I always figured real pitmasters just knew when meat was done by feel. But at a cookoff, my buddy's brisket was perfect while mine was dry. He showed me his temp probe and how it helped him hit the sweet spot. It made me think about how my dad would judge by time and smoke color alone. Now I see tools can help without taking away from the craft.
Maybe it's just me but that's a big win in my book.
Tbh, cooking them low and slow for longer did the trick.
I mean, he just rolled up with his own smoker and showed us how to get that bark right on brisket, makes you wonder if more pros should do pop-up demos like that.
Now I get why pitmasters are so picky about their gear.