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Hell Larry, We all cheat. Be nice to use wood all he time. I can, and do when I'm with the motor home. Just the blender and adult beverages get in the way. :LOL:

Pigs
 
Pigs On The Wing BBQ said:
Hell Larry, We all cheat. Be nice to use wood all he time. I can, and do when I'm with the motor home. Just the blender and adult beverages get in the way. :LOL:

Pigs

You are missing the point of the question. I'm not saying we all use all wood, or anything of the sort. Most of us don't refer to ourselves as PitMaster's either, I know I'm certainly not one. How can one be a pit master if they have not mastered the art of making BBQ the traditional way with wood and burnt down coals?
 
Larry Wolfe said:
[quote="Pigs On The Wing BBQ":20fxgu50]Hell Larry, We all cheat. Be nice to use wood all he time. I can, and do when I'm with the motor home. Just the blender and adult beverages get in the way. :LOL:

Pigs

You are missing the point of the question. I'm not saying we all use all wood, or anything of the sort. Most of us don't refer to ourselves as PitMaster's either, I know I'm certainly not one. How can one be a pit master if they have not mastered the art of making BBQ the traditional way with wood and burnt down coals?[/quote:20fxgu50]

I don't think any of us can be looked at as a traditional PitMaster because as you say, none of us burn down wood and only use the coals. Then again, none of us have the traditional pits either and they are now against the law is most states. The only ones that exist still have been grandfathered in (as far as I know). I think for any of us to be considered a true PitMaster at this point, we need to be in comps and winning. No matter what you're cooking with, if you're winning...you're winning!
 
ChuckBBQSmoker said:
Larry Wolfe said:
[quote="Pigs On The Wing BBQ":2t6mhev2]Hell Larry, We all cheat. Be nice to use wood all he time. I can, and do when I'm with the motor home. Just the blender and adult beverages get in the way. :LOL:

Pigs

You are missing the point of the question. I'm not saying we all use all wood, or anything of the sort. Most of us don't refer to ourselves as PitMaster's either, I know I'm certainly not one. How can one be a pit master if they have not mastered the art of making BBQ the traditional way with wood and burnt down coals?

I don't think any of us can be looked at as a traditional PitMaster because as you say, none of us burn down wood and only use the coals. Then again, none of us have the traditional pits either and they are now against the law is most states. The only ones that exist still have been grandfathered in (as far as I know). I think for any of us to be considered a true PitMaster at this point, we need to be in comps and winning. No matter what you're cooking with, if you're winning...you're winning![/quote:2t6mhev2]

Very untrue in so many ways. Where are BBQ Pit's banned? Where are stick burners banned? As far as competitions go, that makes you no more of a pitmaster than, making you a NASCAR driver and winning the Daytona 500 in a go cart. Competition cooking unforturnately is SOOOOOOOOO far different than traditional BBQ, there is no comparison. You could NOT sit down and enjoy a plate of Competition BBQ like you could a Traditional plate of BBQ. Two totally different animals.

My point is if you can cook BBQ from start to finish to perfection using only wood or wood and coals on a consistent basis and turn out the exact same BBQ everytime with a naturally aspirated wood/coal (burnt down wood not charcoal) fire, then you can consider yourself a true Pitmaster. If you use charcoal, or artifical air, gas or even worse electricity, what makes you a master of something that is basically controlled for you???
 
Well I think it works sorta like down at the Bait Shop. After working there a year and dispensing a case of bait a person becomes a Master Baiter. After cooking a case of briskets over a years time a person becomes a Master Pitter. Simple huh?
 
bigwheel said:
Well I think it works sorta like down at the Bait Shop. After working there a year and dispensing a case of bait a person becomes a Master Baiter. After cooking a case of briskets over a years time a person becomes a Master Pitter. Simple huh?

Your analogy works for me!
 
Let me add.......one who uses an electric pellet feed smoker is no more of a Pitmaster, than I am God. That's nothing more than an oven with wood flavor. Anything you electronically control your temps with rules you out from being a Pitmaster in my book, PERIOD. Good cook, yes.....Pitmaster NOT!
 
I think the whole proposition boils down to whether a person is "process oriented" or "results oriented." It was ingrained in me fairly early in life that...The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating. Meaning I could care less how it was cooked whether by an electric pellet pooper...an offset creosote factory or gamma rays..if it tastes good and and was prepared in a safe and sanitary manner I will eat it and strive to duplicate the process if warranted. Will gladly bestow the title of Pit Master on anybody who can accomplish the task on a fairly consistent basis. Hope this helps.
 
Well here is the definition of pitmaster, now you all can decide.


Noun
pitmaster (plural pitmasters)
One who operates a barbecue pit. Sometimes a term of respect for someone who is skilled at barbecuing.

Now the definition of barbecue pit

barbecue pit (n.)
1.a pit where wood or charcoal is burned to make a bed of hot coals suitable for barbecuing meat

So now you can all make a choice. I'm guessing that Larry is just trying to bust Puff's balls here because Larry's jealous that Puff gets to BBQ for a living and his boss gave him the title of pitmaster. I'm also guessing that Puff has bbqed more meat since he changed jobs then Larry has and I'd bet it's pretty damn good if the restaurant is still open! Just thinking out loud here!
 
My daughter filled her Sentra with diesel, bought dog food instead of cat food, and bounced checks because she failed to deposit checks all in a 3 week period. I asked her how she remembers all the drink recipes when she bartends. She said if a drink calls for more than 2 ingredients they have a bottled mixer for it. Times have changed....., and,no, I would not call her a bartender.
 
My thoughts on a Pitmaster is anyone that can produce a great BBQ product with a naturally built fire and has to tend that fire to keep it at temp for an extended period of time to SMOKE a product would be a Pitmaster. Set it and forget it gadgets and gizmos just dont constitute the blood and sweat that an acutal Pitmaster has to endure to create the best possible BBQ he can produce. Sorry all pellet pooper lovers, gassers and electric smoker lovers.
They just dont allow for the title of Pitmaster. I have used my electric on my lazy days but I also have sat at my offset custom for 16 hrs under only wood fire with constant attention to temps. So yes I would consider myself a Pitmaster. P.S. Competition BBQ winning has nothing to do with great BBQ. I have done BBQ for 20 years and never entered a competition and I am told my BBQ is extremly good. So does that disqualify me as a Pitmaster? I think not.
 
hawk wild bbq co said:
My thoughts on a Pitmaster is anyone that can produce a great BBQ product with a naturally built fire and has to tend that fire to keep it at temp for an extended period of time to SMOKE a product would be a Pitmaster. Set it and forget it gadgets and gizmos just dont constitute the blood and sweat that an acutal Pitmaster has to endure to create the best possible BBQ he can produce. Sorry all pellet pooper lovers, gassers and electric smoker lovers.
They just dont allow for the title of Pitmaster. I have used my electric on my lazy days but I also have sat at my offset custom for 16 hrs under only wood fire with constant attention to temps. So yes I would consider myself a Pitmaster. P.S. Competition BBQ winning has nothing to do with great BBQ. I have done BBQ for 20 years and never entered a competition and I am told my BBQ is extremly good. So does that disqualify me as a Pitmaster? I think not.
So when your using your electric smoker I assume you put your pitmaster title back in the closet?
 
Lol now that do open a whole new can of worms. Think Larry brought up a good point echoed by Hawk which I aint heard since arguing with them two hard heads known as Dave Lineback from NC and Bob from GA. When you talk about some process oriented purist type folks they wrote the book on supreme anal retentiveness. Lineback always claimed unless a person was cooking full pork shoulders over a hickory coals fire it did not need to be counted as real bbq. Bob from GA is a whole hawg cooker who think he has to have hickory coals too..but he cooks a certain sized pig..on a grate with so many bars of a certain diameter and salt the skin so it cracks blah blah or it aint fit to eat. The echoed sentiment common to the group is comp bbq has ruined real BBQ because nowadays everybody expects way over smoked stuff from an offset log burner. That makes folks think "real BBQ" (like they make) not taste very good in comparison. Now the rational approach would be have a contest between the two methods. I even got special dispensation from IBCA Lynn to let Bob dig holes if want to come enter a contest to see which is best. He aint showed but then he do not believe in contest cooking. This all gets very cornfusing.
 
That is exactly what I am saying. I dont take huge pride in anything that I pull out of the electric smoker...but I DO when it comes out of the pit.
 
What it all means is we all want to hear that 5-10-15 hrs of our time was worth it, and that you can taste and damn near feel the difference and I swear my hand to god I can, I have never owned a gas grill and i will never...not sayin any one who uses them is wrong, just saying I love the flavor of coal and wood, I myself see the differance...and we all knew this was comming the lazy try to make everything easy and care free, They take a machine and pellets and say it's smoked? so they don't need to care or worry... my machine is doing it for me. I want to say That I F*ckin care and I feel cheated for the hobby I love and learned and stayed up late nights and got up early mornings...not to set a F*ckin dial, but to build a fire and cook some meat! My 2 cents....but ya know what I am not angry and just will keep doing what I love cause I want 2 :D
 
bigwheel said:
Lol now that do open a whole new can of worms. Think Larry brought up a good point echoed by Hawk which I aint heard since arguing with them two hard heads known as Dave Lineback from NC and Bob from GA. When you talk about some process oriented purist type folks they wrote the book on supreme anal retentiveness. Lineback always claimed unless a person was cooking full pork shoulders over a hickory coals fire it did not need to be counted as real bbq. Bob from GA is a whole hawg cooker who think he has to have hickory coals too..but he cooks a certain sized pig..on a grate with so many bars of a certain diameter and salt the skin so it cracks blah blah or it aint fit to eat. The echoed sentiment common to the group is comp bbq has ruined real BBQ because nowadays everybody expects way over smoked stuff from an offset log burner. That makes folks think "real BBQ" (like they make) not taste very good in comparison. Now the rational approach would be have a contest between the two methods. I even got special dispensation from IBCA Lynn to let Bob dig holes if want to come enter a contest to see which is best. He aint showed but then he do not believe in contest cooking. This all gets very cornfusing.
Speaking of the old boys, Ya ever hear from Big Jim? or Bruce Cook? Talked to Gary Wiviot last week, got a new book coming out soon. Lot of folk don't like the boy. He's okay in my book. Ginger is still my fav. :D
 
I am with jimmy.....its the hobby and the love of it so if you dont want to spend your time and effort making real bbq go buy that good packaged stuff that Larry posted and just sit down and eat...
 

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