TIL that old pitmaster at a competition in Memphis called me out for basting too much

I was at a BBQ competition in Memphis last fall, my first real one. I had this brisket I was trying to impress everyone with, and I kept opening the smoker every 20 minutes to baste it with butter and apple juice. This older guy, must have been 70, walked over from the next pit and just shook his head. He said "you're steaming that thing, not smoking it. Every time you open the door, you let out all the heat and stall it out." He told me to just let it ride for 3 hours straight without touching it. I felt stupid but I tried his advice. That brisket turned out way better with a real bark and not that soggy mess I was making. Has anyone else had an old timer call them out at a competition?

2 comments

2 Comments

wrenwilson1mo ago

Did you keep basting but just spaced it out more, or did you pretty much stop opening the smoker altogether? I had a similar wake-up call at a backyard cookout when a neighbor told me I was fussing with my ribs way too much. Once I stopped checking every half hour, my bark got way better and the meat actually stayed juicy instead of falling apart from all that moisture.

scott.mia1mo ago

That's a good point, but a brisket that's falling apart usually means it's overcooked or hasn't rested long enough, not that it got too much moisture from basting. You want it tender but it should still hold together on the slicer.