BBQ Brethren "Lesser Known Cuts of Meat" Throwdown!

Nope, you are not allowed to withdraw the poll from your entry...er, strike that, rewind, reverse. You are not allowed to withdraw your entry from bigabyte's poll. :tsk: I am fine with tri-tip. This is a vague category and if a person honestly enters something because it is lesser known to them or in their region then I am fine with that. For the longest time I could not find tri-tip in my area until Walmart started carrying it. Sure, it is popular on the site but I would put good money that 8 out of 10 people surveyed on the street around here would have no clue what it was.

^^^I agree. I've never seen one in my supermarket. And if it weren't for this site, I'd never have known what it was, either.

Ron_L said:

OK. I hereby withdraw my not-lesser-known entry.

Sorry for bothering you all.

Click to expand...

I wasn't asking for you to withdraw or anything of the sorts. I hope you or anyone else didn't think I was. I thought I was clear. Sorry if I wasn't. It is a difficult category to define and everyone is going to have a different definition. I've been inconsistent in my definition myself.

I have seen things labeled tri-tip locally, but they bear no resemblance to the cut that I've seen on this website. The Costcos in RTP NC carried tri-tips a month ago (first I actually saw them in this region). I went by last week because I wanted to pick one up and they were different cuts, long thin strips. :crazy: I have not seen tri-tips in my local Costco in Maryland. It is very regional. Sirloins I've seen absolutely everywhere though, even pork sirloin.

Still can't find below-knee. :tsk:

Udder kabobs? :tsk:

Pork Tails and Snot

Well today was one of the worst dumping of snot we have had this year, here in the tropics of Canada. That of course wouldn't stop me, especially when I have the worlds best guard dog watching my pit.

Squirrel Killer is ever vigilant against the Master's Evil Minion, Ninja Squirrel.
(For those of you in warmer climes, yes that does read 5 on the Treager and no it's not an error)

In order to enter the "lesser known cut of meat" throwdown I trawled the depths of my deep freeze and came up with some pork tails

The were originally purchased to become flavoring for beans but had long since been forgotten. A quick trip to the butcher netted a few more in order to make a meal.

After a few quick searches around here and on the net on how to treat these bad boys met with little success. However, the education given to me by the brethren led me to treat these like a cross between a rib and some pork belly as they are quite fatty yet also contain a fair amount connective tissue.

First up was a rub with some Plowboy's Yardbird

and one more for good measure


After that it was off to the treager on smoke for an hour and then 225F for another hour.

I knew I wanted to wrap them as I wanted a moist cooking environment to help render some of that collagen for that lip smacking mouth feel. After scratching my head I decided that apple always goes with pork. So a few apples were sliced up and tossed with some brown sugar and cinnamon a few other spices.

The top was dotted with butter, because butter is awesome, and a little cherry coke was added for moisture and I thought it would compliment the apples.

Here's what the tails looked like right before they were placed in the pan


Towards the end of the cook the weather broke and it turned into a nice evening


After the tails hung out with the apples for a couple of hours I took them out of the pan and put them back on the grate and turned up the heat to 375 to have them firm up a bit and to hopefully get the skin a little crispy.

Here was the result

(Please use this photo for judging)

and as for Squirel Killer? Well she took a well deserved rest.


I almost forgot, the apples were fan-farking-tastic! :thumb:
So good in fact that I have them cooling in the fridge so I can remove fat and tomorrow after a quick reduction they will be staring as a waffle and/or pancake topping.

pig tails, did NOT see that coming.

Bravo! Truly a lesser known cut I never saw coming! :clap:

Looks delicious, too!

I don't think on a pig that would qualify as below knee. Great looking behind rear. :thumb:

That is true, I don't think I have ever seen a Throwdown entry featuring meat from behind the rump.

and now, off to the PB

Crispy skin? I'd try that! Great lesser known cut! :wink:

Pork Tails! Amazing! :thumb:

Found Ninja shaking in a closet. Showed him a map of where the Niagara region is. Told me that isn't far enough away, and went back in the closet. I don't think he'll be helping me.

How about some alligator bites... I had some tail in the freezer from this little alligator. That's my buddy who went out in the middle of the night on a small bass boat to catch it.

Soaked it milk over night. Marinated in Italian dressing for four hours. A little extra spices. Grilled up on the gasser. Served with some garlic butter dipping sauce. Tastes better than chicken!

Thanks for looking!

Wow, pork tail and alligator tail awesome:thumb: and I thought I was an a@% man :clap2::clap2:

:clap2::clap2::clap2:

Now that's what I call a lesser known cut of meat! Would love to try it for sure. :mrgreen:

Another great entry! :becky: