Interesting discussion on pork issues in BBQ comp

[Kloset BBQR]

Greg,

Normally I don't link to other sites but there is an interesting discussion going on over at the BBQ brethren forum that even the KCBS reps have trouble with coming to a consenus. Taken to it furthest extreme just about every cook cooking pork at a comp could potentially be in violation of the rules or not depending on what you do and who is interpreting it. I know you're always looking for interesting topics for your radio show and thought this might be another one. Even the heating of sauce in a sauce pan is viewed as a rule violation by some including the KCBS President Mike Lake although I see nothing on point about it in the rules.

Here is the link:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showt ... hp?t=65289

 

[DaleP]

My opinion is the rule is terribly written. It is easy for me to understand "parting" but another rule says you should re-heat to keep meat out of the danger zone which makes you go against the pork rule. I say drop the parting rule and if anyone gets caught cooking tenderloin for slices, ban you for life you miserable cheating bastage. lol
No but seriously. Ban for life.

 

[Greg Rempe]

D, Please know that THIS forum does not delete posts that link to other sites!! I post on the Brethren site and they let me promote the radio show there a little bit...it's a great site with lots of good info...especially for the Northeast contingent!

There seems to be more than a few "poorly written" rules or "Gray Area" that exsits. For instance, I still think they should write the word "Mandatory" when it come to including garnish...but the vote never changes it. No one in KCBS would not garnish a box so why leave it to where if you didn't garnish you would be deducted...even though you techincally shoudn't be deducted because its "optional"... :roll:

Thanks for the link!

 

[Kloset BBQR]

D, Please know that THIS forum does not delete posts that link to other sites!! I post on the Brethren site and they let me promote the radio show there a little bit...it's a great site with lots of good info...especially for the Northeast contingent!

There seems to be more than a few "poorly written" rules or "Gray Area" that exsits. For instance, I still think they should write the word "Mandatory" when it come to including garnish...but the vote never changes it. No one in KCBS would not garnish a box so why leave it to where if you didn't garnish you would be deducted...even though you techincally shoudn't be deducted because its "optional"... :roll:

Thanks for the link!

Greg,

Its interesting that you mention Garnish being mandatory because of the penalties it incurs if you don't use it but let me point out this and Uncle Bubba and myself witnessed this as well at a contest that I won't name.

The total lack of garnish is actually one of the few forms of legal marking permitted. If you choose not to garnish your entries you will be probably the only team at a contest that does so. No if you get a bunch of your buddies to sign up as judges just tell them that yours is the entry without the garnish and score it high. Your box easily stands out and there is nothing that KCBS can do about it. Like I said we saw it at one contest and all these new judges partied the entire night with the contestant. He did extremely well the next day finishing I believe third or 4th in the contest but he never does well outside the geographic area of this contest and yes he does not garnish.

 

[Kloset BBQR]

My opinion is the rule is terribly written. It is easy for me to understand "parting" but another rule says you should re-heat to keep meat out of the danger zone which makes you go against the pork rule. I say drop the parting rule and if anyone gets caught cooking tenderloin for slices, ban you for life you miserable cheating bastage. lol
No but seriously. Ban for life.

My sentiments exactly Dale, as I stated numerous times on the Brethren. Seriously could a money muscle and a tenderloin ever be mistaken for each other? Not by me.

 

[DaleP]

We have used the money muscle before, not everytime because if it isnt perfect, I am leaving it out. Anyhow, i have cooked a $ muscle that was so good, it could have been mistaken for a tenderloin but that is really really a feat we miss often. Also that is just in taste & tenderness. Anyone who knows BBQ could look at it and see where it was removed from the butt. My son even said to a lot of people how the $ muscle reminded him of a tenderloin, and that makes me scratch my head thinking he is young, and knows more about bbq than most of the...lol I will shut up.

 

[wittdog]

I guess they need to change the rules so that you can only use a bone in butt or a shoulder...a deboned butt would be grounds for a DQ? Its parted isn't it?

 

[GoodSmokeBBQ]

Whats up Dave!

Their definition of parted is more than one part. Butterflied open is OK as well as deboned butts (as long as it isn't cut into more than one piece)

 

[wittdog]

Whats up Dave!

Their definition of parted is more than one part. Butterflied open is OK as well as deboned butts (as long as it isn't cut into more than one piece)

Shows you what I know...I though butterflied was not ok...see now I don't get it...as long as the money muscle is attached whats the problem.

 

[GoodSmokeBBQ]

Before the rule people were cutting the money muscle out (or cheating and using tenderloin) and cooking separately. The rule was an attempt to keep people from cooking tenderloins. After the rule they figured out they can get almost the same results by butterfliing the butt open and cooking that way. Rule now doen'st really apply. Now it looks like the BOD is taking this silly rule to the extreme and saying we can't warm up a tray of pulled pork on the cooker before turnin. Because once the butt is parted in any way it can not go back in the cooker.

 

[swampsauce]

Here is a clarification on the "new" pork rule

The answer:

The Board considered the question of returning the pork back into a cooker after it was parted, sliced, pulled or chopped. It is the opinion of the Board, that under the rules, pork may not be returned to a cooker after the meat has been parted in any manner. (This only applies to the pork category).



So your statement would be NOT permitted as it stands now.

I think the Board is going to revisit this issue next meeting.



I do think a team should be able to cook the pork to say 160 F or more http://www.theotherwhitemeat.com/aspx/a ... aspx?id=13 part it then put in back on the cooker to hold the temperature. But that is not the way it stands now.


Herre is my question:

please clarify all the talk for me. Can I cook a butt to 195* or so, keep in the cooler for a few hours, pull it, put some, sauce on it, put it in a metal pan, and put back on the cooker for 20 minutes or so?

Thanks

 

[Kloset BBQR]

Here is a clarification on the "new" pork rule

The answer:

The Board considered the question of returning the pork back into a cooker after it was parted, sliced, pulled or chopped. It is the opinion of the Board, that under the rules, pork may not be returned to a cooker after the meat has been parted in any manner. (This only applies to the pork category).



So your statement would be NOT permitted as it stands now.

I think the Board is going to revisit this issue next meeting.



I do think a team should be able to cook the pork to say 160 F or more http://www.theotherwhitemeat.com/aspx/a ... aspx?id=13 part it then put in back on the cooker to hold the temperature. But that is not the way it stands now.


Herre is my question:

please clarify all the talk for me. Can I cook a butt to 195* or so, keep in the cooler for a few hours, pull it, put some, sauce on it, put it in a metal pan, and put back on the cooker for 20 minutes or so?
Thanks

Tim, as long as the butt is still whole you would still be within the rules by doing this. If however you want to pull the money muscle out and glaze it for presentation purposes, this would at least according to the new rule interpretation be a rule violation.

 

[Greg Rempe]

Forgive me being an idiot here...but what is the "money muscle" everyone keeps referring too?

 

[Kloset BBQR]

It is a long clylindrical muscle, very similar in shape but not size to a pork tenderloin. It can be found at the far end of a pork butt, opposite the side of the butt where the shoulder bone is found. Many teams use the money muscle for slicing in their presentations. It is one of the more flavorable pieces of meat, great, texture, and easily sliceable, and looks great when presented correctly. Many teams think it helps their scores considerably hence the name "money muscle".

 

[Captain Morgan]

I'm no big expert, but I cook the butt whole and only use the
meat from the money muscle. I prefer to keep it whole
until the last minute to maintain moisture. Then if you just
squash down on the meat, the money meat will pop out
of the end opposite the bone, you can just pick it apart.

 

[DaleP]

If you cook the money muscle to 195, it isnt worth much money anymore. Done right, its my favorite piece to eat.