For competition Q, you probably need to keep a tight reign on your temperature. But when I smoke meats for 8 to 10 hours in the yard for my friends, we generally drink and tell stories while the meat is smoking, which means that temperatures fluctuate. The biggest fluctuations seem to happen in the first hour or two, when the coals are getting settled in for the long haul. Then it levels out. No big deal, the meat still tastes good.
If you are competing for prize money, then get anal with your temps. But, if you just want a good dinner with friends and family, don't let a rouge temperature spike ruin your day. IMHO, home cooking should be as fun to make as it is good to eat.
Food that takes a matter of minutes to cook is not forgiving. Timing and temperature is critical. BBQ is pretty forgiving, since it takes such a long time to cook. If it takes 8 hours to cook, you aren't likely to ruin it if the temperature spikes for 20 minutes.
I aim for perfection, but cut myself some slack when it comes to BBQ.
CD
