Which is more important to You

[16Adams]

The cook, the cooker, the fuel, the meat, the seasoning

There are a lot of cheap offsets but this one is mine. Oklahoma Joe Highland. Then there is my Oklahoma Joe Bronco. Right at 400 in the two cookers. Looking at high end drums and Old Country Offsets at Academy it's not hard to tell which will last longer. So I am extra careful to take care of my low end cookers. They've proved their worth, now I need to do my part.

[Big George's BBQ]

the meat and the people I am cooking for Will have to add the cooker as I love my Egg

[LYU370]

The results.

[Speeed]

I spent nearly a decade paying my bills with a camera and something that new photographers are often told... "an expensive camera and lens doesn't make one a better photographer" This philosophy can be applied to everything.... Expensive paints, pencils and mediums doesn't make someone a better artist, Top of the line clubs doesn't make someone a better golfer.

Same can be said for BBQ. Some of the best BBQ ever made has came from a hole in the ground.

The most important thing should be... are you enjoying yourself and are the people you're cooking for enjoying themselves?

[NoOne]

The satisfied look of the people I cook for.

But I’m with you, I like to take care of my stuff because I’m proud that I have it and what I can do with it. If I can’t treat it wight, it wont treat me right.

[Nuco59]

More important of the five listed? Gonna have to go with 'the cook'. The other choices matter- but in what order? When it gets to bourbon pouring time, I'll ponder on it.

[thirdeye]

The cook, the cooker, the fuel, the meat, the seasoning

More important of the five listed? Gonna have to go with 'the cook'. The other choices matter- but in what order? When it gets to bourbon pouring time, I'll ponder on it.

I'm thinking it's the cook too, and here's why.... it's the cook that is the one that sizes up their capability, then decides how to deal with the variables which would be the pit to use, the meat choice of the day and the seasoning. And in the end, I think the seasoning is the least important being able to cook the meat well (moist, tender, smokiness) will score more points with the eaters than a rub or sauce.

[WilliamKY]

I really don't have an "in between" to measure. I went from an old New Braunfels straight to a Shirley. From struggling and hating stick burning to feeling almost like I'm cheating. Based on that I would say the cooker made all the difference. Of course years of Weber use also gave me confidence to enjoy and take on these backyard excursions. I'd say the cook first then the cooker.

[kevinstaggs]

It’s the Indian, not the arrow... in all things.


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[pjtexas1]

I got started on some really cheap equipment. Life is much easier now that I've got better equipment.

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[Titch]

I spent nearly a decade paying my bills with a camera and something that new photographers are often told... "an expensive camera and lens doesn't make one a better photographer" This philosophy can be applied to everything.... Expensive paints, pencils and mediums doesn't make someone a better artist, Top of the line clubs doesn't make someone a better golfer.

Same can be said for BBQ. Some of the best BBQ ever made has came from a hole in the ground.

The most important thing should be... are you enjoying yourself and are the people you're cooking for enjoying themselves?

Some of my first Q and best food came out of a hole in the ground.
best way to replicate it now is still with a shovel.

So ,the cook

[SMOKE FREAK]

I got started on some really cheap equipment. Life is much easier now that I've got better equipment.

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But cooking on the cheap equipment taught you the basics or the upgraded gear wouldn't matter much.

I relate my BBQ to my organic garden where I learned that the one percenters (changes that my only make a one percent change in the outcome) are the key to success. When all the one percenters add up they matter.

So is it me? or is it the techniques that I have learned over the decades? It doesn't matter...End results are what matter...

[jzadski]

It's more of a calling and what I am feeling. I enjoy the whole process it's my Calgon. IMHO you missed one variable...the beer :-D

[Whumpa]

I spent nearly a decade paying my bills with a camera and something that new photographers are often told... "an expensive camera and lens doesn't make one a better photographer" This philosophy can be applied to everything.... Expensive paints, pencils and mediums doesn't make someone a better artist, Top of the line clubs doesn't make someone a better golfer.

Same can be said for BBQ. Some of the best BBQ ever made has came from a hole in the ground.

The most important thing should be... are you enjoying yourself and are the people you're cooking for enjoying themselves?

I have to agree with Speeed. I have a couple of high end professional saxophones, but they don’t make me a better musician. I still miss notes, key changes and booger up rhythms. It comes down to the fact, whether it’s music or cooking, it takes practice.

[Hamdrew]

The chef, of course- i think that covers everything.

The person has to know HOW to season; I am much more likely to skim or pass when I see "rubbed with (solely) yard bird", or "harry soo's _____" etc.. Not that I'm knocking them, at all, it just is often indicator of if I am going to learn anything (about seasoning). So, I head straight to their cooker and see what's up with that.

The person has to know what to look for and also guess how a piece of meat will cook (i.e. a loin-heavy piece of pork shoulder, vs the fattier muscle groups).. how to use vinegar/booze/seasonings to pull out off-flavors in rancid meat, LOL.

I would say that the cooks grasp on their cooker is more important in BBQ than their grasp on seasoning, or their grasp on meat.

[smokeisgood]

I have to agree with Speeed. I have a couple of high end professional saxophones, but they don’t make me a better musician. I still miss notes, key changes and booger up rhythms. It comes down to the fact, whether it’s music or cooking, it takes practice.

What you and Speeed say is true, a more expensive "item" won't make you better at anything really if you don't know the difference. But that said, there is a reason pro golfers use custom clubs, and Professional musicians don't use "First Act" guitars. Once the basic skills are in place, better equipment makes life easier.

[Speeed]

What you and Speeed say is true, a more expensive "item" won't make you better at anything really if you don't know the difference. But that said, there is a reason pro golfers use custom clubs, and Professional musicians don't use "First Act" guitars. Once the basic skills are in place, better equipment makes life easier.

Thing is most people believe better gear makes them better. They waste money on gear that is beyond their skill level instead of learning fundamentals and developing the skills to be able to utilize the advantages better gear affords.

[Shiz-Nit]

To me its a combination of all to get the process to achieve the desired results