Brisket on a new $100 offset smoker (Mad Scientist BBQ)

[WeberWho]

I enjoy watching Mad Scientist BBQ videos on YouTube. Yesterday he posted a video about buying the cheapest offset smoker he could find at Home Depot to see how well he could cook a brisket. I found the video fascinating.

Most of us know that cheap offset smokers can be a hassle to use and you'll be babysitting constantly but can they produce good food?

https://youtu.be/jKV7n5RcL4k

 

[Nuco59]

Was interesting. But if he was your newbie, basic back yard bbq'er- doing a Walmart Select- not giving his undivided attention, and it came out "better than good", I'd have been wowed.

 

[darita]

Like all of his videos...very informative. I want to see how he manages the fire and I also wonder about the grade of brisket he started with. Thanks for posting this.

 

[thedude9999]

No surprise there. I cooked good food on an Oklahoma Joe (which is better than what he used, but still pretty junky) for a while before upgrading. It just takes more work to keep a clean fire burning

 

[Lynn Dollar]

Mad Scientists makes very interesting vids. I enjoy his channel.


Saw the title to this one and knew it would be good.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Thanks for posting this. I agree with him 100% that skill trumps equipment on just about anything. I bet he could make a great brisket over a campfire if he had to.

One of the long gone roadside bbq stands by me would smoke everything in a open pit which was literally a log burning a couple feet below a grate. No lid, no nothing. Just a log in a pit with meat on a grate above it. It was some excellent cue.

 

[Jason TQ]

I remember my cheap hd pit when I first got going :shock:.

I watched a little and quickly scrolled through the rest visually and didn't see him show any fire management, which seems key to what he was trying to do.

Did I miss that from being lazy? :-D

 

[Shadowdog500]

I remember my cheap hd pit when I first got going :shock:.

I watched a little and quickly scrolled through the rest visually and didn't see him show any fire management, which seems key to what he was trying to do.

Did I miss that from being lazy? :-D

In the quotes he said the fire management for that smoker will be covered in an upcoming video.

I also started with cheap $35 Brinkman smokers from HD. It was almost a full time job to manage the temps but it made good cue. When I bought my first WSM that actually maintained temps all on its own it was a godsend.

No way I would go back to a $35 Brinkman but it is still a way for newbies to start smoking decent cue for not much money.

 

[Nuco59]

He basically "Tin Cup-ed" it - played a winning round of golf using only garden tools.

Not everyone can do it- not everyone would get good enough to pull it off.

Was sort of interesting to watch - but as far as a "how to"- not so much.

Watching Kevin Costner do the the garden tools thing was a LOT more fun.

 

[thedude9999]

I remember my cheap hd pit when I first got going :shock:.

I watched a little and quickly scrolled through the rest visually and didn't see him show any fire management, which seems key to what he was trying to do.

Did I miss that from being lazy? :-D

He talked about it a bit. Charcoal for the heat, splits cut down to very small size added constantly for the smoke. He also kept adding charcoal during the cook.

 

[jzadski]

I do like his videos too. Will have to check it out. Thanks