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Barbecue Tricks

BBQ Tips and Tricks

October 19, 2012 Featured

The Money Muscle Secret

Two Pork Butts with Money Muscle circled. Note fat stripes.

 

 

 

It’s a BBQ secret weapon.  If you’ve ever judged a BBQ contest you may be familiar with what’s called “the money muscle.”  Using it in a judged box is a bbq trick that has become well known.

It’s named “money muscle” because a lot of competitive cookers think it’s the best tasting part of the Boston Butt (or pork butt) and is essential on winning the top level money in pro cook-offs.

How do you find the money muscle? Look at the opposite end of the bone.  It’s tube shaped (with striations and stripes).  You’ll see the bands of fat evenly spaced along the muscle.  When fully cooked that fat should easily melt away and render to provide almost a mini loin that cookers will slice and present in a blind box for competition.       It’s located high on the pork shoulder (read “high on the hog”) and is the beginning of the loin.

That muscle just doesn’t get worked much so it’s super tender.

money muscle

Butt with Money Muscle trimmed for competition cooking

Cookers will also promote bark creation around the money muscle by trimming around the muscle and using a good rub.  Some competitions will disallow full separation from the rest of the but while cooking so often it is carved so  it is still connected.

“You have to trim it up so it’s nice and round and it’s kinda like a little loin.  The great cooks really use that muscle to really showcase their meat” according to champion Pitmaster Jack Waiboer.

The money muscle will cook faster than the rest of the butt (shoot for 180 degrees for the muscle 195 for the rest of the butt).  Once done, the log shaped muscle can be sliced into medallions and presented beautifully in the turn in box.   The addition of a good bark on the succulent meat is a combination that wins over judges (especially in the tenderness category).

See more about the money muscle on THIS Episode of GrateTV

 

Categories: Featured Tags: boston butt, GrateTV, money muscle, pork butt

About Bill West

Bill West a BBQ enthusiast, Best-Selling Author, and Country Music aficionado in Charleston, SC.

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Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Top Ways To Cheat at Your Next BBQ Competition | Barbecue Tricks says:
    December 31, 2012 at 9:03 am

    […] combine the great meat of the money muscle and the magic of great tasting bark you’ll have to trim out the money muscle before cooking.  In some competitions it’s against the rules to cook large meats in parts so you may want to […]

  2. How To Cook The Money Muscle | surprising european cuisine says:
    January 7, 2016 at 12:19 am

    […] The Money Muscle Secret | Barbecue Tricks – The Money Muscle is a no secret to professional competition BBQ cooks. Here’s your trick to finding it. […]

  3. Top 12 smoking mistakes that can ruin your barbecue - Smoked BBQ Source says:
    February 2, 2016 at 12:39 am

    […] “Look at the opposite end of the bone. It’s tube shaped (with striations and stripes). You’ll see the bands of fat evenly spaced along the muscle. When fully cooked that fat should easily melt away and render.” Bill West, Barbecuetricks.com […]

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Hey Y'all... Thanks for stopping by. I'm Bill West. I blog about BBQ and occasionally country music. When it comes to BBQ I try to find solid time saving tips and tricks to make the grilling life a bit easier. It's life hacking for the backyard cooker. Read More…

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