frustrated & need help with my pork

[sunrise]

After moving from the east coast to the west coat, my pork scores & preformance is falling like a rock. We are now competing in KCBS (3 so far) in the east it was in FBA. At a contest this past weekend in Long Beach, my pork finished 33 out of 36. Here is a comment off one of the judges cards, and I thought they were suposed to be constructive. I quote the card " presentation is haphazard. Some good examples are posted online, you'd do better to research. Overcooked & mushy. Texture is almost steamed. The scores from this judge were 6-7-6 here is a picture of the box. I dont know how to make pulled pork not haphazard. any suggestions?...other than to stop cooking.

 

[Outnumbered]

I'd use the money muscle in this. Here is a box we did yesterday and we took 3rd of 47 teams in only our second comp. I was ecstatic with that.

Not that I think I know what I'm doing at all, because I don't. But it did score pretty well. We got five 8s and one 9 on the appearance. Appearance is what kept us out of the top spot with 9s nearly across the board for taste and tenderness, but this did seem to work out well for us.

 

[Jason TQ]

Go to BBQ Critic's website and they have a ton of boxes to look over (http://www.bbqcritic.com/judgemybox.html). It helped me on how to make a box look neat and organized.

Here is a box I turned in this weekend and got 999989 on appearance scores. A lot of teams try to get a money muscle in the box and chunks along with some pulled or a variation of any of those. Looks like all you have in there is pulled. Sometimes if the butt is overcooked the meat can get a little mushy.

 

[Bentley]

As harsh and unCBJ like this will sound...just gonna say it. most CBJ's out here do not like the Cat food look anymore. It seems if you dont have primarily chunks and cut MM, you will get comments like you got, insted of the judge doing what he is supposed to and judge what is presented. Should it matter if it is pulled? No it should not. Did the look probably already put you behinde the 8-ball with that judge, yes!

We both know it is not right, but it is reality!

 

[Capn Kev]

^^ I agree ^^

The "look" of the meat screams mushy from the get-go. I'm guessing based upon the scores, that it actually was borderline mushy. When you tried it, did it stick to the roof of your mouth?

I like to put a bit of pulled, chunk, and MM in my boxes. It gives the judges choices, and has scored a lot better for me than when I only used to put pulled in the box.

Just my $.02

Kev

 

[MyHeartagram]

West Coast, they want that MM... Just like you HAVE to turn in thighs. The Queen Mary was tons of fun though, best location I've ever cooked in a contest.

 

[big brother smoke]

Pulled will not score well out here, the curved move after Pitmasters.

 

[MyHeartagram]

^ What Steph Said

 

[hogzgonewild]

Keep it simple....Inject it with Apple Juice, rub it down. Cook to 160* and foil and finish at around 195-200* when it gets tender. Rest it for 1-2 hours. Pull it out, cut off the money muscle and make slices, then push down on the rest and pull out 6 good chunks with pretty bark and use the rest for pulled (including a good amount of bark.) Mix the pulled with a little bit of Blues Hog Tennessee Red and paint some Tennessee Red onto the slices and chunks.

Remember that the inside middle of the butt won't have much flavor, it's the outside 1-2 inches that will be the most flavorful!