I believe the Brethren has changed the BBQ community

Bamabuzzard

Bamabuzzard

is Blowin Smoke!
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Follow me for a second. It wasn't but a few years ago (can't remember how many) that the average bbq'er (backyard weekend warrior) smoked at 225 degrees. Heck, about seven years ago I did to. I was a 225'er. But started seeing on the board how several seasoned members smoked at 250 and higher. That became a huge board topic. But slowly but surely many on the board started trying the higher temps and now I think if we took a poll that most on here no longer cook at 225 degrees but around 250 or higher. With that said, I have noticed that this has filtered out to even the average joe who doesn't take bbq as serious as those on here. Those who "every now and then" throw some ribs or a pork butt on the smoker. I'm noticing I'm not finding anywhere near the amount of people who smoke at 225 as in the past and I think that movement might have started right here on this wonderful board. There are a lot of members on this board from all parts of the world. We go out, try new things, share information with each other and try to help others who want it.

So I'm officially crediting The Brethren for what appears to be a big shift in smoking temps the average person uses to Q. We are laying the ground work folks one rib at a time, one slice of brisket at a time and one pulled pork sammich at a time! :eusa_clap :bow:
 
I only used to cook at 225 because my Brinkman $40.00 smoker would drown the ash and sit at that temp while I had to stir the ash and keep the door open lol.
 
I learned to cook briskets and butts low, then hotter, then I forgot. And for decades I struggled. Then I came here looking for information on MOINK balls and found the Hit & Fast debate and suddenly remembered what my mentor taught me.

It wasn't that I didn't know, or that it wasn't known, but, I was reminded of what I had forgotten. And the members here share freely the things many cooks often hide. That is the real credit to the members and the forum.
 
I tweeted that out about cooking higher temps...glad it caught on ;)

I do think forums like this make a difference for sure.
 
Much the same as landarc for me. Granddad & my Dad cooked hot, temp was judged by holding a hand over the grate and it wasn't there to long:-o.Some how'er other I forgot my come-upins and it took me along time and money applying all the Snake oil to come along triyn to get back to the good stuff I growed up on. Once my brains came back in I was back to yep that feels hot enough then I incorporated a pit thermo back into it so I knew what "feels hot enough" was. I chock it up to growing up & putting away the toys, simplifying life and being flexible, relaxed not over complicatin a very simple thing. What I found here was some of what I had lost in technique helping me to be even better at this great hobby.
 
There isn't any doubt about the value and influence of this site. For the past 9 years, this has been my goto place to learn and share my experiences both good and bad. What you do see here is diversity of styles and methods.

As for the hot and fast example, we have learned of a new/different method, but it isn't for all. 225* is still what we shoot for regarding our big meats, as this is where we have gotten our best results with our particular smoker. The low & slow vs. hot and fast debate is very similar to the stick burning offset/cabinet/pellet pooper debate. The fact that we can have this debate and learn from it is what makes this place cool. even after all these years.
 
I agree with nmayeux. Hot and fast may be a different way to BBQ but I for one do not smoke anything above 250. Low n slow is all I know and that is all I probably will ever do. If it works for someone else, that's fine. I think we are all better off with more people involved in BBQ, regardless of what temp they cook at. My .02

_____________________________________
Professional Pig Worshipper
Beam's SG-01 Offset Smoker
Chargriller Akorn
Brinkmann Grill King Deluxe
USMC - Semper Fi
 
Having the option for hot and fast is the best part. I'm a die hard 225 guy but I have done a brisket and a butt using the hot and fast method when I was pushed for time. BOTH turned out better than I anticipated. :thumb:
 
I started BBQing in 2012. I was under the impression that low and slow was the only way to go. I started by learning how to do low and slow. I did read a lot about Hot and Fast and as I was confident with my low and slow technique, I started experimenting with hot and fast cooking.

I still do both types of cooking depending on what time the meat needs to come off the pit, as well as hot large of a cook I'm doing. I do prefer hot and fast, as it fits my lifestyle a little bit better than low and slow. However I still use the technique I first learned on.
 
Myron Mixon has been doing HnF for a while now and it's talked about in season 1 of BBQ Pitmasters. Well I am sure there were a lot of others before him that did HnF as well.

But I do think this forum has had a lot to do with making it a popular choice. Seems like most cook HnF here.. I am gonna make a poll in another thread.. brb.
 
I think what it comes down to is the demystifying of the BBQ pit.

When we keep striving for more and more info, sooner or later we come to the realization that our pits are just ovens that are much more fun to use.

Once that happens then all the info used and tweeked over years and years of cooking at 325-350 in a conventional oven starts to crossover and we open up sooooo many more things to do OUTSIDE of the kitchen and outside of the traditional bbq world.


This community is as versatile and imaginative as any in the food world if not more. If there's a way to open up new avenues to enjoy our passion....the Brethren will most likely be leading that charge.
 
This forum puts so much diverse information out there that it's provided different avenues and methods for Q'ers to try and experiment. People have found solutions to many of their Q'n problems then they go and share it with others. I know the reason I changed from 225 to 250+ was time. I found there wasn't any difference in the flavor of my Q and it was finished in less time. Win for me. :clap2:
 
bbqgeekess said:
Myron Mixon has been doing HnF for a while now and it's talked about in season 1 of BBQ Pitmasters. Well I am sure there were a lot of others before him that did HnF as well.

But I do think this forum has had a lot to do with making it a popular choice. Seems like most cook HnF here.. I am gonna make a poll in another thread.. brb.
Click to expand...

Here's a poll I did on rib temps:-D

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=182803
:pop2:
I'll be watching yours
 
I think the discussion is not just about HnF, but, about a lot more openness in regards to achieving good results over a large array of cooking over live fire.

One of the things that really hacked me off about many forums, including cooking ones, were the people that purposely mislead. BBQ cooks that posted recipes or techniques that I knew could not work, gardeners that would purposely post soil methods that could not work and fishermen that would leave out key details, or flat out lie about things. I found this to be true in the real world as well. This is one of the best things about here, the folks who don't want to tell, just don't tell. Those that are willing to help, help openly and honestly.
 
Point of order. Is a 25 degree move from 225 to 250 really considered going from low and slow to hot and fast? I thought hot and fast would most definately have to be closer to the 300 degree and over range.
 
landarc said:
I think the discussion is not just about HnF, but, about a lot more openness in regards to achieving good results over a large array of cooking over live fire.

One of the things that really hacked me off about many forums, including cooking ones, were the people that purposely mislead. BBQ cooks that posted recipes or techniques that I knew could not work, gardeners that would purposely post soil methods that could not work and fishermen that would leave out key details, or flat out lie about things. I found this to be true in the real world as well. This is one of the best things about here, the folks who don't want to tell, just don't tell. Those that are willing to help, help openly and honestly.
Click to expand...

You're right, it's not just about HnF compared to low and slow. It's about the willingness to share truthful information, having people try the truthful information then going out and teaching and telling others.

I can't stand people who mislead. It would be better if they just refused to offer any information. But you have people who dang sure will give you misinformation, leave out critical aspects of a recipe or method.
 
Redleg71 said:
Point of order. Is a 25 degree move from 225 to 250 really considered going from low and slow to hot and fast? I thought hot and fast would most definately have to be closer to the 300 degree and over range.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure but I definitely could tell the difference in cooking time. At 225 I was cooking spare ribs for 5 1/2 to 6 hrs. At 250 I finish them in 4 to 4 1/2.
 
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