The Pork Butt Money Muscle
Money Muscle: the pride and joy of any pork butt. Distinguished by stripes and fatty striations that give it the look of a mini loin, this treat often serves as the crowning glory in barbecue competitions.
Chefs often employ these strategies in an attempt to earn high scores in terms of both appearance and flavor, although this doesn’t always pay off.
It’s a muscle
As a barbecue enthusiast, you may have come across the term “pork butt money muscle.” It refers to a cylindrical-shaped load-bearing muscle taken from pork shoulders that features striations lines or fat stripes running throughout it – often known as “tiger muscle or pork collar”. A popular cut for its flavorful and tender qualities, it can be smoked before being served up brushed or marinated before turning into pulled pork sandwiches or cut into medallions for turn-in boxes.
The money muscle is an important part of a pork butt, since it holds and cooks at a different rate than the rest of your shoulder meat. Unfortunately, it’s easy to overlook when taking out your pork from the smoker – patience is required in order to locate this muscle! You may either remove it from the shoulder and wrap separately, or keep it connected and wrap the whole butt together.
To locate the money muscle, it is best to first locate and move away the pork shoulder from its bone. Next, locate and feel for it with your hand – you should feel something firm, cylindrical and full of intramuscular fat that contributes to smoking while adding flavor.
Money muscles don’t require trimming like other cuts of meat do, yet it is still wise to score their fat cap prior to applying a rub. Doing this allows the seasonings to penetrate through and reach the meat beneath.
Before serving pulled pork or medallions of pork butt money muscle, it’s crucial that it is given time to rest before cooking it on the grill or oven. Allowing time for its muscles to reabsorb their internal juices will result in much juicier and flavorful meat when served at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit; to prevent overcooking make sure a thermometer has been poked into it beforehand so as to check if its done enough before pulling off the heat source.
It’s a tube
Money muscle is a part of pork butt shaped like a tube and popular among competition pitmasters due to its tender, succulent meat that turns out tasty when slow-smoked. You can use money muscle for pulled pork or medallions; just remember to prepare it correctly so it doesn’t shrink and become tough.
Money muscle meat resembles that of pork loin, yet is distinguished by striations and strips of fat running down its length. Also referred to as the “pork collar”, “faux loin”, and “tiger muscle”, its scientific name being multifidus dorsi, this muscle can be found on the upper shoulder of a pig and prized by experienced pit masters due to its high concentration of intramuscular fat that allows for slow, low cooking methods to bring out its full potential.
To prepare the money muscle, it must first be detached from its bones using a sharp knife. Expert competitors will trim away skin until only fatty layers remain, helping develop an edible crispy crust while holding in smoke during smoking process. Be wary not to remove too much fat as too much may burn during this stage of preparation.
Once your MM has been trimmed and wrapped in foil, place it into a smoker set at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Spraying or coating it with juices that contain phosphates may enhance its flavor and juicy texture further. Let the meat rest for one hour before starting back up again if desired.
As money muscles are generally smaller than pork butt, they require less time for cooking, so it is wise to separate their preparation. Otherwise, it could shrink and lose juiciness, as well as provide you with additional flavor and presentation opportunities. Once finished, money muscles should look and taste just as satisfyingly delicious as traditional pork loins!
It’s a bone
Money Muscle: an Opposite End to Pork Butt! Typically found on either end of a pork butt, this cylinder-shaped piece of meat measures 2-3 inches thick with striations and stripes of fat running along its length. Prized among seasoned pitmasters and commonly featured in competition BBQ events, its tender meat boasts beautiful bark when properly prepared as well as having its own distinct and delectable taste!
Grilling and smoking meats can both produce juicy results, while injecting it with juices or rubs such as apple, peach, or white grape juice can increase its juiciness further. Injections also add flavor and can serve as signature items in competition boxes to impress judges and get more points for appearance.
Though pork butt is typically prepared by smoking it to 203-205 degrees, you can also boil it for your cookout. Boiling will help the meat retain more moisture for an authentic, juicy texture – however it should be noted that shrinkage during the process makes eating six symmetrical bites challenging.
The Money Muscle is a cut of pork found from either the shoulder or pork butt, and situated at its opposite end from a bone. This cylindrical-shaped piece is similar to pork loin in that it contains intramuscular fat striations lines; often known as the “pork collar” or tiger muscle, this specialty cut makes an incredible BBQ secret weapon!
However, while adding money muscle may tempt you, do not do it; doing so will only diminish your score overall. A high-profile cut called money muscle can often be found at the corners of a contest box and is judged according to appearance and taste; any judges who find this unappealing will reduce your appearance score significantly and score accordingly in appearance and taste – both vital factors when competing in contests.
It’s a meat
Money muscle is a highly prized cut of pork shoulder and often won competitions as one of its best parts. It boasts an appealing cylindrical shape and thick consistency with stripes of fat to give its special flavor, not to mention juicy meat packed full of connective tissue that makes it tender. Money muscle can be served both alone or paired with other cuts such as loin or ribs for smoking – while its versatility means it can even be injected with juices or rubs for enhanced flavor enhancement! Injecting is another popular method of preparation!
Money Muscle is not only delicious; it is also an excellent source of protein. Easy to prepare with its smokey flavor and simple preparation methods make this an excellent addition to any BBQ sandwich or platter. Plus it is inexpensive, high in fiber content, and contains low calorie counts!
Money muscle requires high quality meat. For optimal results, choose thick cuts with adequate amounts of fat and even marbleing, using an excellent rub such as Sweet Heart to ensure flavors blend seamlessly together and the meat becomes more tender. There are various varieties available; choose one which suits the natural flavor of the meat best!
Before smoking meats, it is wise to rinse away any fat deposits on muscles to help avoid bacterial growth and improve the quality of the meat. Furthermore, applying a dry marinade prior to adding them to a smoker will allow additional flavors to come through during its smoking process.