Found out Harry Soo uses a $200 offset smoker for comps, not the high-end stuff

Was reading an interview on AmazingRibs.com where he said he won 8 grand championships with a backyard offset that cost less than my Weber kettle. Does the gear really matter that much or is it all in how you manage the fire? What's your take on spending big vs just learning your setup?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wendy8d ago

You said "does the gear really matter that much or is it all in how you manage the fire" and I gotta respectfully disagree with that framing. Look, I'm not saying Harry Soo isn't a killer pitmaster, but using a $200 offset as your example is like saying "Michael Jordan won in basic sneakers" while ignoring he had a lifetime of practice and talent. The gear matters a lot for 99% of us normal people who don't have his touch and experience. I've cooked on a $150 offset and a $1,200 one, and the cheap one had hot spots like crazy and leaked smoke everywhere. You can learn a cheap pit inside out, sure, but you're fighting the cooker the whole time instead of focusing on fire management. I think people take these stories too literally and end up buying junk that frustrates them. For the average backyard cook, spending a bit more on something with decent steel and proper welds makes learning way easier.

grays138d ago

@the_wendy totally nailed it for me, spending a little more on a solid pit made all the difference when I was learning.

holly_reed556d ago

Wendy makes a GREAT point but I gotta say that $200 offset Harry uses isn't exactly the cheap junk people think. Those Oklahoma Joe's Highland offsets are actually decent for the price once you do the gasket and tuning plate mods. He's basically running a modified backyard cooker that he's dialed in over YEARS not just a random flimsy box from Walmart.