I have been lurking quite a while, trying different techniques and
recipes and have finally reached the point where my wife is asking me
to smoke things.

We both really like pulled pork, but as we get older, weight is harder
and harder to keep where we want it. Has anyone done a caloric
analysis of smoked meats vs grilled? It would seem to me that the
slow cooking in a smoker, with all the fat rendering out as the meat
hits 190+ ( for pulled pork and brisket ), would make for a relatively
healthy meal.

Thanks for any info.

Dave in Northern CO.

Although the fat renders quite a bit of it stays in the meat, that's
what makes the pork so tasty and moist. So unfortunatly I don't think
pulled pork will ever be considered healthy.

Best not to take up BBQ if you are overly concerned about your health. I
say, "everything in moderation".

Doug

"Dave" > wrote in message
...
>I have been lurking quite a while, trying different techniques and
> recipes and have finally reached the point where my wife is asking me
> to smoke things.
>
> We both really like pulled pork, but as we get older, weight is harder
> and harder to keep where we want it. Has anyone done a caloric
> analysis of smoked meats vs grilled? It would seem to me that the
> slow cooking in a smoker, with all the fat rendering out as the meat
> hits 190+ ( for pulled pork and brisket ), would make for a relatively
> healthy meal.
>
> Thanks for any info.
>
> Dave in Northern CO.

The wife and & are doing the Low Carb thing. To keep with the program I
don't use any sugar in my rubs and use vinegar based sauce with either
splenda of low-carb ketchup. Wife prefers store bought low-carb bbq sauce.
Seems to be working as I haven't gained any weight back after dropping 30lbs
about a year ago.
Dave on a mountain in CO.

Dave wrote:

> We both really like pulled pork, but as we get older, weight is harder
> and harder to keep where we want it. Has anyone done a caloric
> analysis of smoked meats vs grilled? It would seem to me that the
> slow cooking in a smoker, with all the fat rendering out as the meat
> hits 190+ ( for pulled pork and brisket ), would make for a relatively
> healthy meal.

If your concern is purely calories and fat content, you won't find much
evidence that slow cooking is better than grilling. There are other
aspects to the conversation though.

Charring meat can cause the formation of something called heterocyclic amines
or HCA's. Whether or not this is actually a health problem is not completely
clear depending on who you talk to and how the data is interpreted. Since the
studies on the subject have not yielded definitive results and because the
proponents of Meat Scare are usually some form of animal rights activist in
disguise, I ignore all of it.

Smoke or grill as you like. As was said, everything in moderation.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

"Dave" > wrote in message

> I have been lurking quite a while, trying different techniques and
> recipes and have finally reached the point where my wife is asking
> me
> to smoke things.
>
> We both really like pulled pork, but as we get older, weight is
> harder
> and harder to keep where we want it. Has anyone done a caloric
> analysis of smoked meats vs grilled? It would seem to me that the
> slow cooking in a smoker, with all the fat rendering out as the meat
> hits 190+ ( for pulled pork and brisket ), would make for a
> relatively
> healthy meal.
>
> Thanks for any info.
>
> Dave in Northern CO.

When I cook a pork butt or brisket (or ribs, for that matter)
low-and-slow, all of the fat and collogen cooks out and drips into the
drip pan. This makes the meat virtually fat-free.

BOB
that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 18:03:09 -0400, " BOB" > wrote:

>
>
>"Dave" > wrote in message

>> I have been lurking quite a while, trying different techniques and
>> recipes and have finally reached the point where my wife is asking
>> me
>> to smoke things.
>>
>> We both really like pulled pork, but as we get older, weight is
>> harder
>> and harder to keep where we want it. Has anyone done a caloric
>> analysis of smoked meats vs grilled? It would seem to me that the
>> slow cooking in a smoker, with all the fat rendering out as the meat
>> hits 190+ ( for pulled pork and brisket ), would make for a
>> relatively
>> healthy meal.
>>
>> Thanks for any info.
>>
>> Dave in Northern CO.
>
>When I cook a pork butt or brisket (or ribs, for that matter)
>low-and-slow, all of the fat and collogen cooks out and drips into the
>drip pan. This makes the meat virtually fat-free.
>
>BOB
>that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
>

I think I like this answer best! Thanks to all that responded.

Dave in Northern CO.

"Dave" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 18:03:09 -0400, " BOB" > wrote:
A bunch of stuff

> >When I cook a pork butt or brisket (or ribs, for that matter)
> >low-and-slow, all of the fat and collogen cooks out and drips into the
> >drip pan. This makes the meat virtually fat-free.
> >
> >BOB
> >that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
> >
>
> I think I like this answer best! Thanks to all that responded.
>
> Dave in Northern CO.

I vote we all go with Bob's answer!

BOB wrote:
> "Dave" > wrote in message
>
> > I have been lurking quite a while, trying different techniques and
> > recipes and have finally reached the point where my wife is asking
> > me
> > to smoke things.
> >
> > We both really like pulled pork, but as we get older, weight is
> > harder
> > and harder to keep where we want it. Has anyone done a caloric
> > analysis of smoked meats vs grilled? It would seem to me that the
> > slow cooking in a smoker, with all the fat rendering out as the
meat
> > hits 190+ ( for pulled pork and brisket ), would make for a
> > relatively
> > healthy meal.
> >
> > Thanks for any info.
> >
> > Dave in Northern CO.
>
> When I cook a pork butt or brisket (or ribs, for that matter)
> low-and-slow, all of the fat and collogen cooks out and drips into
the
> drip pan. This makes the meat virtually fat-free.
>
> BOB
> that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Must be some dry meat then. I don't think it's possible to have
moist meat in the absence of fat.

BOB wrote:
> "Dave" > wrote in message
>
> > I have been lurking quite a while, trying different techniques and
> > recipes and have finally reached the point where my wife is asking
> > me
> > to smoke things.
> >
> > We both really like pulled pork, but as we get older, weight is
> > harder
> > and harder to keep where we want it. Has anyone done a caloric
> > analysis of smoked meats vs grilled? It would seem to me that the
> > slow cooking in a smoker, with all the fat rendering out as the
meat
> > hits 190+ ( for pulled pork and brisket ), would make for a
> > relatively
> > healthy meal.
> >
> > Thanks for any info.
> >
> > Dave in Northern CO.
>
> When I cook a pork butt or brisket (or ribs, for that matter)
> low-and-slow, all of the fat and collogen cooks out and drips into
the
> drip pan. This makes the meat virtually fat-free.
>
> BOB
> that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Must be some dry meat then. I don't think it's possible to have
moist meat in the absence of fat.

> wrote in message
oups.com
> BOB wrote:
>> "Dave" > wrote in message
>>
>>> I have been lurking quite a while, trying different techniques and
>>> recipes and have finally reached the point where my wife is asking
>>> me
>>> to smoke things.
>>>
>>> We both really like pulled pork, but as we get older, weight is
>>> harder
>>> and harder to keep where we want it. Has anyone done a caloric
>>> analysis of smoked meats vs grilled? It would seem to me that the
>>> slow cooking in a smoker, with all the fat rendering out as the
>>> meat
>>> hits 190+ ( for pulled pork and brisket ), would make for a
>>> relatively
>>> healthy meal.
>>>
>>> Thanks for any info.
>>>
>>> Dave in Northern CO.
>>
>> When I cook a pork butt or brisket (or ribs, for that matter)
>> low-and-slow, all of the fat and collogen cooks out and drips into
>> the
>> drip pan. This makes the meat virtually fat-free.
>>
>> BOB
>> that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
>
> Must be some dry meat then. I don't think it's possible to have
> moist meat in the absence of fat.

Try it. You'll like it.

BOB

>> Must be some dry meat then. I don't think it's possible to have
>> moist meat in the absence of fat.

Well, some fat helps. But a fair amount of moisture in meat comes
from meat which is a) very tender, to give the feeling of a soft
texture, and b) stimulates the salivary glands so that your mouth
provides the moisture.

Also, the process of slow-cooking converts a fair amount of the
collagen in the connective tissue of a pork shoulder into gelatin (one
reason that, say, the liquid from a braised chuck turns into wiggly
jell-o when cooled). That really improves the "mouthfeel" of stock,
and would do so to meat as well, I'd warrant.

So it IS possible, I think, to have a piece of "lower-fat" meat that
tastes and feels moist and tender. But let's not fool ourselves; at
the end of the day, it's STILL pork shoulder, and that can be a fatty
cut. It won't be NEARLY as bad as if all the fat hadn't dripped off,
but you're almost certainly not going to get it fat-free.

-->VPutz

On 22-Apr-2005, " BOB" > wrote:

> > wrote in message
> oups.com
> > BOB wrote:
> >> "Dave" > wrote in message
> >>
> >>> I have been lurking quite a while, trying different techniques and
> >>> recipes and have finally reached the point where my wife is asking
> >>> me
> >>> to smoke things.
> >>>
<snipped a bunch.

< <<< This makes the meat virtually fat-free.
> >>
> >> BOB
> >> that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
> >
> > Must be some dry meat then. I don't think it's possible to have
> > moist meat in the absence of fat.
>
> Try it. You'll like it.
>
> BOB

I'm fixing to have some of that terrible dry meat (Pulled Pork)
later on tonight. I plan to refry some pinto beans and pile some
of them onto a wheat tortilla and top it with pulled pork, lettuce,
tomato and even a little onion. I'll try to remember what was
said about dry meat.

Brick (Keep the shiny side up)

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"Brick" wrote:
>
> I'm fixing to have some of that terrible dry meat (Pulled Pork)
> later on tonight. I plan to refry some pinto beans and pile some
> of them onto a wheat tortilla and top it with pulled pork, lettuce,
> tomato and even a little onion. I'll try to remember what was
> said about dry meat.
>
> Brick (Keep the shiny side up)
>
Yeah, I know, it's a tough job butt (pun intended) someone has got to
do it.
Thanks for stepping up to the plate (again, pun intended) for us,
Brick.

BOB
PS, how's your *better* half doing?