YouTube BBQ: Smash or Pass?

[SirPorkaLot]

YouTube BBQ has become a thing.

What started off slow with seasoned BBQ’ers sharing their hard earned knowledge, has turned into a juggernaut.
With the advent of TikTok making it easier to get their videos out there, YouTube BBQ is everywhere.

Even in this forum, where some YT influencers, get mentioned regularly.

There are some strong opinions on YouTube BBQ.

I’m interested in hearing them.
I’ll also share mine in a detailed post below.

Feel free to share examples of good (or bad) examples, along with your opinion.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

For reference:
This is from a recent poll in my Farkbook BBQ group on popular YT influencers

 

[Fooball]

I'll say smash...I watch youtube a lot to learn about things. Anything. All subjects. Car repair, computer fixes/customizing, household repairs.

It usually gives me an answer and I fix the problem and feel good about myself and how great a handyman I am.

BBQ....I have learned about equipment and techniques and recipes. Yup...I'll admit it. :-D

Here's an example of a catering guy's first cook on his new 1975 workhorse. He also has a trailer rig, but he tells you a good bit of info on the 1975 if you were interested in buying one and also smoking chicken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMcS8Fee43w

 

[sudsandswine]

I dont understand the amount of time people spend thinking about content you dont have to pay for, nor have to watch (not directing this at anyone in particular).

IMO, pellet grills have done more to "dilute" the "art" of making barbecue than a wide variety of free content has. Anyone with $500 and access to Home Depot can press a button and suddenly become the next Aaron Franklin. However, I'd rather have those people interested in the hobby and passionate about cooking meat than not so I think they're a net positive.

I started out with an electric smoker and had no access to helpful content in the way of how-to videos when I began. I would've appreciated the wide variety of free content and it might have knocked a couple years off that beginner learning curve.

 

[Jmgunn]

I’m all about it. But I’m a little biased because if it didn’t exist I wouldn’t have a Fatstack 80 in my garage (thank you Mad Scientist BBQ). There are always going to be good and bad content creators in every genre… as well as good and bad advice on every forum… the idea that someone like Jeremy hasn’t earned the success he’s had is silly and elitist.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

BBQ....I have learned about equipment and techniques and recipes. Yup...I'll admit it. :-D



Here's an example of a catering guy's first cook on his new 1975 workhorse. He also has a trailer rig, but he tells you a good bit of info on the 1975 if you were interested in buying one and also smoking chicken.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMcS8Fee43w

I started out with an electric smoker and had no access to helpful content in the way of how-to videos when I began. I would've appreciated the wide variety of free content and it might have knocked a couple years off that beginner learning curve.

Two examples of where the basis of my concern comes from.

People look to YouTube to learn stuff.. I do the same.
If I’m tackling a project around the house, that I’ve not done before, I go to YouTube.

When a young Joe Doe goes to YouTube to learn about how to BBQ, they’re learning all about how to slather mustard to hold rubs (bogus), how to cook a pork belly like a brisket (more BS), and how slather a fatty brisket with tallow (beef fat).

I’m hoping they’re also learning actual bbq skills. Like fire management and proper selection and handling of proteins.

I see it everyday, I have a Farkbook BBQ group with 70k+ members.
They come in wanting to learn, but their starting point is chud boat briskets and pork belly burnt ends, so there is a massive deprogramming effort that needs to take place, before we can even get started.

There are a few that have earned the right to share their knowledge, and I’m thankful for it. (Malcolm Reed, Harry Soo, etc).
There’s others that have little to zero bbq pedigree, but they have large TikTok and YouTube followings. This could be due to good marketing, a personality that does well in those formats, but it does not require bbq knowledge.
They’re out there making up a bunch of bogus nonsense (most which has been disproven here over the years) and people are taking it as gospel.

So am a hard pass when it comes to YouTube BBQ.

 

[creek bottom]

Pass! I'm not saying it doesn't have its place, but I'm just not into watching. I'd rather DO it... Just my .02...

 

[Jon-WX5NCO]

I've been watching T-Roy Cooks for a LONG time. I also enjoy watching Ballistic BBQ, and a bunch of others. What is popping up quite a bit now is MadScientist. I've given some thought about getting my YT channel active again. I started out trying to find good Dutch oven recipes, then moved to smoking.

For me, I'd like to see more actual cooking and less demos.

Just my thoughts.

 

[sudsandswine]

I see it everyday, I have a Farkbook BBQ group with 70k+ members.
They come in wanting to learn, but their starting point is chud boat briskets and pork belly burnt ends, so there is a ma

That's no different than anything really....people trying to apply 201 and 301 concepts before mastering the 101's.

 

[Jmgunn]

When a young Joe Doe goes to YouTube to learn about how to BBQ, they’re learning all about how to slather mustard to hold rubs (bogus), how to cook a pork belly like a brisket (more BS), and how slather a fatty brisket with tallow (beef fat).

I’m hoping they’re also learning actual bbq skills. Like fire management and proper selection and handling of proteins.

I see it everyday, I have a Farkbook BBQ group with 70k+ members.
They come in wanting to learn, but their starting point is chud boat briskets and pork belly burnt ends, so there is a massive deprogramming effort that needs to take place, before we can even get started.

There are a few that have earned the right to share their knowledge, and I’m thankful for it. (Malcolm Reed, Harry Soo, etc).

So am a hard pass when it comes to YouTube BBQ.

What is the problem with the chud boat? They use it where he works at Leroy and Lewis which is a top 10 texas monthly bbq joint. But I guess that’s not enough credentials? It’s a very valid way of cooking a brisket.

I don’t care for mustard binder at all but you mention Malcom Reed and Harry Soo and I’ve seen both do it. The YouTubers I watch most rarely if ever use mustard as a binder.

Pork belly as brisket I have never seen and I watch many channels (edit: forgot chud and meat church have done this because Dwayne’s craft bbq has it on their menu). Unless you mean pork belly burnt ends? Many top texas monthly bbq restaurants have pork belly burnt ends on the menu.

Tallow is also used in a lot of restaurants and is clearly highly optional.

What in your mind earns someone the right to share their knowledge? It appears it’s competition only and not successful restaurant/catering. Not all of us like competition style bbq.

 

[QN]

Pass! I'm not saying it doesn't have its place, but I'm just not into watching. I'd rather DO it... Just my .02...

Couldn't agree more! This site is the only social media site I visit. No fark book, tik tok, etc, none. I will look for a recipe if I think of something I want to cook I have not done before, but don't need a video.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

What is the problem with the chud boat? They use it where he works at Leroy and Lewis which is a top 10 texas monthly bbq joint. But I guess that’s not enough credentials? It’s a very valid way of cooking a brisket.

I don’t care for mustard binder at all but you mention Malcom Reed and Harry Soo and I’ve seen both do it. The YouTubers I watch most rarely if ever use mustard as a binder.

Pork belly as brisket I have never seen and I watch many channels (edit: forgot chud and meat church have done this because Dwayne’s craft bbq has it on their menu). Unless you mean pork belly burnt ends? Many top texas monthly bbq restaurants have pork belly burnt ends on the menu.

Tallow is also used in a lot of restaurants and is clearly highly optional.

What in your mind earns someone the right to share their knowledge? It appears it’s competition only and not successful restaurant/catering. Not all of us like competition style bbq.

Because it’s all nonsense.

Burnt ends are made from brisket.
Pork belly like a brisket isn’t a thing either. It’s called smoked pork belly.
Before Chud, it was called a foil boat and has been done since before Chud was born.

The whole mustard as a binder thing started with BBQ Pitmasters.
Doesn’t make it any better advice though.

 

[Pog Mo Thoin]

Smash for me. Many of us use a variety of BBQ's for whatever reason (pellet, reverse flow, gravity, etc.). I like seeing what is out there. Kind of voyeurism for BBQ.

I also think it is beneficial for BBQ'ers to find others using what they use to gauge their own skill level, develop new techniques, or see what others are doing on their own machines. Better than having a college class on BBQ. Wait...maybe its time for a junior college course on BBQ!

Many of us like to watch BBQ'ers using other types of BBQ's to see how different they are from what we use. Much more cost effective to watch some people work these machines than purchase one only to discover how freaking hard it is to run.

A lot of times I seem to get stagnant with what I smoke (ribs, butt, beef, chicken, repeat). I like to watch a number of channels and can usually pick up on the trend for that month. Sometimes it motivates me to do something new (smash burgers, carnitas, etc.). As an example, a few months ago it seemed several online BBQ'ers did bacon jam. I had never heard of that before, got motivated to try it, and...holy cow! I love that Sh!t.

Last, it is pretty easy to filter out those with channels who suck, in my opinion, and I avoid them. I fully retired a year and a half or so so I have the time to watch a few pit masters when ever I want. Some days I don't even make it to fishing videos. Yup, voyeurism at its finest.

Okay, that's enough from me. I got to squeeze in some laundry before baseball starts.

Happy fathers day to all you fathers and thank you to all you mothers who actually do most of the work and allow us fathers to do what we do.

Slainte!

 

[Jmgunn]

Because it’s all nonsense.

Burnt ends are made from brisket.
Pork belly like a brisket isn’t a thing either. It’s called smoked pork belly.
Before Chud, it was called a foil boat and has been done since before Chud was born.

The whole mustard as a binder thing started with BBQ Pitmasters.
Doesn’t make it any better advice though.

I understand the foil boat. You seemed to indicate you take issue with people doing it not what they call it. Why?

Why are people with successful restaurants who don’t use binders not worthy of giving advice but people who do comps and use binders are worthy?

Again, what is your criteria for who is worthy vs who isn’t?

 

[SirPorkaLot]

I understand the foil boat. You seemed to indicate you take issue with people doing it not what they call it. Why?

Why are people with successful restaurants who don’t use binders not worthy of giving advice but people who do comps and use binders are worthy?

Again, what is your criteria for who is worthy vs who isn’t?

I could care less about each person chooses to exercise their BBQ skills.

Don’t start calling a car a boat, just because yours floated once.

If I’m gonna take bbq advice from someone, I’d prefer it be from someone that has some actual bbq credentials, not just made up ones.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to credibility, it’s all related.

Doesn’t matter what restaurant or competition a particular person has owned/won. If they start calling stuff by a made up name, then the rest of their advice becomes highly suspect as well.

 

[mcyork28]

I enjoy YouTube BBQ vids like I enjoy a good cookbook. I agree that there are people making videos that shouldn't be though. I like Chud's videos and think he is more than qualified to put them out.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

What in your mind earns someone the right to share their knowledge? It appears it’s competition only and not successful restaurant/catering. Not all of us like competition style bbq.

First question, is this person worth my time ? In order to answer that, I start looking for skins on the wall. Have they made barbecue that people want to eat, basically. I can't find any skins on Mad Scientists' wall.

Mad Scientist does comparison cooks where he's the final judge. I get nothing from that, period. And what has he done that makes him expert ?

And there's a big diff between people like Chef Tom, at All Things Barbecue, whose sharing a recipe that I can try, who shares cooking tips, whose been to culinary school, and most importantly , provides me with inspiration.

 

[Jmgunn]

I could care less about each person chooses to exercise their BBQ skills.

Don’t start calling a car a boat, just because yours floated once.

If I’m gonna take bbq advice from someone, I’d prefer it be from someone that has some actual bbq credentials, not just made up ones.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to credibility, it’s all related.

Doesn’t matter what restaurant or competition a particular person has owned/won. If they start calling stuff by a made up name, then the rest of their advice becomes highly suspect as well.

These people have actual credentials. Search chud boat on YouTube and show me where it comes up. He calls it a foil boat. His fans call it a chud boat. As well as people who don’t like him (you). He’s not credible because people who follow him use a term you don’t like. Silly

 

[Jmgunn]

First question, is this person worth my time ? In order to answer that, I start looking for skins on the wall. Have they made barbecue that people want to eat, basically. I can't find any skins on Mad Scientists' wall.

Mad Scientist does comparison cooks where he's the final judge. I get nothing from that, period. And what has he done that makes him expert ?

And there's a big diff between people like Chef Tom, at All Things Barbecue, whose sharing a recipe that I can try, who shares cooking tips, whose been to culinary school, and most importantly , provides me with inspiration.

Ah so someone has to proudly display their ego before you respect their opinion. Understood.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

These people have actual credentials. Search chud boat on YouTube and show me where it comes up. He calls it a foil boat. His fans call it a chud boat. As well as people who don’t like him (you). He’s not credible because people who follow him use a term you don’t like. Silly

Yea, but it’s still my opinion, which is as valid as theirs