BBQ Shoulder Injection

Mostly for competition purposes it is customary to inject shoulders prior to placing them on the smoker, and in some cases a second injection prior to coming off the smoker. There are numerous reasons for doing so (at least on paper).

Two main common ingredients in most shoulder injections are a juice or cider (usually apple) and a vinegar, either white or apple is usually used. Both the acidic value of the juice or cider and the vinegar have properties to help break down the collagen in the shoulder which is what makes a pork shoulder sweet and juicy.


Chris Lily Shoulder Injection - Posted on The BBQ Forum and found in Peace Love and barbecue. Recommended for pork shoulder (butt) Chris and Don McLemore own Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q.

3/4 cup apple juice
1/2
cup
water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce

Inject shoulder with injection solution using 1/2 oz. (1 tablespoon) per pound. I also add some powder-ized dry rub ( I use a coffee grinder). This allows the spices to dissolve in the mixture (we also heat ours up to blend all the sugars and flavorings. Here are a few more ideas to add, just don't add them all in one injections - experiment with different ingredients to accomplish different flavorings.

Maple syrup, corn syrup, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, powder-ized dry rub, honey, kosher salt, seasoned salt, liquid smoke (never admit to that), soy sauce, a few tablespoons of your home made sauce, use a different type of juice or add a different type to the apple juice, lime juice, lemon juice, dry mustard, Spanish smoked paprika and the list goes on. Remember, too much of a good thing is usually not good.

Keep your amounts proportional to each other.Have fun with it. P.S. - for shoulders I use a brine pump similar to the one above.

Smoking a BBQ Shoulder Memphis Style

As you can tell by the photos we slather our shoulders in Mustard prior to adding the dry marinade. Not sure we are going to keep doing that, but there are good reasoning's behind the procedure. For both whole hog and shoulders, the mustard cooks off and leaves no mustard taste or looks behind. As a team, we are debating whether we are going to continue the mustard process as our smoker is a moist smoker and we are not sure if changing to a non-mustard procedure might not be better. We'll experiment and decide.

So why use mustard? One, it provides a moist texture to apply the dry rub on which helps the rub to adhere to the shoulder better. Secondly, the vinegar in the mustard helps to penetrate the shoulder and assist in the breaking down of the collagen. Obviously the vinegar does not penetrate too far in to the shoulder, for that we use an injection (we'll get to later).

We then hit our shoulders with our own recipe of spices and allow it to marinate for a while, then on to the smoker they go for a good smoke, usually four hours or so. After that they get wrapped and are allowed to go through the rendering process while foiled, then come out to allow the bark to firm up (they also get a coating of our sauce). Hit it with our finishing rub, which is simply a slightly sweeter version of our dry rub and we're ready for the Memphis BBQ Network Judges to show up.

Bolivar Pictures!

Here are a few pictures of our Bolivar BBQ trip. There is also a link to the album online with all the pictures in it. From the album, you can order pictures, download them, view them and what not.

Enjoy!

Our Bolivar BBQ photo album

View our team on the MBN

Here is a link to our picture on the MBN Group website. We made the news, lol.

http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/MEMPHISBARBECUENETWORK/photos

Hatchie Hollow Bolivar Contest

Thank you for everyone who was able to attend our first BBQ contest at The Hatchie Hollow Bolivar contest this past weekend. We all had a great time and I had at least four or five folks come to me to say that they really liked our team (the people).

As you know by now, we were fortunate enough to have placed first in shoulder in the preliminary round then finished third. We also had a first place finish in both the anything but award with Johnny's stuffed chicken (The left overs went in 3- minutes so I never got a taste) and first place in anything but sauce (Jeff's tomato sauce). My personal goal was to not come in dead last, so over all - not a bad weekend.

This was a trial run for us, to kind of break in the rig, get use to setting up and giving the team members a cook out before we packed up for the winter. Well, it turned out to be something a little more special than that. Granted there were only 10 teams there, but there were some really big names there that we beat. This is a great start.

I would love to go down the list of names to thank everyone for what they did, but inevitably I would leave someone out, so I am just going to send out a huge thank you for all of you who contributed and helped out, we couldn't have done so well with out you. Hopefully everyone who showed up and who hadn't been to a BBQ contest for the work part, has a better understanding of how much work actually goes in to setting up, cooking, preparing, break down, etc.

Our next event is the UAB & Memphis game November 17th. This is basically going to be a tail gating party where we turn in some ribs and sauce. Should we be lucky enough to win, we will have our entry in to Memphis In May paid for and a $750 check. But lets focus on having fun.

Results for Hatchie Hollow Hog Fest, Bolivar TN 10/20/2007

HOG

• 1st: Serial Grillers
• 2nd: Yazoo Delta Q
• 3rd: Huish Grill Team
• 4th: The Good, The Bad, and the Swine

SHOULDER

• 1st Serial Grillers
• 2nd Ghost River Smokaholics
• 3rd Optimus Swine
• 4th The Good, The Bad, and the Swine

RIB

• 1st Parrothead Porkers
• 2nd Pigs R Us
• 3rd Yazoo Delta Q
• 4th The Good, The Bad, and the Swine

Grandchampion

• Serials Grillers (Shoulder)
• Serial Grillers
• Yazoo Delta Q
• Huish Grill Team
• The Good The Bad and The Swine
• Ghost River Smokaholics
• Optimus Swine
• Parrothead Porkers
• Pigs R Us
• Smoking Pigs Barbecue Co.
• Harley Hogg Smokers

Final Judges

• Angela Denton
• Frank Guarino
• Kyle Dixon
• Lanny Prichard

UAB vs. Memphis Tigers Football

As most of you know, we have been excited about the UAB football game in November against Memphis here at home. Partly because of the rivalry and atmosphere, but also because we were planning to tail gate with the Smoking Rig starting the day before and inviting th BBQ Team to participate.

The two schools have been passing a trophy back and forth depending on who has won the game for a few years now. The trophy is a rack of ribs because of the history rib cooking has in both Birmingham and Memphis (Memphis is better of course).Well, it just got better, believe it or not. For the first time, they are going to have a rib only BBQ cooking contest with both schools invited to participate, professional and amateur teams alike.

There will be awards, trophies, and an entry in to Memphis In May BBQ contest awarded. The only other category is BBQ sauce. What a perfect cap to an already wonderfully planned weekend! Mark it on your calenders, and plan to be there.

Here is the link to read all about it.

http://gotigersgo.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/100307aaa.html

Bolivar Update

Ignore the rumors for now about the Bolivar BBQ contest not happening. We are on for Bolivar 100% according to the sponsor. We are working on an emergency back up plan should it happen to fall through, but it doesn't look like we'll need it.

Supplies for Bolivar

Anything you are going to loan the team for the Bolivar cookout, such as 7-day coolers, etc - if you could get it to Todd's home or to Ed or Palmer this week it would greatly help out the team.

We need to get together at Todd's house Tuesday or earlier before the competition to load up the cooler on to the trailer. We are tentatively looking at that Tuesday around 7:00, or would 6 be better? Let us know....

Sell that Pork!

Here are the orders we have for competition grade pulled pork for the weekend of the 20th.

Ron Files - 4 pinds
Mike Reed - 5 pounds
Todd B. - 10 pounds
Brian McCoy - 5 pounds
Ed Pierce - 5 pounds
Cindy - 5 pounds
Olena Keene - 4 pounds


Spread the word to our friends and family. It's only $5.00 a pound for competiion pulled pork, it will cost us more than that to produce it.

Team Name Update

We have yet to come up with a permanent team name. We chose Optimus Swine for our first competition in Bolivar, because we had to put something on the application. Well, we have narrowed down our choices for the team name. Due to a tie between four of the choices, we will narrow the choices down to five instead of the planned three.


Here they are.

Optimus Swine
Bust-A-Que
Put a Pork in it
Pork the night away
Brine-Swine & Wine


Please email me your choices and list all five names in the order that you would pick them. There will be no voting on behalf of anyone else, your choices must come from you. Here's your chance to have a say, so have fun with it and get your votes in.

Memphis Barbecue Network Representatives

Your new Memphis Barbecue Network Representatives.

• Gary and Sharon Countz
• Henry and Kelley Evans
• Frank and Mary Horner
• Tim Kemp
• Randy and Cathy McGee
• Larry Ohrberg
• David and Suzanne Rhea
• Larry & Barbara Young

If you see any of these wonderful volunteers, make sure you tell them thank you!

Memphis In May no longer sanctioning events.

As of 2008, Memphis In May will no longer be sanctioning any events outside of the Memphis In May itself. There is a new sanctioning body called the Memphis BBQ Network that will be filling the void.

Here is a link to the Memphis BBQ Network's Yahoo Group

This letter went out to teams and to contests organizers.
It came from the Memphis in May offices about August 29th.
It explains MIM's official position of their decision
to discontinuing management of the MBA
(previously the Sanctioned Contest Network).
******************************

Dear World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest Constituent;

Memphis in May constantly studies ideas and methods of growing each of the world class events we produce. From the internationally acclaimed Beale Street Music Festival to our International Education Program to Sunset Symphony and our salute to an honored country each year, the programs and events of Memphis in May are under continuous review by the Board of Directors and staff of Memphis in May. Our goal is to continue to refine the programs with an eye towards excellence at each level.

And so it is with the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, one of the premier events of Memphis in May International Festival. From its humble beginnings in 1978, to its current world renowned status, the World Championship continues to be one of the most important brands of Memphis in May. The "international" portion of the Memphis in May brand is a targeted focus of our Board of Directors and one that the staff of Memphis in May has been
challenged to grow. While the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest has drawn teams from around the globe before, we have not made it a priority in planning the event.

Beginning with the 2008 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, we are going to expand the scope of the event due to the ever-increasing interest in barbecue. We will be inviting teams from all regions of the country and those that are beginning to emerge around the world, challenging champions who may not have competed in Memphis in May to try their hand at the most competitive cook-off in the World.

As we focus our resources into recruiting championship teams, we will no longer be sanctioning contests through our Memphis Barbecue Association. Meanwhile, the contests that have been sanctioned for 2007 will continue to receive the service of Memphis in May, and long term contests that wish to be Memphis in May-style contests in the future will receive the information and materials to ease the transition.

We are excited about this plan and look forward to implementing it and growing it. Memphis in May is where the champions and pros compete and this plan helps us take that to the next level – a World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest that is not only the largest pork barbecue contest on the planet, but also the one that crowns the planet's best pork barbecue chef.

Things you can bring to the meeting

Here are a few things you could bring to the meeting on Saturday if you can.

• Marine cooler
• Large serving platter for presenting the shoulders
• A sample of dinner ware plates we can use to serve the judges with
• We need 4 - nice glasses to serve water
• Cloth napkins
• Food scale up to several pounds
• Gallon size zip lock bags
• Apple Juice
• If you are a monthly paying member aned can get caught up that would be great.

Sept 29th Team Meeting

If you have not received the email that Christy sent out and have not given Christy your email address, please do so. If there is anyone that may not have received the word that you can think of please forward this to them, or give them a call to get in touch with Todd, Ed, Palmer or Christy.

A few added words to the email.

• We will be doing some minor maintenance on the rig, so you may want to wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty if you are able to help out.
• We will have a printed off sheet with the suggested names for the team for members to choose up to three that they like. Our team name for at least this event is Optimus Swine, we can change it if need be.
• We will be discussing entering more categories such as exotic, beef, seafood etc. If you have a recipe you would like to try in competition now will be the time to speak up. If you want to bring a sampling to the meeting, by all means feel free (but that is not necessary). Kat has expressed an interest in doing the desert and Johnny has expressed an interest in doing Poultry. Personally, my vote is for Jeff to turn in a mustard sauce - but that is up to him & the team.
• If you know of any "want-to-be members" that haven't jumped off the fence yet, you can invite them as well if they are serious about joining the team.

Hope to see as many of you as possible for this short but important meeting.

( A copy of the email sent out)

Optimus Swine BBQ Team


Hello Team Members!! Our first competition is just around the corner and we need your help! Hatchie Hollow Hog Fest Bolivar, TN at the Hardeman County Fairgrounds on Hwy 64 Friday, October 19th & Saturday, October 20th Our first official team meeting will be Saturday, September 29th. We will be meeting at the home of Todd B. Meeting time: 10:00 - Noon We will be...

• · Confirming all team member contact information.
• · Outlining the details of our first competition.
• · Delegating member responsibilities.
• · Prepping the trailer for the event.
• · Taking equipment inventory

Anyone who wants to stay later is more than welcome. We will be removing the old paint from the grill and re-wiring the trailer lights. We will provide pizza for lunch, but no bbq for obvious reasons. B.Y.O.B This is a very exciting time for our new team. If you have any questions please feel free to call me. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!!

Optimus Swine BBQ Team Member