hear about others struggling for bbq perfection just like me. My last batch of ribs about a month ago was far from my best. Had Good smoke flavor but they were still kind of tight. Fire got too hot on me and they started cooking too fast at a point. My first instinct was to get mad about it, almost ruined the time I had spent cooking. But I pulled it together. Cut them up threw them in a pan, hit em with some spritz, covered the pan with foil and tossed them in the oven on 225 for about an hour, then turned the oven off and let em ride another 30 mins...pulled them out and they were tender and moist...much better. Hit them with some sauce and it was all good. Wouldn’t have claimed them in my top 5 cooks but they were 100 times better than what I tasted at someone else’s bbq 2 weeks ago !


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