Saw a guy in Memphis run out of wood mid-cook and it changed my whole prep

I was at the Memphis in May competition a few years back, watching a team I really respected. Around 3 AM, they realized they were almost out of hickory and their backup wood was too green. The head guy had to send someone on a frantic drive to find more, and you could see the stress. Their brisket ended up okay, but the bark was off. Ever since, I pack 50% more wood than I think I'll need, and I check the moisture with a meter two days before. Has anyone else had a close call like that and changed their system?

2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

2 Comments

robert_craig5mo ago

abbyd36 has a point, but that same over-prep mindset saves my butt with groceries and gas too.

5

abbyd365mo ago

Running out of wood just seems like a basic planning fail, not some life-altering lesson. It's a barbecue cook, not a space launch. Checking wood moisture with a meter two days ahead feels like overkill when you could just store it properly in the first place. Maybe the real issue was depending on a single source or not having a backup plan that didn't involve a panic drive.

2