Competition Pork

[VA BBQ PIRATES]

We've done the other 3 so I figure it's just a matter of time before some one starts a pork thread so I'll start.

Hello my name is Tom and my Butt stinks! I really need a 12 step program. I'm not sure what the judges are looking for. Here's what I do: I inject with Chris Lilly's injection about 4 - 6 hrs before it goes on. Rub just before it hits the smoker. Cook @ 230 ish to 165-170 foil, continue until the bone pulls free. Cooler for a couple hours & turn in lightly sauced thumb sized chunks from the monkey muscle.

My scores have been all over. I've thought about and tried adding slices - cook to about 170 sliced the monkey muscle. Is that a good idea?

Any help is appreciated - thanks

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

Do you have any pics of your typical turn ins? What type of sauce are you using?

[Black Cat BBQ]

Originally Posted by VA BBQ PIRATES

We've done the other 3 so I figure it's just a matter of time before some one starts a pork thread so I'll start.

Hello my name is Tom and my Butt stinks! I really need a 12 step program. I'm not sure what the judges are looking for. Here's what I do: I inject with Chris Lilly's injection about 4 - 6 hrs before it goes on. Rub just before it hits the smoker. Cook @ 230 ish to 165-170 foil, continue until the bone pulls free. Cooler for a couple hours & turn in lightly sauced thumb sized chunks from the monkey muscle.

My scores have been all over. I've thought about and tried adding slices - cook to about 170 sliced the monkey muscle. Is that a good idea?

Any help is appreciated - thanks

you used the "f" word....

[Smokin' Gnome BBQ]

Tom, I inject with Butchers blend and juice, rub and wrap in plastic about 6 hours prior to hitting the cooker. I cook till 170 then foil add some more juice and rest in a cooler. I have been slicing the money muscle and adding some pulled. I was probably in the bottom 1/3rd in BelAir with this box.
Sal

[VA BBQ PIRATES]

Here's a box. I've used a couple different sauces. Tenn. Red, Blues Hog, Slabs. Is there a sauce you would recomend?

[PatioDaddio]

Tom - This video might be of some help as to the saucing and presentation.

John

[MilitantSquatter]

Tom - How are you're presentation scores compared to taste/tenderness ?

From the looks of the box, I think you're on the right track.

I'd suggest considering the following

1) Don't leave the bottom right bare - Either center the slices and align more evenly or re-position elsewhere
2) Lightly sauce with Tenn Red or a thinned out traditional sauce w/ juice
Make the pork glisten
3) Chunks presentation is decent but get rid of some of those strands and make sure you have a consistent look of interal meat to bark showing (I think a 2:1 ratio works best. Strategically position each piece like a puzzle - Angle some, lay some vertically, diagonally etc. It gives the box character and prevents it from looking like it was just plopped in there.

[Plowboy]

Originally Posted by VA BBQ PIRATES

Here's a box. I've used a couple different sauces. Tenn. Red, Blues Hog, Slabs. Is there a sauce you would recomend?

Three GREAT sauces for pork.

Warning that this is going to be a shameless plug, but...

Try Plowboy's Yardbird Rub or Slab's pork rub with those sauces. They both pair well.

Presentation looks good in general. Nothing wrong with it.

[The Pickled Pig]

Originally Posted by VA BBQ PIRATES

Here's a box. I've used a couple different sauces. Tenn. Red, Blues Hog, Slabs. Is there a sauce you would recomend?

I think the box looks okay but I'd certainly follow Vinny's advice.

Unless you've somehow figured out how to get great pieces from all over the butt or are using multiple butts for your selection, I'd suggest you limit your pulled pieces to the best 6-8 chunks from a butt. We sometimes go through 2 butts just to find 6 or 7 chunks good enough for the box. Every piece that we put into the box is hand selected to be uber tender, juicy, and has bark on it. We'll only pull from a couple of muscles around the bone and the money muscle. The rest is saved for scraps. If your tenderness scores from a table are all over the scale, it may be because some judges are getting dry or tough pulled pieces.

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by MilitantSquatter

I'd suggest considering the following

1) Don't leave the bottom right bare - Either center the slices and align more evenly or re-position elsewhere
2) Lightly sauce with Tenn Red or a thinned out traditional sauce w/ juice
Make the pork glisten
3) Chunks presentation is decent but get rid of some of those strands and make sure you have a consistent look of interal meat to bark showing (I think a 2:1 ratio works best. Strategically position each piece like a puzzle - Angle some, lay some vertically, diagonally etc. It gives the box character and prevents it from looking like it was just plopped in there.

Vinny's advice is right on as far as I am concerned. My very first impression was that the box looked very good, but at second glance the meat looked a bit dry and needed to glisten to look moist.

Looks to me like you are very close to getting some high scores.

[Plowboy]

Originally Posted by The Pickled Pig

We sometimes go through 2 butts just to find 6 or 7 chunks good enough for the box. Every piece that we put into the box is hand selected to be uber tender, juicy, and has bark on it. We'll only pull from a couple of muscles around the bone and the money muscle. The rest is saved for scraps.

Ding, ding, ding! But what do I know...

[Butcher BBQ]

PHP Code:

Ding, ding, ding! But what do I know... :cool: 


Yeas what do you know?!?

[SmokeInDaEye]

Originally Posted by The Pickled Pig

I think the box looks okay but I'd certainly follow Vinny's advice.

Unless you've somehow figured out how to get great pieces from all over the butt or are using multiple butts for your selection, I'd suggest you limit your pulled pieces to the best 6-8 chunks from a butt. We sometimes go through 2 butts just to find 6 or 7 chunks good enough for the box. Every piece that we put into the box is hand selected to be uber tender, juicy, and has bark on it. We'll only pull from a couple of muscles around the bone and the money muscle. The rest is saved for scraps. If your tenderness scores from a table are all over the scale, it may be because some judges are getting dry or tough pulled pieces.

That's great advice, Paul. My pork hasn't been quite where I want it this year but its had more to do with 1 or 2 off scores then what I'm cooking. I also think having Tom do my pork turn-in box would make a huge difference!

[Jacked UP BBQ]

I always did terrible with pork, the best I ever did in a larger comp was 13th, we used hen and hog, with some blues hog and juice to thin it out. We got the sauce to a boil, dipped the pork and strained it to get the extra sauce off. Tasted good and looked like we hit it with some high gloss poly!

[VA BBQ PIRATES]

Originally Posted by MilitantSquatter

Tom - How are you're presentation scores compared to taste/tenderness ?

Presentation scores have been the highest of the 3 then tenderness then taste.

Thanks everyone. This gives me some ideas.

Tom