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Here are two of the hottest debates in BBQ right now. We had no ideas these issues were so controversial. You have to see this to believe it…

Check It Out HERE!

Commercial feedlot meat vs. pastured
Modern commercial feedlots have shifted beef and pork in opposite directions. Meat from corn-fed feedlot cows has significantly more fat marbled into it than meat from its traditionally raised counterparts. Conversely, the modern pork industry has largely worked to raise increasingly lean pigs, while smaller farms focus on raising heritage breeds full of fat and flavor.

Small farms and farm-to-table restaurants are increasingly sought out by consumers, but barbecue evolved in a world where meat cuts were distributed socioeconomically. While the quality of meat from pastured animals from smaller scale farms is often notably better, most barbecue cooks who have honed their skills with feedlot meat face an adjustment curve dealing with the pastured meats that have flavor, texture, and fat profiles they aren't accustomed to. Learning to cook more expensive cuts correctly will actually require more trial and error than the mass produced stuff.

Eating small and sustainable is still a very noble goal. But in terms of great-tasting barbecue, the old dude who’s been cooking mass produced meats in a shack for decades is probably going to run circles around the young guy offering farm-to-table ribs. Well, maybe not “run” circles.

Smoke vs. gas
Smoke versus gas is not just a grilling debate anymore. Of course, if you go to a big barbecue competition, charcoal and wood are religion. But a significant and growing number of barbecue restaurants swear by gas (or even electric) ovens, claiming that as long as you keep the oven full of smoke the results are the same: the smoke still penetrates the meat, providing delicious flavor while also generating the outer layer of bark that connoisseurs judge pitmasters by.

Gas ovens provide a shortcut based on compromise, with room to place traditional wood in the path of the gas flame, and a thermostat to maintain constant temperature. While there are obvious practical benefits, going this route nonetheless requires cooks who are vigilant about maintaining the appropriate Willie Nelson tour bus levels of smoke; otherwise you might as well just use a crock pot. Even if those conditions are met, it’s still debatable whether or not barbecue perfection can be achieved with gas. But one thing’s for certain: any restaurant that doesn’t smell like wood smoke — one way or another — should be eyed with the same kind of suspicion as a muscle car with a single exhaust pipe.

Woahhhhhhh!

So, do you have an opinion on either one of these topics? Share your thoughts below, because we'd love to hear what you think about these thought-provoking BBQ debates.

Happy Grilling!

Article Source: Thrillist

Photo Source: PAVEL GRAMATIKOV/STOCKSY