Our first practice run with pics

[Rich Parker]

I think your pork looks great! Not all judges will like a lot of sauce because they want to taste the pork not the sauce.

 

[Three porks]

OK so I tried my hand at ribs today. Yesterday I tried them and I ruined them.....badly. They looked like charcoal so I was embarrassed to take any pics. After taking some of the groups advice, I think they turned out pretty well. If anything, I think I should have left them in for another 1/2-1 hour but I was worried about burning the glaze. Hopefully after some practice I'll get a better feel of the cooking process.

Please look at the pics and please be totally honest. At this point in the game I need to hear the good, bad and ugly.

Here's what I did:

Cranked the smoker to 265-275, smoked with 2 fist sized pieces of hickory, one small chuck of pecan and one small chunk of cherry. I did a modified 3-2-1 and ended up doing a 2.5-1-1.25. During the foiling I omitted the sauce and went with Parkay, b. sug, honey, more rub and a spritz of mop. After an hour they rested for 30 minutes then back on the smoker unfoiled. I reapplied rub and cayanne and glazed with sauce with 30 minutes remaining. They rested 20 minutes and then they got sliced. I'm glad I got two slabs cause one of the slabs the bone were very curved curved so cutting nice uniform/recangular cuts would have been impossible.

I look forward to your responses......

 

[Three porks]

You are off to a great start. From a judges perspective the pork was arranged nicly and looked good. Maybe some of the competitors on here can give you some tips on getting a little shine on the pork. From the pic it looked a little dry. Your chicken looked good but the top two pieces have some dark areas on them and the bottom four do not. Either way would do ok score wise as long as the dark areas are a little carmalization but not burnt but they all need to have the color or they all need to not have it. I believe your box would be judged as if a couple of the pieces got away from you. Hope that is helpful. keith

I wish I could say it was carmelization....it was burned for sure. As for the pork, I will for sure shine it up next time. Thanks

 

[Three porks]

Good looking boxes Two Porks. Your on the right track and practice is the key. You need to practice with different methods and techniques to get the shine you want. I don't think everyone does it the same. Some cooks will thin down their sauce or add coloring to it, some will do a totaly seperate finishing glaze and put it on after the meat is in the box. Some people use the spritz method, some mop it on, some brush it on. You just need to practice to get the finish and shine you want. Word of caution to not over do it though. That bright red look can get you in trouble sometime. Some judges like it but some judges think it looks to fake on the meat. Hope to see you at some of the Central Il comps this year.

Thanks for the tips!!

Were gonna be in Shannon, IL and Murphysboro, IL will you be at any of these? That would be cool to have some local competition!

 

[Three porks]

Sorry for the flood, I just found out how to multi-quote.

You asked so I'll be brutally honest. The chicken box is a good start but for me it's probably no more than a 7. There are little burned pieces sticking out. That's what manicure scissors are 4. Clean up any of that after cooking and before putting in the box. Using a fine paint brush you can hide the cut with a little bit of sauce. Top right pieces - skin looks funny like maybe it shrunk too much. Remember there's a fine line between 7 and 9 and it's all the very little details.

When practicing my chicken in 2007 I did 2 pans of 10 each. But I quickly realized that extra half hour prep time before putting in pan meant 10 was all I needed. And I do bone in chicken.

Yeah next time I'll put more love into the chicken. I was just ready to eat..lol Please be brutally honest, I'd rather get nailed on here than get last place at a comp.

I think your pork looks great! Not all judges will like a lot of sauce because they want to taste the pork not the sauce.

Dually noted! Me personally I like the less sauce approach but I do agree that the pork in the pictures looked a bit dry. When in person it didn't look that dry, but in the picture it for sure does.

 

[michiana mark]

I've judged 4 contest and cooked 4 also. A judge sees your box for around 5 seconds more or less, coming and going. Your chicken box greens look great, chicken needs to be more uniform, but let it look like chicken. Color on 4 look good, little nubs can be trimmed post cooking. Ford has cooked a lot of chicken, and consistently walks in that category, usually with the big check and trophy. His advice is good.

You pork looks good, except, your money muscle looks dry in the pic. Light spray or light sauce to shine it up. I never turned in pork with a lot of sauce either, always tried to let it stand on it's own. Usually scored well this way. If there's too much sauce, are you trying to hide something, was always my train of thought.

Your ribs look spot on. I'd drive a 100 miles to eat them.

That's the question I always ask. "Would I drive 100 miles to eat that?"

The eyes are the gateway to the palate.

 

[Spydermike72]

OK so I tried my hand at ribs today. Yesterday I tried them and I ruined them.....badly. They looked like charcoal so I was embarrassed to take any pics. After taking some of the groups advice, I think they turned out pretty well. If anything, I think I should have left them in for another 1/2-1 hour but I was worried about burning the glaze. Hopefully after some practice I'll get a better feel of the cooking process.

Please look at the pics and please be totally honest. At this point in the game I need to hear the good, bad and ugly.

Here's what I did:

Cranked the smoker to 265-275, smoked with 2 fist sized pieces of hickory, one small chuck of pecan and one small chunk of cherry. I did a modified 3-2-1 and ended up doing a 2.5-1-1.25. During the foiling I omitted the sauce and went with Parkay, b. sug, honey, more rub and a spritz of mop. After an hour they rested for 30 minutes then back on the smoker unfoiled.

Did you let them rest off of the smoker ? Just curious as to why ? I normally put them back on the smoker after I take them out of the foil and then glaze for the last 30-45 minutes...

 

[River City Smokehouse]

From a judges standpoint, I would want to see a more full pork box with a lot of bark. It needs more moisture too. Don't limit the slices/portions to just 6. Fill it up!
Ribs have sauce dripped in the garnish. That needs cleaned up.

 

[Rich Parker]

I think the ribs look great.

 

[mobow]

good looking ribs. lets eat. keith

 

[Three porks]

Your ribs look spot on. I'd drive a 100 miles to eat them.

That's the question I always ask. "Would I drive 100 miles to eat that?"

The eyes are the gateway to the palate.

WOW that made my day! I was in a good mood all day!

Did you let them rest off of the smoker ? Just curious as to why ? I normally put them back on the smoker after I take them out of the foil and then glaze for the last 30-45 minutes...

I guess my rationale behind this was during that first resting phase, I was hoping to ribs would absorbs some of the foiled juices while off the smoker. During this time I put them meat down in the butter, b sugar and honey mix and let rest wrapped in foil for 20-30 mins. Do you think there is benefit in this or should I just go from foil to un-foiled without resting?

Ribs have sauce dripped in the garnish. That needs cleaned up.

Damn I was hoping you wouldn't notice. :biggrin: I reused the pork box from the day before.

I think the ribs look great.

Thanks!!

 

[Three porks]

good looking ribs. lets eat. keith

Thanks Keith!!

 

[Spydermike72]

I guess my rationale behind this was during that first resting phase, I was hoping to ribs would absorbs some of the foiled juices while off the smoker. During this time I put them meat down in the butter, b sugar and honey mix and let rest wrapped in foil for 20-30 mins. Do you think there is benefit in this or should I just go from foil to un-foiled without resting?

When I foil I put the honey,butter and juice in the foil before I put the ribs in meat side down. Now this is just my method. I see what you were trying to do, but I think you may have slowed your cooking down. I would try them both ways and see which way you get the best results with. Those ribs look very good, I would catch a ride with Mark to eat them!!

 

[Three porks]

When I foil I put the honey,butter and juice in the foil before I put the ribs in meat side down. Now this is just my method. I see what you were trying to do, but I think you may have slowed your cooking down. I would try them both ways and see which way you get the best results with. Those ribs look very good, I would catch a ride with Mark to eat them!!

Thanks Mike!

 

[BBQ_MAFIA]

I'm no judge, I'm just a fat guy who likes to eat.

That being said, I want those ribs......and I want them now!!!!

 

[Smokin Diablo]

Two Porks we will see you in Shannon, look for the Soy City Smokers from Decatur, Il.

 

[Three porks]

Two Porks we will see you in Shannon, look for the Soy City Smokers from Decatur, Il.

Will do!

 

[Rich Parker]

When I foil I put the honey,butter and juice in the foil before I put the ribs in meat side down. Now this is just my method. I see what you were trying to do, but I think you may have slowed your cooking down. I would try them both ways and see which way you get the best results with. Those ribs look very good, I would catch a ride with Mark to eat them!!

The secret is out. :biggrin:

 

[michiana mark]

When I foil I put the honey,butter and juice in the foil before I put the ribs in meat side down. Now this is just my method. I see what you were trying to do, but I think you may have slowed your cooking down. I would try them both ways and see which way you get the best results with. Those ribs look very good, I would catch a ride with Mark to eat them!!

Mike, your always welcome to ride along. As far as your process, did you get that from Bruce B?:icon_blush:

 

[BruceB]

mike, your always welcome to ride along. As far as your process, did you get that from bruce b?:icon_blush:

ouch!!