My neighbor in Austin said my brisket was 'too perfect' and it messed me up

Honestly, I was proud of my last cook, a 14 pound prime brisket with a great bark. He tried it and said, 'It's textbook, but where's the soul?' Tbh, I've been chasing competition-style perfection for so long I forgot about the fun of just making good food for people. Has anyone else had a cook that was technically right but just felt off?

3 comments

3 Comments

kai_park1d ago

Got stuck in that same loop last year. Made a pork shoulder that looked like a magazine cover, but the flavor was flat, just like @emmaj33 said. Spent so much time hitting the right temp and color that I forgot to just let it be good. My friends ate it but nobody asked for seconds, you know? Now I focus on the smell and the feel of the meat more than the look.

emmaj332d ago

Totally get it. Chased that perfect smoke ring for years and my food got boring. Made some ribs last month that looked amazing in pics but tasted like nothing, just salt and smoke. Realized I was cooking for likes, not for my friends who just want something tasty. Sometimes a messy cook with weird bark tastes better than a picture perfect one.

olivia_allen2d ago

Remember how food magazines used to show perfect roasts with weird blue steam? @emmaj33, chasing that look online is the same trap. We're trading real flavor for a filter that makes everything seem perfect. Honestly, a good meal should be a little ugly.