Gary Wiviott's Book: Has anyone followed the program exactly?


 
T

Tom T (Zachulus)

New member
I tried to follow as best I could, but I can not see how anyone can follow that program all the way through (and not cheat), unless someone with a whip was standing over their shoulder....

The one recommendation in the book that I have been able to follow is 'You're two weeks behind on the vig!' when breaking chicken legs (p50).

Tom
 
A lot of people get bent out of shape about how this book was written. They talk about Mr. Wiviott's "Drill Seargent" do it my way attitude.


*********Possible spoiler alert about the book here?***********
I read the whole book and towards the end he tells you that if you veared from the program it is ok and "all is forgiven" yada yada. So I think it was meant to be a bit funny myself and not as seriouse as some may take it. I believe he wants you to stick to his program as much as you can though within reason.

I have an open mind and took his "do what I say" attitude lightly from the start.

I could be all wrong here. But, it is just how I interpreted the whole thing.

As I said I have read the whole book but so far I have only done the first cook. It was good. But, I used my thermometer and used a clay saucer instead of water in the pan and used the minion method to fire up the smoker.

Talk about cheating...........OH THE GUILT!
I feel so much better after talking about it.
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I think that it would be neat to go through the book and do it all his way though. I think I will sometime.
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without cheating a bit
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Tom, as for me I am of the opinion that cook books are only suggestion books with plenty of leeway for experiment with the recipes.
 
Tom,

I read the book and did all the cooks almost as Gary teaches. I think the point of the book is to use his lessons to learn how your smoker runs, and that good bbq doesn't have to be so complicated. You don't need probes and wires, foil, etc. to make good bbq as Gary sees it. Of course, you can use all those tools, but it is better to start off with the basics. I think this book is great for people starting off smoking as oppossed to people that have been doing it for years.
 
I started out with the program and got through two chicken cooks before I found TVWBB. I have to say that I found some of Kevin Kruger's suggestions just too interesting and I sorta combined the Wiviott program with Kevin's ideas. I'm not sorry because both worked well and I continue to benefit from both Gary and Kevin. Thanks to both!!!!
 
At the very beginning I started out doing his regimen but very quickly realized what he was doing. I gave it up thinking it was very boring.

Now that I've been competing for about a year, I'm finding that consistency is absolutely crucial. I'm doing the same cooks over and over to tweek the recipes and refine the process. So I guess he wasn't off base after all.

Russ
 
I did the first chicken lesson, and after reading the book twice, and only smoking once, I skipped all the way to the end for the pulled pork. It turned out delicious, if i do say so myself. I did get all the equipment he suggests, that was a big help. I was browsing through borders on my lunch break and ran into his book, and everything started from there. Thanks Gary for teaching me a new hobby, that i can enjoy cold beer and good food with. Darts were starting to get old.
 
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