My 8 year old niece just asked me why I don't cook my brisket faster

I was showing her my offset smoker in the backyard, and she pointed at it and said, 'That's a big oven. Why does the meat have to sleep in there for a whole day?' I tried to explain low and slow, but she just shrugged and said, 'Our oven at home gets to 450 degrees in five minutes.' It made me laugh, but then I actually thought about it for a second. Has a kid ever said something about your process that made you stop and think?

3 comments

3 Comments

grant54028d ago

Yeah, I used to just follow the rules without asking why.

the_pat21d ago

Man, that hits home. I burned so many meals just following recipes to the letter. Now I taste everything as I go, adjust heat based on how things look, not just the timer. Changed the whole game for me.

corac9128d ago

Ever read that thing about how kids ask the best questions because they skip all the rules we just accept? Your niece pointing out the smoker is just a big oven is kind of brilliant. It makes you realize how much of cooking is just tradition we don't question.