Pork Question

[Shotgun]

This may have been brought up at some point and if so guess we'll go through it again. I know KCBS says to cook pork as a whole piece ( atleast 5lbs? ). At what point would this be considered cooked (160?). If I wanted to pull or slice the pork earlier to save time and put it back on the smoker to stay heated, would that be considered cooked enough in their eyes.

[watertowerbbq]

Jay,

I would say that the meat is cooked when it is safe to eat. Therefore, with pork, I think that it is safe to eat at 145*. Anne from the IBS would know the temperature for sure.

[Bigmista]

According to Serv Safe training if I remember correctly, pork needs to be at 145 for 15 sec to be considered cooked. But somebody please back me up.

[Ford]

Originally Posted by Shotgun

This may have been brought up at some point and if so guess we'll go through it again. I know KCBS says to cook pork as a whole piece ( atleast 5lbs? ). At what point would this be considered cooked (160?). If I wanted to pull or slice the pork earlier to save time and put it back on the smoker to stay heated, would that be considered cooked enough in their eyes.

I would think if it's 160 when sliced and 180 when it comes off then it's still being "cooked" so it can't be parted. Holding means temps that keep it above 140F but do not continue cooking.

Best way to get an answer is to go to the KCBS website and send in an email asking the question.

[spicewine]

For Comps. I would not recommend slicing or pulling prior to turn in. You can pull it whole and hold it in a cooler or Cambro for a couple of hours, but if you slice or pull it and then try to hold it, you risk it drying out or looking pale at turn in. Practice the art of getting it done right on time and you will find that you will only be dealing with a 1 to 2 hour + / - holding issue. Pulling and slicing early is OK for catering, but for Comps., you want the best and freshest that you can send up.

Just my .02

Spice

[YankeeBBQ]

Originally Posted by Shotgun

This may have been brought up at some point and if so guess we'll go through it again. I know KCBS says to cook pork as a whole piece ( atleast 5lbs? ). At what point would this be considered cooked (160?). If I wanted to pull or slice the pork earlier to save time and put it back on the smoker to stay heated, would that be considered cooked enough in their eyes.

This is gonna come out wrong and sound like I'm lecturing but I feel I need to bring it up anyway. Why spend your time trying to figure out how to skirt the rule . Why not just spend your time figuring out how to cook a kick ass whole unparted Pork butt? If there's even a possibility that someone could dq you for doing something like that why take the chance ? That's just the way I see it.

[BBQ_Mayor]

Originally Posted by spicewine

For Comps. I would not recommend slicing or pulling prior to turn in. You can pull it whole and hold it in a cooler or Cambro for a couple of hours, but if you slice or pull it and then try to hold it, you risk it drying out or looking pale at turn in. Practice the art of getting it done right on time and you will find that you will only be dealing with a 1 to 2 hour + / - holding issue. Pulling and slicing early is OK for catering, but for Comps., you want the best and freshest that you can send up.

Just my .02

Spice

I'm with spice on this one. If you slice or pull early and reheat, your going to run the chance that the slices dry out.
However, I have heard that you can part the muscles at different temps during the cook as they get done. Example.... at temp 170 or so you pull the butt out and trim out your slicing muscle, put the rest back in and cooker till pulling temp.
You just can not part them at the start of the cook. This is my understanding anyway..Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

[Shotgun]

Thanks guys, wont be doing this at a comp. Just a question that came up between a team mate and myself.

[MoKanMeathead]

The way I read the rule you can not cook a but to a certain temp, take off you slicing muscle (part it out) and then put it back in the smoker and take it to pulling temp. That would be cooking a parted out but.

IMO you could slice or pull the whole but and reheat it later so long as you follow the rules about cooling and reheating. Not sure why you would want to do this but I think you could.

[Divemaster]

Originally Posted by YankeeBBQ

This is gonna come out wrong and sound like I'm lecturing but I feel I need to bring it up anyway. Why spend your time trying to figure out how to skirt the rule . Why not just spend your time figuring out how to cook a kick ass whole unparted Pork butt? If there's even a possibility that someone could dq you for doing something like that why take the chance ? That's just the way I see it.

Actually I agree with you...

[Roo-B-Q'N]

It didn't sound like he wastrying to skirt the rules, but rather wanting to know if he could remove the butt at his leisure to cut and get ready for boxing. Not being rushed during turn ins.

That said, I wouldn't do it just for quality sake.

[Shotgun]

Originally Posted by Roo-B-Q'N

It didn't sound like he wastrying to skirt the rules, but rather wanting to know if he could remove the butt at his leisure to cut and get ready for boxing. Not being rushed during turn ins.

That said, I wouldn't do it just for quality sake.

No, not trying to skirt anything, just wondering. We get rushed sometimes with pork pulling it and trying to get slices. While your doing one or the other the 1st one you do starts to get cold.