New FEC-100 owner

quote:

Originally posted by Charcoal Loungers:
I gotta comp coming up this weekend so I'm a little nervous about new equipment right before the comp.

Welcome to the forum and congrats.

I'll move this down to the comp FE forum and we can help there.

Have you competed before? I would go with what works, we'll just need to help with how to adjust.

If you need help with something, give us the details of what your doing so we can give specific suggestions.

There's lots of info in the FE forums, so you can search and get some details quickly that way.

Welcome!

Russ

Been in a few comps, but never a kcbs sanctioned comp. All of the past comps I've been in were just ribs, loins or chicken. I've cooked plenty of butts and briskets but never for a comp. We've used our trailer mount offset(pic below) for everything in the past and will use it for the ribs and chicken until we get more practice on the FEC. The plan is to use the FEC for the briskit and pork on the long cooks. Very happy with the way the brisket turned out but the pork seemed to be lacking flavor. Thats why I was wondering if I should try other things. The bark was good, but that was about it. Thanks aqain.

I may get my head chopped off for this but if the butt you cooked does not have the internal flavor you want, it is due to one of two reasons. And more likely the first one.

You say the bark was good but no flavor. I attribute that to a bad piece of pork. Did you cut the gland out, if there was one, from the butt before cooking? This can cause an off flavor. Was it your usual brand? Even with the best pork out there, you can always get an "off" butt.

Cooking in an FEC will not affect the internal flavor of the pork. I say you need to cook some more butts and see what happens with them.

Now if you want to add more flavor, I would suggest you either get a better quality butt and/or inject it. Since pork butt is not my regular category at comps, I can't help you with an injection. But Smokin has posted quite a few here on the forum with glowing results from other people.

Best of luck this weekend. Please come back and tell us how things turn out.

I was also wondering if it was an off piece. When I first ripped into it with the bear paws I noticed it didn't smell the way it usually does. It was the usual twin pack from Sams. The gland thing is new to me. Never did try the other one, it went in the freezer.

Smokin use to have some instructional pics showing how to remove the gland on a pork butt. Maybe he could repost them here for you.

How about it, Smokin?

For every time that butt glad pic is shown an angel loses its wings.

But, it is VERY helpful.

I'll see if I can find it, but it's usually along the one side where that vein of fat runs (usually opposite the side with the bone)

Probably the most common difference if you've used an offset to an FE is about of Wood Smoke. Many offsets will give it a heavy smoke or even oversmoke and you get a strong smoke taste.

Would you say it was smoky enough?

If pork lacks "flavor" inside, I have a different take, that's just pork. By itself, pork doesn't have a real "taste" to me.

For contests, you have to make it even MORE intense. Judges will only take one or two bites so that piece has to have lots of flavor.

Injections, saucing / rubbing after pulling, anything to add more flavor.

thats probably the issue, not as much smoke as I'm used to. what are some good injections?

This would probably be another thread,so Smokin' might move it.

Here is one from Chris Lilly,of Big Bob Gibson's,that some folks like.
Chris Lilly Pork Injection

Well, your guys advise was a huge help. Did the Chris Lily injection. Then added a little rub and blues hog tenn red after pulling. Ended up taking third in pork. Very happy considering present company(Pellet Envy and a few other heavy hitters). Also took first in peoples choice(pork loin) Love this cooker!

Congrats.especially since you had some of our friends and "big dawgs" there.

That's fantastic, CL! You are definitely on your way. And especially against some of the big guys out there.