my thought's on how we help/hurt newbees

[rabbithutch]

Count me in the camp of the High Priest of Hephaestus, aka FoamHeart. His advice on starting is spot on. It hasn't been so long ago that I got interested in smoking and needed basic information. I always got good advice here.

I'm not certain what problem cal1956 is trying to solve with his op. Sure, sometimes it might seem like drinking from a fire hose but there is no coercion involved. It's up to each of us to absorb what we can then act on the new information. Eventually that information and experience will turn into shareable knowledge.

Me? I didn't learn to swim until I jumped in the deep end, but that might not be the way everybody learns.

:grilling_smilie:

 

[mummel]

I actually think this forum is great.  I joined just over 3 months ago and have learned an absolutely TON.  I'm on a couple of other forums (hobbies etc), and this one is by far the best.  The community is very responsive and friendly.  The UI is simple and actually makes you want to post more, respond to old threads etc.  It's easy to manage the threads you're tracking.  Other forums suck at this.  The mobile site is good etc.  You guys have done a great job.  Coming from a new guy, Im impressed.

Honestly it's very hard for me to criticize the site.  Other than the spam issue, good job guys.  Good job.  

PS.  The only word of caution I would employ is to immediately extinguish any type of cantankerous behavior.  Nothing will kill a forum faster.  I've seen it happen on many sites. 

 

[floridasteve]

Here is my ultimate advice: :yahoo:

Do not use too many acronyms!!!

What is TBS?

dcarch

I agree. I still have to do a search for an acronym and look at a Qview of step by step to figure some out.

 

[dcarch]

So here is my next ultimate advice; 

Please don't say to a newbie, "Don't you know how to Google?"

dcarch

 

[bluewhisper]

Another thing to consider is whether they know nothing and have no smoker yet, and they're seeking advice on types - or, if they have a smoker, like as a gift, and they seek advice on that particular type.

 

[foamheart]

 
I know. I have been smoking for many years, won a few competitions. I was giving an example. :-)

To some newbies, TBS = tablespoon.

dcarch

  TBS = Ted's Broadcast System?

 

[bmaddox]

I'm sorry but this thread is just stirring the pot.

At the end of the day, this forum has rules in places and admins/mods to enforce said rules. If someone asks a question you should answer it. That is all. You shouldn't have to stop and think "hey am I giving this person more info than they can handle". 

Rant over.

 

[venture]

The experienced folks in this forum, almost without exception, have been welcoming and very helpful.

One little thing I try to do is give the best possible answer I can or refer them to a member who specializes in that area of concern.

I do not rudely tell them to "check the search tool, stupid". First I try to help them and gently remind them of the search tool.  This is because I know the search tool, while helpful, can be very cumbersome to wade through all the entries provided.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I have to agree with bmaddox regarding questions...If they ask a question...Answer it. Too many times a Newbie will ask about how to smoke " A " and get responses regarding all kinds of other stuff! Everything but an answer to his question. In a recent post, a guy asked a bunch of questions about smoking Brisket. Most of the responses told him to smoke Chicken. Now I get the thought process of directing him to Chicken since the Brisket is expensive and would be his second smoke after a failed first attempt. I agreed he should get more practice first...BUT...I answered his Question on the Brisket. We have no Idea of the situation. An important family member

  could be pushing for Brisket. Other people could be bringing Chicken and Pork and the OP was responsible for smoking Beef...We have no idea what the reasoning is! ANSWER the question then make your suggestions for alternatives and why. Send a PM...This adds a personal touch that carries an air of caring and friendliness...JJ

 

[mike5051]

Some people just like starting arguments.

 

[mummel]

 
So here is my next ultimate advice; 

Please don't say to a newbie, "Don't you know how to Google?"

dcarch

+ 1000.  For real.  Nothing pisses off a new guy like a response like this.  Just keep answering the questions, even if it's been mentioned a billion times!!!!

 

[floridasteve]

I have to agree with bmaddox regarding questions...If they ask a question...Answer it. Too many times a Newbie will ask about how to smoke " A " and get responses regarding all kinds of other stuff! Everything but an answer to his question. In a recent post, a guy asked a bunch of questions about smoking Brisket. Most of the responses told him to smoke Chicken. Now I get the thought process of directing him to Chicken since the Brisket is expensive and would be his second smoke after a failed first attempt. I agreed he should get more practice first...BUT...I answered his Question on the Brisket. We have no Idea of the situation. An important family member :wife:   could be pushing for Brisket. Other people could be bringing Chicken and Pork and the OP was responsible for smoking Beef...We have no idea what the reasoning is! ANSWER the question then make your suggestions for alternatives and why. Send a PM...This adds a personal touch that carries an air of caring and friendliness...JJ

:points:

 

[remsr]

I have been grilling and smoking for 30 years, thought I knew how to until I joined last year and discovered that I didn't even know the basics and was guessing most of the time. Some things come out good some not so good nothing was ever consistent until I joined and learned the basics and some fool proof techniques from the people who know. I consistently turn out excellent food now. So yah without the basics it's impossible to consistently turn out good food.

 

[demosthenes9]

 
I know all of us here have the best intentions when a newbee asks a question, but we need to put ourselves in his/her shoes

maybe its a young fella and all his life he never even lit a grill much less a smoker , and now he just want's a starting point,

maybe all he needs is a little encouragement ..he new to this and he is new to us we have no idea his skill level yet !!

  and I know we all want to help  get him started ,

but there is such a thing as to much information to fast !!!

 can we all agree that before we teach him the latest and greatest , to at least teach him the very basics first ?

there is  plenty of time to make a fine French chef out of him later ...let's just teach him how to lite the fire first .....ok ?

smoking meat is simple and easy to learn IF we don't muddy the water with a lot of complicated methods /numbers and so forth

can we at least agree on this

ok guys take your best shot at me

Thing is, some times those "methods / numbers" are the basics and get the job done.  Take 321 and 211 for example. 

Another point to consider is that some people will ask questions seeking knowledge/learning so to speak, while others simply want someone to tell them how to do so that their friends will enjoy whatever they cook that weekend.     You know, the "help, I have people coming over and I have to smoke a brisket, please tell me what to do".

 

[areallynicegirl]

I know all of us here have the best intentions when a newbee asks a question, but we need to put ourselves in his/her shoes
maybe its a young fella and all his life he never even lit a grill much less a smoker , and now he just want's a starting point,
maybe all he needs is a little encouragement ..he new to this and he is new to us we have no idea his skill level yet !!
  and I know we all want to help  get him started ,
but there is such a thing as to much information to fast !!!
 can we all agree that before we teach him the latest and greatest , to at least teach him the very basics first ?
there is  plenty of time to make a fine French chef out of him later ...let's just teach him how to lite the fire first .....ok ?

smoking meat is simple and easy to learn IF we don't muddy the water with a lot of complicated methods /numbers and so forth
can we at least agree on this


ok guys take your best shot at me

First of all I want to say to you, I always appreciate your straight to the point manner. I get what you are saying totally, as a new person to the art of smoking. I have gone to culinary school so a lot of the concepts and methods aren't news to me but the real world application is. I do think sometimes it's easy to dismiss or gloss over basic skills as common knowledge, but distressingly they aren't. People don't cook at home, kids aren't interested in learning and so these traditional food ways are going to die if we don't make effort to teach those who want to know. I very much want to know which is why you guys see me hammering away at you with all my dumb questions. And I try to post my successes and failures so you can help me troubleshoot. I have never one time been made to feel like this is a boys only club. In fact I have felt included and welcomed and do my best to extend that same welcome to other new members. I love that recipes and methods aren't"secrets"and I love that anyone who wants to learn has only to ask. And you guys tolerated my guinea pig pics :) they're just so darn cute I had to share lol.

All this to say, yes- we need to focus on basics. The 5 day thing really helped me a lot. And yes- too much info can be overwhelming at times but me personally? I want to know everything about everything, so too much info is barely enough lol

 

[westby]

I'm with the OP in a general sense.

A perfect example is ribs.  When someone says I'm a complete newbie and tell me how to make ribs, inevitably there are the posts regarding 3/2/1, 2/2/1, 2/1.75/.5, 2.25/pi/.3. . . . . you get my point.  Telling a newbie how to make ribs using a method such as that is setting them up for disaster.  They will end up with overcooked or undercooked ribs - mainly because they have no idea what there smoker is really doing temperature wise.  There are a bunch of basics to learn regarding smoking in general and just learning how their smoker functions/reacts before you can even think about modifying a 3/2/1 method to put out good ribs.  The best bet is for them to make regular old unfoiled ribs, use the bend test to know when they are done and learn your smoker.  Once you get to know how your smoker works, what temp its running, what good ribs look/feel like, I think they should stick to the basics.  They can start complicating things once they have the basics down.

Lance

 

[joe black]

I make an effort to answer a question to the same level that I think the question was asked. By that, I mean that my answer is directed at how detailed the question was asked. If I feel that some very basic information is needed by the person asking that is not needed by a general overall group, I will use a PM and attempt to establish a more comfortable venue whereby a new person will feel at ease and continue a conversation. The biggest problem that I see is that some folks do not give enough information in a question to allow for a proper response.

Some folks don't know what they don't know....

 

[mike5051]

I make an effort to answer a question to the same level that I think the question was asked. By that, I mean that my answer is directed at how detailed the question was asked. If I feel that some very basic information is needed by the person asking that is not needed by a general overall group, I will use a PM and attempt to establish a more comfortable venue whereby a new person will feel at ease and continue a conversation. The biggest problem that I see is that some folks do not give enough information in a question to allow for a proper response.

Some folks don't know what they don't know....

Very well put Joe!

 

[chewmeister]

Seems to me the reason most folks visit and/or join this forum is to get answers or advice. A vast wealth of knowledge can be found here. As some others have said, just responding with "use the search bar" is not a polite way to welcome new members. If I can answer a question, I will and then maybe tell them "you can find other answers/opinions by using the search function as well." That being said, what I won't do or expect anyone else to do is respond to a question when you don't know what the answer is. This is a rule I follow with life in general. If you don't know, you don't know. If someone asks me a question I don't know the answer to, I will say so or tell them I will try and get an answer for them. In other words, don't make stuff up. Rant over.

 

[mummel]

Did you guys read my post?  Im a new guy and had zero issues when I joined.  Quite the opposite.  People were really helpful!