Why Are You Here?

[Livermoron]

Mainly the food, and new ideas.

However, I have to say I haven't seen an argument around here since I've joined, and that's a comfort...

[obiQsmoker]

Much like CaptainMike, it’s about the food ... but, I was unprepared for how much I enjoy the mature social network here.
Here, we expose our “fear of brisket” (should that be an acronym? FOB?), ask for help and ideas, share our experience and expertise, and all the while, I feel like we’re neighbors and friends. Pretty cool. Then there’s the gadgets and MCS ... the things I didn’t know I needed, reviews, advice. Wonderful addiction. Hello, my name is Glen and I’m a A-Ribs-aholic ....

[For-A-Song]

I found this place a couple years ago while looking for a way to cook a turkey for my first time ever... I found the info on spatching a turkey. It turned out amazing and that was the first time I had ever tried to cook a turkey.
Now, I am a member because I am starting to really get into cooking and bbq'ing and I remembered this place.
I have found amazing info here and incredibly nice and helpful people. One day I hope to be able to pass down some tips as well.

[Thunder77]

I chose it's all about the food, because I could only choose one, and that is what originally drew me here. But ALL the assets of the Pit are important to me. I certainly am an MCS junkie, as my wife can attest.

[holehogg]

I'm here because that "join the pit pop up" was so annoying while I was searching and learning from the free side that I did. Truly a good move as so much more can be and is learnt through the posts and discussions. Even though there are different opinions anf views in discussions they all have there merits and can be applied or not. One gets a lot of answers to questions that don't exist on the free side. It is an awsome all incompassing club without any baggage.

[Troutman]

OK I closed the poll at noon today. Thanks for the responses, clearly the vast majority of you, 85%, are here for the bbq, after all it is a bbq website !!! In soliciting that response; however, I'm going to make a point. I just went through today's posts, which I think represent a typical day on AR, and there were about 32 of them on two pages. Here is the breakdown of what was posted;

General Discussion: 14 posts
Info on Cookers: 4 posts
Info on Fuel: 2 posts
Special Deals: 2 posts
New Member Intros: 2 posts
Beverages: 1 posts
Cook Books: 1 post
BBQ Rest Review: 1 post

and finally Food & Recipes: 5 posts

Of the 5 food posts (or only about 15% of the total), only 2 offered up recipe or techniques on how they cooked the food. Sooo not trying to cause condescension here but if clearly 85% of you are here for the food then why are only 15% of the posts for a given day about food? And of those only a couple with useful information.

I say all of this as an encouragement to my Pit friends to start showing us interesting and varying ways of how you cook your bbq. Outside of the SUWYC post, which I contribute to and love, I try to post a recipe or technique at least once a month. Sharing is what we are about. If all of use would do that we'd have a lot more reason to come here and draw a lot more people to grow our community.

Sorry for the rant, just trying to solicit more from what I know are a lot of great cooks out there. And oh by the way, I'm one of the 85% that's here for the food, feed me !!!!

[NoogaQ]

At first, I came to pick up some recipes for rubs and sauces. Now I find myself coming to the site every day just to be involved in a social site that does not have the backstabbing, over political commentary and just stupid blabber of other sites.

[jgreen]

Voted for food, but the social media interaction with pit people is what keeps me here.

[bardsleyque]

I voted food as well,but this is my"facebook" site! I'll try to post more technique and pic stuff but this inter web thingie is a pain for me!(I'm a hunt and peck typist and it takes me forever)

[Bogy]

Kind of late to the party here. I did vote a couple days ago, but weekends are really not my "off" time. I didn't take time to write anything at the time I voted.

I originally came to the site to get advice on how to BBQ. A couple of years ago I was in the market for a new grill, and came for the reviews. Never got involved in the forum because I didn't think I had anything to offer, I was intimidated by everyone with all the great equipment who knew what they were doing with complicated recipes. This summer, as I was looking for a new smoker, and this time I got involved in the forum. Specifically, when I was looking at gas grills, and ended up buying my Weber Genesis, I just used the "official" reviews. This summer I got into the "Pellet Smoker" thread of the forum, and from there got involved in more of the forum.

I do post in the "What are you cooking" threads, with some descriptions, but most of my cooks are still pretty simple. I've got some beef short ribs going right now, and I might share a picture of how they turned out, but my recipe is what I've learned here, there's nothing new to share.

I'm one of those who comes for advice on cooking, and equipment, but also comes for the camaraderie. I've been involved in other forums over the years. Sometimes VERY involved. On one forum devoted to satellite TV I had the second highest post count, something like 13,000 posts. Mostly political. I was laid up with some surgeries, and spent way to much time and aggravation there. After I left that forum I want back five years later and without having made a post was still in the top ten posters. I like it here. No flames (well, just the good kind), no arguments (except over whether to wrap or not), a group of supportive, helpful people. Cooking with smoke may be what brought us together, but I hope there's always room here for more than just recipes.

[xaugievike]

Found AR when I was researching the WSCG (which I eventually purchased)...but in the process really liked want I was reading from Meathead, max good, etc. so for $20 I thought what the hell. I now stay for the continued knowledge and the fact that this forum (likely b/c you have to pay) is clear of politics and silly garbage that generally brings down other forums I've been a part of.

Oh, and the Meater...I stay to learn more about the Meater too....anyone ever heard of that?

[Thom Emery]

I enjoy walking through a cook with a new cook