My Sunday fun with Fat Butts....


 
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Ken Wilkens

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OK, so I decided to try 2 pork butts (.95/lb at Costco, I love that place) in the traditional manner. Up at 4:30 am, piled my charcoal ring, lit up a chimney and dumped them over the coals. Put one butt on the lower grate (with Polder probe) and one up top. Smokin' away, man is that WSM awesome at holding the temp with minimum adjustments.

Got to watch football here and there, and finally pulled the butts of at about 7:00 pm, internal temp about 195? on both.

Here's the rub...(no pun intended, BTW, I used the basic bbq rub from Steven Raichlen's books, good stuff)... seems that these butts were REALLY fatty, we got rid of a lot of the noticeable fat (my dog now has clogged arteries), but it just seemed that this was a very fatty pork. Last butt I did was not this way. Could it be that I brought that up to 200? before pulling?

One more question: Since I am trying to eat a little healthier, is there a way to make chicken in the same manner? Would love to make a shredded (pulled) bbq chicken. Any other heart healthy suggestions are welcome!!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

Thanks to all!
 
If the butts have more fat then you can let them go longer, the fat will keep them moist as it renders out.
Chicken is much leaner so cooking to pulled is more difficult, you can easily dry it out tring to get there.
Jim
 
Hi Ken!

Our first 2 contests we pulled our chicken. Just looking for something different to present. Pretty simple really, just shred the breasts and the dark meat, like a butt.

I got my practice from preparing it this way for my kids when they were younger.

We cooked the chicken as we normally would....about 4 hours at 225? and then shred it up. You may want to foil the last hour so as to steam it a little and really tenderize it so it separates from the bone. Never done that way, but it makes sense.

You may also want to try cooking that large butt for 20 hours or so. No more getting up at 4am to feed people at 7pm. Plus, most of the fat rendered out on the 2 I have done.

One last thought, I always trim the outside fat from the butt...right down to the meat. There is usually one side that can be fairly thick with an outer covering a fat.
 
Stogie
How did the judges like pulled chicken, did it score well? The reason I'm asking is out here in PNW we are putting together By-laws, rules, and judging in a restructure. Right now pulled chicken would be DQ'd.
Jim
 
Hey Ken,
The butts that I cooked were trimmed of all visible fat on the outside. They were almost 8 pounds each and I trimmed at least a pound of fat off of them, if not more. Mine cooked 16 hours to 190 degrees internal and were seemingly fat free. By fat free, I mean no visible chunks or pieces of fat. The meat was very moist and the flavor was described by two of my guests as "the best barbecues I've ever had anywhere". You might try trimming closer to the meat if your butts were very fatty.
I thought my local Sam's Club was hard to beat at .99 lb. Now I'm jealous. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif
I also agree with you about pulled chicken. I just wish they could make good 'ol pulled pork as healthy as chicken....just wishful thinking.
 
Like you said in another post, the more you cook, the more you learn. I need to trim the fat off those bad boys.

Costco, BTW also had Kingsford Charcoal -- 48 lbs for $9.99. I was euphoric, especially when the supermarket has them at $7.99 for a 20lb. bag!!
 
Hi Jim!

The chicken scored horrible!! We cooked whole chicken at the time and wondered how to serve. Could not have gotten six servings from just breast meat, so we mixed in some white and some dark meat.

We went to thighs since then and have done better, though still a ways to go.

Not sure that many people look at shredded chicken as BBQ. Though served on a sammich with some sauce and slaw it is very good.

Stogie
 
Stogie
Out here the PNWBQA we have in our rules the only meat you can turn in pulled is pork. The reason is you could turn in pulled chicken liver and we decided we just didn't want as group to have to judge it.
We have been using breast and they have done well the last two season for us, couple of 1st and a 6th at the Royal open in 2000.
Wish we could get together for day and try the different styles, would be a great time.
Best you nad yours
Jim
 
Jim...

It would be an honor and time well spent for a day with you!! Now, if you still have that Klose off-set for sale, perhaps.............

I have considered doing breasts, but have only grilled them over high heat. We use a Weber kettle for our thighs so maybe we just grill them. Chicken is by far our weakest category...it has kept us out of the money in every contest we have cooked(except our first couple).

I think I told all here that prior to last season I cooked up 56 different thighs looking for the right technique/taste. In the end, the "testers"...read neighborhood.....liked the ones quick grilled, no smoke on the gasser!!! LOL Oh well.

I nosed aorund last year, but of course everyone was doing thighs, so no good ideas...plus I had a shortened season. Did talk to some judges and it sounds like they are looking for the good old fashioned chicken you get at the church/community socials.....simply grilled with a nice sauce.

OK, how do you present them? 6 whole breasts or just 2-3 breasts and then slice 6 thick pieces? Skin on/skin off? Bone in/boneless? Of course any other secrets......

Hope the New Year is good to ya!
 
Stogie
The secert if there is one to breasts, when you get them off the cooker, 160? internal,
at that temp their still moist.
We present 2 breasts, but only slice one into 7 to 9 pieces.
Have a little heat in the rub, use a sweet glaze to offset the heat of the rub.
What the judges seem to be looking for is
BBQ that goes three places when you eat it,
a little heat, sweet and some tang.
If you hit the right temp with the right rub and glaze you will stand out cause everyone is cooking thigh.
Jim
 
Jim:
How much/what type of smoke do you use for the breasts? I would love to smoke some chicken breasts for the family. Last time I did a turkey breast, it was way too smokey.

BTW, do you brine the chicken breasts?

Thanks for all your help.
 
Ken
Poultry doesn't need much smoke, I will use one maybe 2 fist size chunk of cherry or apple both work well for us, I don't brine but it would work very well.
Stogie
I left off the last post, we do skin on boned
breast. We don't bone the breast until it's done cooking which is a pain in the a** but the breast keeps it shape better that way.
Jim
 
Stogie
Thanks, I'm going to be watching the Butt side-by-side with interest. Im also interested in more info on MIM style on butt and or shoulder.
Go Packers
Jim
PS: I'm not really a big Packer Fan but I hate the Rams (grew up a 49'er fan).
 
Jim...

The Pack can use all the rooting help we can get! Thanks!

I am doing ribs this weekend....sorry but I never made that clear in my post.

The MIMers inject their shoulders.....LOTS of injection. I saw a gallon of injection going into a 15 pound shoulder. They use the large industrial type injectors. Then they cook as usual at 225?. No wrapping.
 
Ken,

MIM stands for Memphis in May. This is a big contest held in, you guessed it, Memphis. MIM also refers to one of the 2 main BBQ competition circuits, with a particular set of rules and judging standards. KCBS (Kansas City Barbque Society) is the other big one. The MIM circuit is more high dollar corporate type competition. Showmanship counts in the judging, where in the the KCBS all the judging is "blind".

I'm sure Stogie or Jim can do a better job of explaining other differences.

Doug W
 
Stogie- what kind of flavors do you think are in that MIM-style injection.

I've tried light brines for injection which has worked pretty good for moistness, but would be interested flavor boosters.

thanks


chris
 
HI Chris!

Well, how about the recipe? Here it is...

Injection Marinade

4 cups Apple juice or cider
1 cup Cider vinegar
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Rub(whatever you used on the meat)
1/2 cup Corn syrup

PREPARATION:
Inject into pork butts at the rate of 1 ounce per pound of meat.

Use as a drizzle on ribs before foiling.
 
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