On Sep 17, 11:04 pm, "Dave Bugg" > wrote:

> I wish I knew how to pin-point it. I think that the >difference in humidity
> levels, and convection currents/ air movement may have >something to do with
> it.

I was hoping for some great explanation... but appreciate the
honesty. I think this falls into the great unexplained "X files" of
outdoor cooking.

One thing I have NEVER understood is how two different pits of
apparently equal quality and no huge difference in design can turn out
distinctly different tasting food when all the indgredients, meats,
fuels and cooking processes are the same.

Another question mark came up in reheating the leftover meat. After
observing one of the last local "honest to Pete" BBQ joints here in my
city doing this, I changed my own method or reheating leftovers. I
put them back on the pit on a 200 degree fire unfoiled (but then... I
never foil anything) until they are nice and hot. I let them get to
"cool to the touch" temperature before putting them on the pit, and
that is all the care they get. Sometimes they taste like the day they
came off the pit, even if they were frozen before reheating.

As a sidebar, this warmup only works without adding additional smoke.
A chimney of charcoal or lump works great with no added wood. Added
smoke to your masterpiece makes it taste like old barnwood. It
doesn't just intensify the flavor, it ruins it.

I can't for the life of me figure out why there is a 1000% increase in
flavor from heating on the pit as opposed to heating on a baking sheet
in the oven. Neither have smoke, both are controlled temps, neither
are foiled, but the flavor difference is huge.

Any thoughts on that one? I figure you might be all over this mystery
since you no doubt face this problem every day in the restaurant. And
of course, if you know of a better way to reheat those last two racks
of spares, I would love to hear it.

Robert