Brisket Test: Prime vs. Choice vs. Select | Mad Scientist BBQ

[MartinB]

Ha! One of my neighbors bought a $5K DCS gas grill a few years ago. That just sounds crazy to me. But he was like a kid in a candy store when it came. He works for Deloitte, so it fit his wallet. There are some gas grills I've seen online that go above $10K. Who buys that stuff? I guess there's a butt for every seat and a seat for every butt.

I had a co-worker who bought a $5,000 stainless outdoor kitchen gas grill setup about 25 years ago. That was what it cost then. I remember him cooking on it basically every night for a month...... He had to justify it. He loved it he was really excited about it. I couldn't see the allure. But we're all different.

I've known some people that had stuff like this, outdoor kitchens you know, near their pool or something for entertaining. And that's fine if you're going to entertain.. it was pretty cool when the kids were young and had swim parties.

 

[Joe Anshien]

I never even considered an offset smoker. Coming from the gas grilling world, then dipping my toe into BBQ via a kettle, then a WSM, and now a gravity feed. I can see the allure, especially if you have a other wood appliances. It was really interesting to see the paint peel on the first cook, see how he had to use a bed of coals to keep the wood going, and how the size of the fire box really matters.

 

[Chuck-roaniecowpony]

I'll bet the gas grill at (one of) Kim Kardashian's house has faux diamonds plastered all over it and is way north of $10k, maybe several times that. You just wouldn't expect people like that to have a Weber grill. Sorry Weber, but you are mainstream.

There's a place called "BBQ Store" a few miles from me. Last time I was in there about 5 years ago, all I saw were gas grilles (not a BBQ in sight). All stainless steel, locally made, all almost $10k. Some more expensive. They were probably the best gas grilles I've seen. https://www.americancookingequipment.com/

People that make a lot of money spend more on everyday things. I'm reminded of this every week when I see our gardener. I consider him a friend. But he is in a completely different economic world. There are no Weber Summits, E6s, or even a decent Performer. Just an old hand-me-down kettle.

 

[Joe Anshien]

I'll bet the gas grill at (one of) Kim Kardashian's house has faux diamonds plastered all over it and is way north of $10k, maybe several times that. You just wouldn't expect people like that to have a Weber grill. Sorry Weber, but you are mainstream.

There's a place called "BBQ Store" a few miles from me. Last time I was in there about 5 years ago, all I saw were gas grilles (not a BBQ in sight). All stainless steel, locally made, all almost $10k. Some more expensive. They were probably the best gas grilles I've seen. https://www.americancookingequipment.com/

People that make a lot of money spend more on everyday things. I'm reminded of this every week when I see our gardener. I consider him a friend. But he is in a completely different economic world. There are no Weber Summits, E6s, or even a decent Performer. Just an old hand-me-down kettle.

Wow I have not seen grills made of 316 SS except for small boat grills. Nice stuff. Good thing there is a second / third hand market for when those older grills get dirty or igniters stop working. Got the Wolf 10K new for $50, the Viking $5K new for $375, the Summit 470 $2700 new for $100. It is almost as nice to be handy as it is to be rich;-)

 

[Brett-EDH]

Wow I have not seen grills made of 316 SS except for small boat grills. Nice stuff. Good thing there is a second / third hand market for when those older grills get dirty or igniters stop working. Got the Wolf 10K new for $50, the Viking $5K new for $375, the Summit 470 $2700 new for $100. It is almost as nice to be handy as it is to be rich;-)

Now if you can pick stocks like you buy grills, I’m in. Love a good value.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

He's also selling Camp Chef pellet poopers ....................... completely monetized

 

[RichPB (richlife)]

I have to agree with the OP -- select will come out but is near tasteless as far as beef flavoring. Also, while the first serving may be "juicy", leftovers tend to be dry. And I always have leftovers. I will buy Costco prime brisket when I can. Choice is also good.

 

[Joe Anshien]

Now if you can pick stocks like you buy grills, I’m in. Love a good value.

I wish. I remember when I traded options and tallied my results for taxes. I had almost 100 positions over the year and I think I about broke even. I gave up.

 

[Chuck-roaniecowpony]

I have to agree with the OP -- select will come out but is near tasteless as far as beef flavoring. Also, while the first serving may be "juicy", leftovers tend to be dry. And I always have leftovers. I will buy Costco prime brisket when I can. Choice is also good.

The Angus briskets at Sam's Club are great too.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

I enjoy Matt Pittman, Meat Church owner, videos. And I also like Kosmos Q's YT channel. Both are in the seasoning business and that is known, right up front. They don't attempt to hide it. So I watch their vids with that in mind.

But Mad Scientist Yoder has tried to be the Consumer Reports of barbecue grills, smokers, pellet cookers, pellets, etc. But at the same time he has sponsorships, either known or unknown. I prefer YT channels that are one or the other.

I found Yoder back in 2018 when I bought my Old Country Brazos and was looking on YT for people with experience with that smoker. And his very early vids were about the Brazos. But at the same time, he developed some kind of deal with Old Country. They would send him prototype smokers and he would do vids on them, always positive. But he never acknowledged what his deal with OC was about.

He did a very positive review of Old Country's gravity feed smoker. Said it was a rib cooking machine. But when he moved from California to Kentucky, he gave it away and left it in California.

He's been morphing away from offset stick burners to pellet poopers. I figure he wants to grow YT channel subscribers and there's far more pellet grill owners than stickburner owners. Now this Camp Chef deal comes along.

And I've completely quit watching his vids. I don't know if its valueable info or I'm watching an infomercial.

 

[John K BBQ]

If I ever buy a offset, odds are in favor of buying a Yoder Loaded Wichita.... unless I've got more money to spend then I might try one of these pits, but I'd probably have to go cook on one first. I just like the finish on the metal a lot better vs the flat black used on the Yoder offsets....

The Forsyth Offset | 1904 Pits

The Forsyth offset is an omage to Texas style cooking with the option to cook without any sort of heat deflector and create multiple cooking zones. Add the included tuning plates and the heat will more evening disperse making this pit an extremely versatile stick burner. This smoker can handle...

www.1904pits.com

 

[Lynn Dollar]

If I ever buy a offset, odds are in favor of buying a Yoder Loaded Wichita.... unless I've got more money to spend then I might try one of these pits, but I'd probably have to go cook on one first. I just like the finish on the metal a lot better vs the flat black used on the Yoder offsets....

The Forsyth Offset | 1904 Pits

The Forsyth offset is an omage to Texas style cooking with the option to cook without any sort of heat deflector and create multiple cooking zones. Add the included tuning plates and the heat will more evening disperse making this pit an extremely versatile stick burner. This smoker can handle...

www.1904pits.com

Similar smoker, priced at $3,200

 

[GaryP]

Similar smoker, priced at $3,200

LSG's are awesome cookers! I've noticed Jeremy seems to be trending toward pellet grills, which seems weird because he's always been about the live fire. I am a bbq video junkie and I'm surprised at how much I've enjoyed chuds videos. He has some interesting things going on. Did a version of his barbacoa the other day and it was great. He seems kind of goofy but I dig it.

Speaking of high dollar offsets, t-minus nine months til my jambo is ready!

 

[Lynn Dollar]

LSG's are awesome cookers! I've noticed Jeremy seems to be trending toward pellet grills, which seems weird because he's always been about the live fire. I am a bbq video junkie and I'm surprised at how much I've enjoyed chuds videos. He has some interesting things going on. Did a version of his barbacoa the other day and it was great. He seems kind of goofy but I dig it.

Speaking of high dollar offsets, t-minus nine months til my jambo is ready!

He's cashing in, got the YT channel fully monetized. Getting all the revenue streams he can find. And I don't blame him, not one iota. If I'd grown a YT channel to 500,000 subs than I'd be doing the same thing.

Mainly, cause I wonder about the sustainability of being a social media influencer. How far in the future can this hold up until his YT channel becomes tired and stale and the crowd moves to something else. The crowd can be like a school of minnows, going from one thing to another.

Chud's business model is a bit different. He has other irons in the fire, like his pit building and metal fabricating. He's also got a deal with Fogo charcoal. And he still has a bit of a tie to Leroy and Lewis. But man, its gotta be difficult to come up with some new idea every week. How long can a guy do that ?

That LSG pit has an exchange similar to Jambo. It has a baffle that directs heat/smoke up to the top of cook chamber. LSG claims it turns the firebox end of the cook chamber into usable space. I've got to wonder about that.

 

[John K BBQ]

I'm also a Chud fan. He's too goofy for my wife to watch but so am I sometimes. Its funny to watch how cooking YT channels in general follow the fads and and what's new out there for people to try. It seems like Tubers are all trying to release 2 videos a week which is a LOT - I think in order to do that you have to get a lot of your shots/scenes done one take to minimize editing which can take a very long time when you're new. I think there are a some husband and wife teams out there.... My guess is that Chud's got some help from his significant other who once in a while shows up to try the que at the end of his cooks. When a cooking channel (or a Tuber's business in general) really blows up (Babbish, Kosmo, Etc) they get a whole team of people to help them come up with new ideas and keep the channel and other businesses going.

 

[Chuck-roaniecowpony]

Lynn, when it comes to products used in videos, I agree with you. You just don't know if it's an infomercial or it's really something better. So, I just look for as many sources as possible for selecting my purchases, whether it's smokers or anything else. Just about all the YouTubers are selling something. It's part of the game. Buyer beware. Still, most of the popular tubers have some good information in their videos. I try some methods and use them, others I try and never use again. The fun in bbq is the experimentation to do something better, for me anyway.

 

[Joe Anshien]

I am currently a Patreon supporter of only 2 of the many channels I watch because they have helped me in different ways. There were others but they come and go.

Project Farm - A one man consumer reports that I trust.
Space Invader 1 - I have learned so much about my unRaid media server from him.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

For instance, Chud was using B&B charcoal and got the Fogo deal. No big deal there, but B&B was unsponsored. I'd lean that way, although I'm sure FOGO is great. Mad Scientist pushes all kind of stuff so his opinion I just don't trust, especially with smokers. I don't think he's being swayed particularly by sponsors, but more by what he thinks his viewers want to hear. I think a lot of it is biased towards views. Everything is the best ever. etc. Chud is straight up one of the most informative channels out there. The only problem there maybe is that he does some stuff far too advanced for the average joe. I've made a few of his sausage recipes though, and even some American cheese.