Being a resident of the Luling/Lockhart BBQ mecca of central Texas, I can drive or walk to some of the top BBQ joints in the state. Kreuz's, Luling City Market, Smitty's, etc. are just a hop, skip and a jump away. It's not uncommon to see a $40,000 truck pulling a goodness knows how many $ custom smoker behind it with a crew off to a cook-off. This is serious stuff here.
I was a little skeptical that a $249 electic smoker from Ohio would be able to cut the mustard around these parts. I mean, really would a little smoker that you plug it really make a decent brisket when you really need a 10,000 pound steel behemoth and years of secret BBQ experience (or a least that's what everyone is told)? But hey, what the heck, I can always use it for a heater in the garage if it doesn't work, right?
A $20, 11.5 pound brisket, rubbed down the night before, and a few hickory chunks proved that this little baby it a GIANT KILLER! I smoked it 10 hours at about 210 degrees (I checked the rack temp. with an oven thermometer and it was right on), it was full of smoke, juicy, and wonderful. All I did was replenish the wood a couple of times during the day, and leave it alone otherwise. That's it. So, I can now make a central Texas caliber brisket for about $1.70 a pound instead of the $9+ at the BBQ joints. (Hint: get a packer cut brisket and put the fat side towards the top of the smoker)
O.K. Ohio, you did it again. You sent the "twin sisters" cannons to Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836. 170+ years later you did it again with the Smokin-it!
VIVA BBQ!