Low & Slow by Gary Wiviott


 
S

Steven Simpkins

TVWBB Member
I bought the book as suggested by members on here and could not believe the way he ripped this website. He said not to use briquettes but to use lump charcoal. He sounded like if you did not use lump you were not barbecuing. The WSM book says to use briquettes. What are your feelings on briquettes vs lump and what do you think of the book. He also said not to listen to anyone on this website.

Steve
 
Oh yea? Well where do you think he'll go for some advice the next time he wants to cook up an ox cheek? He's coming here. Just joking. I don't have the book and know nothing about the man. He has his little thing going and that's fine. I'm sure if Chris had him here he's ok. As with all advice, take it or leave it. As for lump in the WSM, if you use it, don't worry about it. People have used only lump for years.
 
I have used both lump and briquettes, many different brands and they both work and they both work well. Use what works for you and what you like, don't worry about what other people say or like. The bottomline is if you are happy with your end product.

I use Original Kingsford 95% of the time. Why? Because I like it, it's consistent, it's easy to find and it's cheap. The only thing I do not like about Kingsford is the ash, but to me it's not a good enough reason to switch to something else. Yes there are other all natural briquettes out there with alot less ash that I could use and I have tried them. But, I've been cooking with Kingsford for years and have done well with them regardless of who says what about them and I don't really plan on switching because someone says I'm not really BBQ'ing. WHATEVER!

If he wants to define true BBQ then we should all be shoveling burnt down coals into our cookers, THAT'S true BBQ'ing.
 
Steven, I must say that I agree with you. While I do not own the book, I did pay a visit to his site where he had five easy lessons for mastering the WSM. (I can't find the link to it now for the life of me). When I read his site, I felt he came off as high-minded and preachy. I felt that he was basically saying: "It's my way or no way". When I was in school, I hated teachers that behaved that way, and thus I was completely turned off to his site and his lessons. But that's just me; apparently it works well, although I'll never try it.
 
This is all part of Gary's schtick, and I don't take the criticism seriously, nor should you.

I understand his point that if you want to follow his lessons, do them as he says and don't get confused by incorporating other things or approaches. You can try other approaches after completing his course.

Regards,
Chris
 
Gotcha. I won't say his site offended me, because it really didn't, I just didn't care for his tone in the articles. If that's part of his schtick, well, more power to him.

I can see how he'd want you to do what he says in the lessons and not add other stuff into them, but I feel he could have gone about it differently. I don't have anything against him, and I'm sure he's a great guy that really knows his 'que, but the tone of the article totally turned me off.
 
Well, tone can be important. My local newspaper, the San Jose Mercury News, ran a short review of the book that was pretty negative, mainly because of the tone:

Gary Wiviott bullies, berates and stops just short of calling the reader a maggot in his drill-sergeant approach to "the art of barbecue in five easy lessons." That's barbecue, not grilling — five hours in a cooker, with a heavy bias toward the Weber Smokey Mountain. It's just one of many heavy biases in this extremely opinionated guide. Photographs? Photographs are for weenies! Anyone who needs more than a few sketches should quit the program!

Recipes: The five lessons are chicken mojo criollo, brined chicken, baby back ribs, spare ribs and pulled pork — and those are the only main-course recipes. The rest of the 130 are rubs, sauces and side dishes.
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The book may not be for everyone, but I think the lessons are pretty solid.

Regards,
Chris
 
I got his book coming in the mail, so I am excited about following his instructions. I think his "It's my way or the highway" attitude is important if you are going to follow the book.

I plan on following his advice. Once the food comes out the way it should, I will then change. I am the kind of guy who keeps on experimenting... I am never 100% satisfied.
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Originally posted by Chris Allingham:
The book may not be for everyone, but I think the lessons are pretty solid.
Regards,
Chris
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From what I did read, I agree that the lessons are solid and are a great starting point for new WSM users (like myself). There's no debating that; Gary knows what's he doing, and he's translated that into the lessons really well, I think. I'm not trying to debate wether the lessons are good/if Gary knows what he's talking about, because I can stand back and say that I really do think the lessons are great and he really does know what he talks about. What I'm saying is that the tone did turn me off, and I therefore didn't follow his program.

Did it take me awhile longer to learn how to really control the temp in my WSM? Probably. In many ways, I'm still learning. I can hit and hold 250 lid temp pretty consistently now, but I haven't tried to go higher or lower. In any case, the tone in his article made me want to figure it out on my own instead of following his (admittedly worthwhile) lessons.
 
Chris W., I'm with you on this one. Also, I find it unacceptable to make fun of engineers or engineer-types (which he used to do on his website). Society would break down into barbarism without engineers to keep things rolling.

I will say that I just ordered Jamie Purveince' newest book, I ordered his last book after he came on his previous Q&A, and I ordered Ray Lampe's book after reading his Q&A. I don't anticipate ordering low and slow...

I do appreciate Gary coming on the site as it is always interesting to read different perspectives. I'm just not interested enough to spend $$$.
 
I've read Gary Wiviott's old 5 Steps site a couple years back. Personally, I look at the tone thing as being somewhat typical of how some behave attitude wise up in the northern and midwest industrial cities. I travel in my profession and run across a lot of that in those regions. Many folks actually interact with each other day to day on that level and consider it normal. Let's just say I don't tend to blend in well with that.

His methods concerning beginner's use of the WSM make perfect sense to me. The whole theme is to learn your cooker and learn to have the ability to rely on your senses as opposed to extra equipment.

He was polite to all, without the schtick when a guest here a couple weeks back. Chris Allingham's endorsement of Gary Wiviott speaks volumes for me as well.
 
You know, now that I think about his specific comments and criticisms about TVWBB, the more I dislike the guy.

Now, I think it is just plain rude for him to call out this website in a printed publication. It is contrary to the cause of learning about this awesome hobby.

There are more tactful ways for people to speak against certain methods. Publicly calling them out is embarrassing. What I would do is to speak against the practices without saying names. It is heartbreaking that Gary's could keep other people from joining this community because he doesn't think you will get solid wisdom from this site. Chris, you have done so much for this site. I know you don't deserve this.
 
Originally posted by Chris Allingham:
This is all part of Gary's schtick, and I don't take the criticism seriously, nor should you.

I understand his point that if you want to follow his lessons, do them as he says and don't get confused by incorporating other things or approaches. You can try other approaches after completing his course.

Regards,
Chris
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I took it exactly this way myself. I used his site way, way back. Found some really good basics. Even though I am a hardwood charcoal bigot I don't belittle the briquette or it's users
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To each his own.

Anyway I found his comments and style humorous not insulting and I think that was his intent along with trying to get folks to keep it simple and stay with his course/method until you learned the basics. That's the premise of the web site and the book.

I'm a gadget guy and use all kinds of accessories and methods. But - his method teaches a lot and impresses that it is after all fire control as the key, which I totally agree with long before I read his stuff.

I bought his book as a reference. Theres some good info there. Nothing earth shattering but definitely one worth adding to the library for the recipes and techniques.
 
RE: Opinionated & Brash

If you live in this part of the country - you'll find a lot of people from the Chicago area that give-off that sort of "vibe". Native Chicagoans (at least, a lot of them) are not known for their "political correctness" in the way they get a point across. (Some take it on to a higher intensity than others.)

It's just the way they are wired - communication-style-wise. If you ever participated on Gary's older website, you would find that the "Drill-Sargent" schtick is taken quite humorously.

Not to put too many words into his mouth - but the approach was alway that FOR BEGINNERS, if you are going to use his "5-Step Method" as a learning tool - just do it his way and don't ask questions (there IS a "method to his madness") Then, once you've done it his way, you should have developed confidence and a fundamental feel for how to use your WSM, and can then branch-out and start experimenting.

I'm not saying that he's 100% right or wrong - I voluntarily put myself through the original 5-Step, and was glad that I did.
 
I understand Ron, but I just think it is inappropriate to name a particular community of grillers. He can make his point without pointing a figure at this community.
 
In this case, I agree with Russell's quote. I don't take the criticism seriously. If someone reads about TVWB in Gary's book and visits the site out of curiosity, then I'm happy because I think the site speaks for itself in terms of the value it offers to WSM owners.

Regards,
Chris
 
My understanding is that he doesn't want you to input anything into his "5 step program" other than the specific instructions outlined in his book. That would include any advice you might get from this site. He basically wants you to act like a beginner and "start from scratch" so you can learn better. I don't believe he has anything against this site. If he does, then why'd he bother answering our questions here on the site?

Having said that, I can see why he would rub some people the wrong way. He's a bit short and somewhat abrasive from what I have read of his comments. However, that shouldn't stop you from learning whatever you can from him...should you choose to.
 
In my opinion (remember, just my opinion) what many take issue with is is that Gary painted the entire population of TVWB as a bunch of "engineers" who are to focused on times, temperatures, charts etc. When in fact, I guarantee TVWB site has more beginners/non-engineers than Gary's site and part of his 5 lessons. Here are the figures:
5 Lesson Site
428 Total Members
413 Total Topics (entire site)
1327 Total posts (entire site)

TVWB
4,900 Total members (100 members per page * 49 pages)
1,398 Topics in New WSM owners alone
11,002 Post in New WSM owners alone
** note - keep in mind, I'm talking about website only where the majority of the comments aimed at TVWB and it's population were made

People learn in different ways, there's no right or wrong way. If you don't like Gary's approach (I'm in this camp) don't subscribe to it, however, it sounds like it works for some people, so great. The presentation of the info, I chalk that up to personality first and shtick second. Works for some, turns other off.

Lastly, I think what rubbed me the wrong way when I first read his 5 lessons site was he threw me in with a group of people who I'm not even close to, Engineers (nothing wrong with engineers read further); I don't have 1/4 the brain you engineers have (I'm a dumb software sales guy), I work with engineers and quite frankly it's an insult to you engineers for me to be included in the same breath as you. I found the information on this site very helpful based on how I learn and the presentation and the people won me over the first time I visited.
 
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