How do you guys overcome the ability not to master good BBQ?

[ClintHTX]

Originally Posted by Skidder

My question would be why would cooking upset your wife. Not like your down the local bar drinking ,doing drugs and chasin skirt.......or are ya?

My wife enjoys my BBQ quite a bit but doesn't want to eat smoked que every weekend. I normally get a rack of ribs for myself or smoke some fatties when I feel the need to fill my addiction.

[Lake Dogs]

BBQ ribs, or strip club. BBQ brisket, strip club. BBQ pork, big party at the... strip club. Either way you win.

[buttburnersbbq]

I post on Facebook that smoker Will be up and running for a weekend and plenty of room to spare. I always get friends and neighbors dropping off meat Friday evening. I always get a few butts, ribs and briskest everytime. Which I cook all night friday and they Come pick up there cooked meat on Saturday just before dinner. Everyone thinks it is great. This way is cost me nothing for meat to practice. Since everyone offers me and my family some of there meat I cooked for them. So I get free dinner also. Only cost I have is my rub and bbq sauce I make . This is pennies compared to cost of meat. I make out since I get practice for comps , get dinner for pennies. I hope everyone doesn't catch on to my scam.

[Pappy]

If you think your Q is not the best. Eat at your local Q joint and yours will probably taste better than theirs.

[flyingbassman5]

No wife, but a girlfriend of 3 constant, happy, and loving years..

Best to do, like already mentioned, is to get her involved. She loves helping me start the fires, trim the meat, season it, be an extra hand when trying to take off meat from the pit, slice up ribs when they are done, etc. About the only thing she doesn't do is help drink the Jim and Coke and clean up the ash!!

Plus it helps that she likes the results..

Sometimes she does let me know that I need to hold off on the "big time" BBQ for a little bit to keep it from getting old but she doesn't complain if one of the Webers get fired up to roast some corn, potatoes, kabobs, or the like on an almost nightly basis.

I think shes a keeper fellas!

[Gilstarr]

landarc and LMAJ said it best master each skill . .. come to think of it they are all good responses in certain situations..

[farklf]

At the family gatherings, you supply the meat. But you got to practice because the wife don't want you to take crap over.

[BBQ Bandit]

Think back to the days of classroom study with the occasional quizes and tests.

Step 1: Master a fire management technique with your smoker and fuel.
Step 2: Choose quality (non-enhanced) meats.
Step 3: Start with a simple homemade rub or a quality commercial rub.
Step 4: The textbook - The BBQ Brethren.
Step 5: Start with shorter length cooks (chicken, fatties, ABT's, Moinks, Porkloin, etc.)

Consider them your quizes. As you get comfy with these cooks... prepare and study some more for the longer cooks.


Repeat often...

[TIMMAY]

Originally Posted by landarc

Okay, a more serious answer, because I am seriously trying to pump my 'helpful post' count.

1. I take careful note of everything I do with each cook. From the spice rub to the meat selection and process. With the advent of digital photography, this became even better. When I was younger and learning to cook, I kept logs, noting process and results.

2. I read a lot about what other people do, good or bad. If what I wanted to do was learn brisket, I would read every single thread carefully, about what the person did and what they ended up with. You can learn from others success and failure.

3. I have had the chance to cook with some great cooks. That taught me a lot, about cooking and learning to cook. When I got here and read what Saiko was doing, and what Pitmaster T, then Barbefunkoramaque was doing, it was easy for me to see where I needed to improve.

4. I do NOT drink when I cook normally. I drink afterwards and make up for lost time. But, when I am running my cooker, I am about cooking.

5. Just because it isn't BBQ, doesn't mean I can't learn anything, and I listen and consider what anyone who is willing, will teach me. If Bobby Flay or Steve Raichlen wanted me to cook with them, I would be thrilled, that would go for anyone, you want to talk food with me, I am there.

6. Stick to one method at a time, find someone whose process or reputation you admire and when you can cook, cook exactly that way until you master it. Don't mix processes, which is what most folks do, because they 'like' what they hear, or because each part meets their expectations. Cook one process until you get it where you want it. I cooked BBQ for 34 years one way before I got here. I still do ribs and butts that way, as my product was good. My brisket cook is completely different from 2009, and that is because of being here. Fark chicken, I roast it at home.

I 100% agree with all of that. Get a smedium sized notebook, and start taking notes. Take notes of all aspects of the cook. How the pit is running, how much charcoal you used, times, meat prep. Every single bit. I even take note of observations and thoughts for what to try next time. Information and knowledge goes a long way towards getting a process down. And only changing one thing at a time helps eliminate variables without creating more problems. Staying sober is also a plus to keeping that attention to detail. I guess another thing is start simple. One example is using S&P for your rub. Get the rest of your process down then start experimenting with flavor.

[SmokinJohn]

Originally Posted by CarlWayne

If it was up to me I'd cook brisket, pork butts, ribs or whatever else every day of the week to master good BBQ. But my wife would kill me and I'd more than likely go broke. If only it was that easy. How do you guys over come this problem?

Get a new wife!

Seriously, my wife looks at my path to mastery as a hobby. It makes me happy. It keeps the family fed. Smoke bothers her, so I try to limit my smokes to 2-3 times per month (more if she's visiting family and friends).

If she is a BBQ fan, and your product is better, that will help, because it saves money.

[Texas Turtle]

My wife's only complaint is usually "Why are you cooking so much at a time?" My usual answer is "practice". She considers queing a rather innocuous hobby and she likes to eat the stuff, so it's usually not a big deal. Sometimes she helps me out by trimming and rubbing if she's not busy, and she will usually help wrap pork butts and ribs. I pick up a few brownie points by inviting her friends over to eat and sending leftovers home with them. I usually volunteer to cook for her family's holiday gatherings, although sometimes they turn me down.

[K-Train]

Drink

[SmokinSlowPoke]

If budgeting becomes a factor try to grab meat when its on sale. I love to cook Chicken thighs because i think its a huge challenge and I love the finished product. Some cut of chicken is almost always on sale so keep your eyes peeled. Same goes for Pork.

When/If you approach your wife about the cooks and money is an issue show her the value in you cooking in bulk, you can bring the results in for lunch and save money instead of eating out every day. Also, it would probably help to get her involved. Summer is coming up, tell her to invite some friends over for a pot luck dinner party. You can turn your hobby into something you both can enjoy by sharing it with others. She can whip up some sides, you can smoke some meats and your friends can supply the booze. Win/win for everyone; she gets drunk and you get to do what you love. Probably get lucky to boot.

[yakdung]

I would suggest to concentrate on one item until you are happy with the results like whole chickens. Cheap enough if you make a mistake. Also, get a dog if you goof, just toss him/her your Q and you will make a friend for life.

[CharredApron]

Having owned a deli and a mobile wood fired oven, my wife doesn't really like smoked meats but she loves having me home and not out all night cookin at bars and being married to my business. I still keep detailed notes on my cooks and learn something new every time. Good luck!