- Jan 31, 2016
- 6
- 10
Hey guys,
So I'm training for a friendly (or so I'm told) BbQ Comp coming up in a couple weeks.
It's Pork/ Side
I'll be using a variation of SoFlaQuers finishing sauce and will be making Fresh Mozzarella outdoors to bread/freeze/+fry over coals for cheese sticks to dip in Ametriciana (bacon marinara) sauce for my side.
As a 10yr professional cook I have a lot of hype showing up to such an event run by the 'good ol' boys' I grew up with. So even though I've done 50+ butts I wanted to play around with some new ideas to see if I can't step my game up.
TODAY! I was thinking about bark and how it's formed, also about salt and how it extracts moisture when applied to meat (osmosis).
My thought is that by not applying any sodium to the pork that I will get a different bark because I'm not fighting the outside moisture that's being extracted from the meat.
The Rundown:
Spicy Rub:
2T sugar
1T Garlic (granulated)
1T Course Pepper
1T Chipotle powder
1/2T Cayenne
1/2 T Chili Flakes
4c Apple Cider Injection
9lb Pork Shoulder
Lump Oak Charcoal
1yr Cured Alder Chunks
Weber Kettle 22" running @ 200- 235
I won't wrap but will stop adding smoke at 150ish.
I'll end with Salting my pulled product and then SoFlaQuers finishing liquid except I use half AC Vin, half Claussen Pickle Juice
- Things to think about
-- My biggest thought is that this won't change a thing, mainly because as meat cooks and the protein tightens it will squeeze out moisture ALSO I'm applying sugar to the rub so this too will extract moisture.
-- How much of the pork secretions are actually part of the forming bark?
-- I'm still injecting, will this negate the whole process?
-- Other biggest thought!!!!
WILL NO SALT ON MY BARK SUCK??
We love and cherish the bark... And the salt is a big reason for that. What am I thinking!?
--- plenty more to think about but I have a whole pork cook and a case of beer to think myself down the rabbit hole
--------
Now I'm doing this on my Weber kettle for a couple reasons:
1 Even though I have my offset that love very much, I don't have any way to transport it reliably.
2 After years of using this kettle I know how to maintain the smoke and temperature I want beautifully.
3 (and my fav) When everyone shows up with their rigs/ pits and sees my silly little kettle they'll lose it. Yeah it's the Sleeper
Annnnnd to wrap this up..
I'll post pics and be thorough about my likes dislikes and overall lenghthy opinions.
I'm 2 hrs into the cook, thinking 8-10 more to go
Definitely weigh in with your thoughts, I'll appreciate any thoughts, feedback, (tips to knock these guys in the dirt)
So I'm training for a friendly (or so I'm told) BbQ Comp coming up in a couple weeks.
It's Pork/ Side
I'll be using a variation of SoFlaQuers finishing sauce and will be making Fresh Mozzarella outdoors to bread/freeze/+fry over coals for cheese sticks to dip in Ametriciana (bacon marinara) sauce for my side.
As a 10yr professional cook I have a lot of hype showing up to such an event run by the 'good ol' boys' I grew up with. So even though I've done 50+ butts I wanted to play around with some new ideas to see if I can't step my game up.
TODAY! I was thinking about bark and how it's formed, also about salt and how it extracts moisture when applied to meat (osmosis).
My thought is that by not applying any sodium to the pork that I will get a different bark because I'm not fighting the outside moisture that's being extracted from the meat.
The Rundown:
Spicy Rub:
2T sugar
1T Garlic (granulated)
1T Course Pepper
1T Chipotle powder
1/2T Cayenne
1/2 T Chili Flakes
4c Apple Cider Injection
9lb Pork Shoulder
Lump Oak Charcoal
1yr Cured Alder Chunks
Weber Kettle 22" running @ 200- 235
I won't wrap but will stop adding smoke at 150ish.
I'll end with Salting my pulled product and then SoFlaQuers finishing liquid except I use half AC Vin, half Claussen Pickle Juice
- Things to think about
-- My biggest thought is that this won't change a thing, mainly because as meat cooks and the protein tightens it will squeeze out moisture ALSO I'm applying sugar to the rub so this too will extract moisture.
-- How much of the pork secretions are actually part of the forming bark?
-- I'm still injecting, will this negate the whole process?
-- Other biggest thought!!!!
WILL NO SALT ON MY BARK SUCK??
We love and cherish the bark... And the salt is a big reason for that. What am I thinking!?
--- plenty more to think about but I have a whole pork cook and a case of beer to think myself down the rabbit hole
--------
Now I'm doing this on my Weber kettle for a couple reasons:
1 Even though I have my offset that love very much, I don't have any way to transport it reliably.
2 After years of using this kettle I know how to maintain the smoke and temperature I want beautifully.
3 (and my fav) When everyone shows up with their rigs/ pits and sees my silly little kettle they'll lose it. Yeah it's the Sleeper
Annnnnd to wrap this up..
I'll post pics and be thorough about my likes dislikes and overall lenghthy opinions.
I'm 2 hrs into the cook, thinking 8-10 more to go
Definitely weigh in with your thoughts, I'll appreciate any thoughts, feedback, (tips to knock these guys in the dirt)
