Yeah but the convenience factor is huge if you're someone who actually remembers to soak beans. Half the time I end up ordering pizza cause I forgot to start them the night before, and that costs way more than either option.

lol man I gotta respectfully push back on the airflow thing. I've done maybe 8 whole hogs now on a cheap offset and the hind quarters are always a pain but I think you might be overthinking it. The real trick is starting with the fat cap facing down on the thick parts and flipping it halfway through. Airflow helps but the biggest game changer for me was dropping the temp to 225 for the first 6 hours then cranking it to 275 once the stall breaks. That slow start lets the heat soak into the hams more evenly. When you run at 250 the whole time the shoulders get done fast but the hams are still cold in the middle. I had the exact same issue my first time and someone told me to try that lower start and it fixed everything. Also make sure you're wrapping the thin parts like the loin and ribs with foil so they don't dry out while you wait on the hams.

@palmer.val gets it, my friend swears he once got spotted by a guard in a mall and it turned into a full chase scene.

Honestly, did he even give a reason for pulling that stunt, or was he just testing to see if you'd fold? Tbh, something feels off when someone books a service and then tries to change the price mid-cut like that. Ngl, I'm curious if he had a history of pulling this kind of stuff or if this was a random move.

Ha, yeah I've been there too! For me it was olive oil - I used to only buy the expensive Italian stuff. Then I grabbed a store brand from a local chain during a sale and honestly couldn't tell much difference in everyday cooking. Now I save the fancy oil for dressings and use the cheap stuff for sauteing and roasting. Your mileage may vary but it's worth trying the cheaper option once just to see.