Question on KCBS Pork Butts

Cloudsmoker · Dec 16, 2012

Thanks in advance for a newbie question. I know you cannot separate the money muscle from the shoulder while cooking. But if you want it less cooked, is it allowable to separate at an earlier internal temp, then put the rest of the butt back on?

txschutte · Dec 16, 2012

no.

That is separating.

que_dawg · Dec 16, 2012

That is against the rules in KCBS, you can't put the pork butt back on the cooker after it has been separated in any way. Lots of guys on here will cook multiple butts for that reason. They will cook multiple butts and cook two to the temp they want for the MM and two to a higher temp for pulling.

boogiesnap · Dec 16, 2012

not that i do it or see any reason to, but, i'm not sure if that would actually be illegal.

if the meat stayed on the cooker while the MM was sliced off and the remaining portion was still over five pounds it could be argued as legal(i.e. trimming?), so long the MM did not return to the cooker.

i could also be waaaay wrong though and wouldn't suggest trying it either way.

Goddahavit · Dec 16, 2012

way wrong. in my opinion.

PORK: Pork is defined as Boston Butt, Picnic and/or Whole
Shoulder, weighing a minimum of five (5) pounds. Pork shall
be cooked whole (bone in or bone out) and shall not be
separated during the cooking process. At no time shall the
meat once separated be returned to a cooker.

read it how you will, but it it clear to me, just because you can cut it in the cooker and not "return" it to the cooker, I feel the rule is clear.

It could be trimming, but then in my opinion you would consider the MM trimed meat and toss it or eat it after the comp....

boogiesnap · Dec 16, 2012

i can agree with that.

wjwheeler · Dec 16, 2012

IMHO The KCBS Board needs to better define this rule. It seems to be open to many different interpretations.

Outnumbered · Dec 16, 2012

Goddahavit said:
way wrong. in my opinion.

PORK: Pork is defined as Boston Butt, Picnic and/or Whole
Shoulder, weighing a minimum of five (5) pounds. Pork shall
be cooked whole (bone in or bone out) and shall not be
separated during the cooking process. At no time shall the
meat once separated be returned to a cooker.

read it how you will, but it it clear to me, just because you can cut it in the cooker and not "return" it to the cooker, I feel the rule is clear.

It could be trimming, but then in my opinion you would consider the MM trimed meat and toss it or eat it after the comp....

I see in no way how this can be misinterpreted. Shall not be separated during the cooking process is very clear. Can't return it to the cooker.

boogiesnap · Dec 16, 2012

agreed, i remembered it as parted and returned only....

wjwheeler · Dec 16, 2012

ways around the rule

Outnumbered said:
I see in no way how this can be misinterpreted. Shall not be separated during the cooking process is very clear. Can't return it to the cooker.

I've seen teams at comps open the smoker and separate the mm without taking the butt out of the smoker. Since it was never taken out - it was never returned. Others have set it on the firebox and not returned it to the smoker. They felt they were not in violation of the rule.

PorkQPine · Dec 16, 2012

wjwheeler said:
I've seen teams at comps open the smoker and separate the mm without taking the butt out of the smoker. Since it was never taken out - it was never returned. Others have set it on the firebox and not returned it to the smoker. They felt they were not in violation of the rule.

This is how sports are ruined. People knowing what the rules say and trying to get around them. Kinda like politicians.

Jaskew82 · Dec 16, 2012

that is separating and is illegal.

Outnumbered · Dec 16, 2012

Jaskew82 said:
that is separating and is illegal.

That is exactly what it is. In the spirit and letter of the rule.

JD McGee · Dec 16, 2012

Goddahavit said:
PORK: Pork is defined as Boston Butt, Picnic and/or Whole
Shoulder, weighing a minimum of five (5) pounds. Pork shall
be cooked whole (bone in or bone out) and shall not be
separated during the cooking process. At no time shall the
meat once separated be returned to a cooker.

The rule is crystal clear to me...but...a cheater is gonna cheat and folks are always gonna try to argue the facts to gain an advantage...you just need to figure out which one of those folks you are.

Cloudsmoker · Dec 16, 2012

Thanks, all. You guys are terrific - really appreciate it.

smoke-n-my-i's · Dec 16, 2012

wjwheeler said:
IMHO The KCBS Board needs to better define this rule. It seems to be open to many different interpretations.

Without going into a lot of detail, the rules committee has tried..... but to no avail. The board did not like it, so it got turned down.

smoke-n-my-i's · Dec 16, 2012

Once the butt has been cut in any way into two or more pieces, it is considered separated, and can NOT remain in the cooker, or returned back to the cooker.... period.

Like it has already been said, that is why many teams cook multiply numbers of butts, to pull some at a lower temp for the MM, and let the rest finish cooking for pulling. That is the safest way to cook as to not violate the rules.

boogiesnap · Dec 16, 2012

JD McGee said:
The rule is crystal clear to me...but...a cheater is gonna cheat and folks are always gonna try to argue the facts to gain an advantage...you just need to figure out which one of those folks you are.

just because one can debate the rule as written i wouldn't suggest them to be a cheater. but that's just me.

Q-Dat · Dec 17, 2012

Separation of the money muscle, after it is cooked to the desired doneness, and returning the rest of the butt to the cooker = not legal.

Wastefully cooking numerous pork butts to achieve the same results as the above = totally legal.

dosvans · Dec 17, 2012

Q-Dat said:
Wastefully cooking numerous pork butts to achieve the same results as the above = totally legal.

Why would you think that cooking numerous Pork Butts (4 or more) is wasteful if you achieve what you set out to do and get paid, and are also able to sell the leftovers to friends and neighbors?

Question on KCBS Pork Butts

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