Just got my first smoker

[Sled21]

(12-18-2020, 12:20 PM)michaelsean Wrote: I think I’d be hard pressed to know the difference in any wood right now except maybe one may leave a heavier smoke flavor than another.

I get what you say about how there are so many variables between different equipment, the meat you happen to have that day and many other things. I of course now know who Franklin is. He cooks over 100 briskets a day and there is no way they are all the same on the same day let alone day to day.

The other thing is I’m not (I don’t think) going to be a meat snob.(Probably an unfair characterization) Yes if I see a prime brisket for a ridiculous price I’m going to try it once, but for me one of the cool things about barbecue is taking the cheap parts of the animal that aren’t great and through time and technique turning them into something magnificent. If I can buy a 15 lb select brisket for $30 and make it something great then that’s an accomplishment in my book.

I love using oak for everything if I have it, and can't tell any difference between white or red or post. I love pecan for beef brisket, not so much for pork or poultry. Hickory is the standard in Kentucky, but it is easy to oversmoke with.

As far as being a meat snob looking down their noses at select briskets, every call I ever got in competition for brisket was with a select brisket. I never got a call using a Prime, and refuse to pay for Wagyu. Never discount a select, they just take a little more time at a little lower temperature to loosen up.