What is the FTC method?

[TheBoz]

Sorry to ask a "new guy question" but I searched the forum, and I can't find the answer.

[Tenpoint5]

FTC= Foil Towel Cooler

Wrap meat in foil wrap with a towel and place in a dry cooler or microwave.

[TheBoz]

Thanks for the info, what does FTC do for your meat?

[TestRocket]

Two things that I know about:

#1 when you rest a piece of meat the juices will pull back inside and makes it moister.

#2 since you go by internal temp (IT) to know when smoked meat is done its best to give yourself plenty of extra time  and you can keep a pork butt for 4-5 hours (some say even longer) and it will stay warm.

[Uncle Pigfat]

It will also continue to let the collagen and connective tissues break down without the chance of overcooking your meat.

[hal4uk]

When you FTC, you want to use a LOT of old towels.  Line the bottom of your cooler with a couple, then wrap your foiled butt in a towel, drop it in, and stuff a bunch more towels in tightly on top.

[TestRocket]

And it's a good idea to insert your temperature probe so you don't have to open the cooler to keep an eye on the IT.

[GusRobin]

If you are short on towels, you can stuff the bottom with newspaper, wrap your meat up in foil then towels, put on top of the newspapers then add more newspaper. Works for me.

[ArnieM]

You can also put an old heating pad, on low, in the bottom of the cooler.  Keep it dry.

[DTAggie]

All I do is single wrap a butt or brisket in heavy duty foil then wrap in a single old beach towell and place in a cooler that no longer holds ice for crap and the meat is piping hot up to five hours after placing in a cooler I would no longer even use to cool beer.

[MallardWacker]

Not to pat my self on the back or anything...but I was the one that originally brought this method to the forum.  I learned it from a a guy from the Arizona BBQ Association named "Jiarby".

Simply...

Really the bottom line is that you "finish" the butt off by doing this.  By doing this you can take a marginally smoked butt and make it almost great.  Yes I do agree that helps with making it tender "if" that didn't happen while you were smoking.  But I have never found one thing better than FTC to make my butts come out consistently great.  It is a way to get a lot "Grace" if you are not perfect in your process...which no one hardly ever is.  Plus a few towels and that cooler you can keep it HOT nearly all day or if you finish your but in the middle of the night it will keep it till you are ready for it.  To me anyway not to to be combative here but if you pull it, wrap it and put it in a decent cooler in my experience I would not think you would need a heating pad or need to monitor the temp.

Really it's just that simple. And really I would never think of doing it with out this process.  I just add it to my total cooking time when it comes to when it needs to be done.

For the ones than know me.  YES I'm still alive.  I have been terribly busy with work and graduating kids.  I moving my son next week Madison, WI as he was excepted in the PhD program for chemistry.  He just graduated #2 in his class (and #1 in Chem) with a double BS in Chem and Math only in back of a business major.  And to top it off ,my daughter with in a couple days I'm will be moving her to UAMS in Little Rock where shot got a coveted slot in their Radiology program....Ya I know it sounds like an insanely proud father.  And I'm still married to the hottest girl around...28years.  I guess I better think this...we will be empty nesters all in about a week.

To all my friends here...I miss you.  With out any hesitation I can say this is the best group of folks on any forum anywhere.  And that goes for my duck hunting forum.

Be safe...

[watchdog56]

Congrats on your kids Mallard. Sounds like you did a good job raising them. Also congrats on 28 years.

[TestRocket]

I concur with watchdog56,

Be proud MW those two will be the ones to take care of you in your old age.  ;D

[GusRobin]

Nothing wrong with being proud of your kids and spreading the news to friends

[hal4uk]

Nothing wrong with being proud of your kids and spreading the news to friends

Got that right!  My kids are on EBay (No Reserve).