Overheard a guy at a competition say pellet grills aren't real BBQ

I was at a small local comp in Texas last Saturday and this older pitmaster was going off about how anyone using a pellet grill is just cheating, not real BBQ. It got me thinking, is it the tool or the technique that matters more? Like, sure, a stick burner takes more skill to manage temps, but if the final brisket comes out perfect on a pellet smoker, does it still count as pitmaster work? Curious where y'all land on this debate.

2 comments

2 Comments

rowan_butler9326d ago

Read a thing online a while back that said the real test of BBQ isn't the gear but how the meat tastes after 12 hours. If someone nails a perfect smoke ring and tender brisket on a pellet grill, that's still a win in my book. The guy running the stick burner might have more bragging rights about his skill, but good BBQ is good BBQ at the end of the day. It's like saying a pro photographer isn't legit because they use a digital camera instead of film. The result matters more than the method.

the_beth26d ago

That thing about the photographer using digital vs film is spot on. I've seen people win local comps with cheap offset smokers because they knew how to manage their fire, and I've also had amazing BBQ from a friend's Treager that beat anything I've ever made on my stick burner.