Ribs and Pork

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Qbert60

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Hey Brethren!

I just finished a contest this weekend. I came in 14th overall out of 30 teams. I was happy. Goal was to crack the top 15. I did that.

Ribs and Pork tend to be my nemesis.

I bite the ribs and seem to achieve one bite and not fall off the bone. I am asking for some help. Any tricks of the trade, special rubs, certain sauce, anything that could help.

When it comes to pork, it seems as if when I slice it and pull it, the butt seems to lose heat rather fact. How can I prevent this. I think that when my food hit's the judge's table, it's luke warm at best.

I am not asking to give away secrets, just seeing if anyone can help a brother out.
 
Qbert60 said:
When it comes to pork, it seems as if when I slice it and pull it, the butt seems to lose heat rather fact. How can I prevent this. I think that when my food hit's the judge's table, it's luke warm at best.
Click to expand...

The temp is probably not the problem. Unless you sauce your pork, it will dry out real fast. That may be what is hurting you.
 
For pork... Don't open it until 25 minutes before turn in, if not later depending on how long it takes you to process it and how many butts you are cooking. Be sure to sauce it with warm/nearly hot sauce. It shouldn't be too hot but a good warm sauce will keep the first bit or two from the judges nice and warm. Make sure to sauce all sides of every piece of meat.
 
Are you injecting your butt's? If not, it may be worth considering.

ML
 
mjl said:
Are you injecting your butt's? If not, it may be worth considering.

ML
Click to expand...

I am injecting the butts. I am cooking the butts at about 275. I start them around 1am to 1:30. They are done around 7-8am. I let them set until about 20 minutes prior. Am I starting them too early?

I am cooking them on my UDS.
 
I cook at 250 and put my butts on around 1am as well. If you are at 275, it might be worth it to put them on later so they finish up a little later in the cook. Not sure how this would effect your timeline with regards to other meats and space in the cooker.

Just something to think about.
 
boogiesnap said:
share your scores. it'll help focus on the weakness/strengths of your turn in.
Click to expand...

This is from my last contest this weekend

Ribs - 887, 787, 787, 887, 886, 877 - Placed 21st out of 30
Pork - 889, 988, 788, 877, 787, 978 - placed 17th out of 30

I know that I throw out my lowest score.
 
Qbert60 said:
I am injecting the butts. I am cooking the butts at about 275. I start them around 1am to 1:30. They are done around 7-8am. I let them set until about 20 minutes prior. Am I starting them too early?

I am cooking them on my UDS.
Click to expand...


Your cook time seems short given the temp that you are cooking at. Assuming that you are cooking Butts, how many pounds are they? Bone in or out? What internal temp are you taking them off at? What are you turning in with the box - slices, chunks, pulled?
 
I think the "perfect bite mark" theory can be very misleading. The fact of the matter is that you can achieve a nice round half moon shaped bite mark on a rib that is not tender.

It does need to be a bite that leaves the rest of the meat on the bone, but if you take a bite and there is meat stuck to the bone that does not easily come off, then they aren't ready. The meat needs to release from the bone with a bite, but not from the rest of the meat.

This concept confused me for a long time. IMHO this is the goal.
469c472c-ef36-ff85.jpg


Notice its a clean bite, but its not a half moon. Its a little jagged because the meat wasn't just cut by my teeth. The meat fibers broke because it was tender enough that my teeth didn't have to cut it. Also the bone is clean under the bite because the connective tissue holding the meat to the bones had broken down enough to release from the bone.

This is not "fallin off the bone". Its well before that.
 
Hey Qbert. It was great being next to you this past weekend. I think most teams were scratching their heads over at least one category (chicken for us). I think if you wait another hour or so to put them on they will be a little better. We put ours in at 2 cooked at 240 degrees and don't pull them off until about 930-10. Look forward to seeing you guys again in Sept.
 
Hey Qbert - It looks like Taste and Tenderness are you biggest concerns based on your scores. I am not going to ask what rub or sauce you are using but let me tell you from experience - it should be somewhat sweet in Michigan.

AS for your Butts I would ask why 275 ? A little lower and a little slower seems to work good for us. We put ours on at about 1:00am and cook at 245 and pull them around 9:00amish...

Sorry I didnt get a chance to meet you this weekend, hope to meet you soon!!
 
sweetracks said:
Hey Qbert. It was great being next to you this past weekend. I think most teams were scratching their heads over at least one category (chicken for us). I think if you wait another hour or so to put them on they will be a little better. We put ours in at 2 cooked at 240 degrees and don't pull them off until about 930-10. Look forward to seeing you guys again in Sept.
Click to expand...

You guys were fun! I still think the name is the best ever. Try to stay away from the bag-o-light-of-charcoal and you might keep your eyebrows. HA! I think that might work. I just fear or them sitting too long? See you in Monroe!
 
Spydermike72 said:
Hey Qbert - It looks like Taste and Tenderness are you biggest concerns based on your scores. I am not going to ask what rub or sauce you are using but let me tell you from experience - it should be somewhat sweet in Michigan.

AS for your Butts I would ask why 275 ? A little lower and a little slower seems to work good for us. We put ours on at about 1:00am and cook at 245 and pull them around 9:00amish...

Sorry I didnt get a chance to meet you this weekend, hope to meet you soon!!
Click to expand...

Great job on the Chicken, Pork, and Brisket calls this weekend! Only reason I said 275 is the fluctuation between temps. 265 - 285. I was having Rich's (IBQ'n) problem with one of my UDS's. But it's happened before. See you in silver lake! Stop by for a beer!
 
from those scores it looks like your ribs are either too soft or have too much tug. i'd start there. taste needs a minor tweak. maybe a bit sweeter, more heat, more smoke, less smoke. something small.

the pork scores are hard to read what direction to go in. their so close to "there". i suppose i would suggest tweaking your sauce a bit and try to find the peices that are scoring better in tenderness and only turn those in.

hope that helps a little bit anyway. good luck!
 
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