FTC Question...maybe answered a million times but I'm asking anyways!

[Consooger]

When doing the FTC method which I understand completely after reading up on it which types of cuts of meat should be FTC? I know pork butt as well as the brisket but after seeing many many awesome stories on other smokes on here such as hams and tri-tips and turkeys and such does all that need to be FTC'd or just mainly beef and pork cuts?

Also is there any case when this doesn't have to be done at all? I mean from what I gather it always adds 3-5 hours when doing this technique but when does this technique not call for it. Sorry to ask all newbie questions especially when I havent even put my new toy together yet. Waiting for the rest of the tools to come in before I get her roaring.

[FLBentRider]

FTC has more than one purpose.

It serves as a resting stage for the meat, but it also allows you some flexibility in serving time.

Large cuts like brisket and butts con be difficult to predict when they are "done", So start early and when it is finished early, use FTC to hold it until it is time to slice or pull. This works better than it going longer than you anticipated and ending up with a late meal.

The more mass, the longer you can FTC. It also helps when you are doing multiple butts or briskets and some get done before others.

Unless I am transporting them hot, I don't FTC turkeys or ribs.

[Consooger]

Gotcha, so basically pull the meat you are smoking off and let it still cook in the FTC without adding more heat than its own?

Now I also saw some people talking about adding the drippings or beer or apple juice to it while using the FTC method. How is this done? Do you basically have to have a very tight wrap on the foil so it keeps it from getting all over the place? I am a little confused on this part?

Sorry again for not knowing the ins and outs yet.

[Wildcat]

You still cook the meat to a proper internal meat temperature. The FTC method will allow it to cook a little longer since the large insulated mass will maintain it's temp.

FTC is not required. It has its advantages on large hunks of meat such as butts and brisket - primarily to hold temps until chow time.  You can cook a butt or brisket and simply wrap in foil (loose) and let it rest for a couple of hours on the counter to cool and redistribute its own juices. I suspect that if you cook at higher temps then the FTC will probably help with making the meat more tender. I cook at low temps so the FTC is not needed for me unless the meat gets done too early. I cook butts at 210 or less where most on here cook at 215 to 230.

I like to add apple juice to butts. I do this by putting juice in a spray bottle and spray liberally. Some simply add it into the foil.

[Consooger]

PERFECT all this is great information! Thank you all! I will dedicate my first smoke to all that helped me so far. AND YES I WILL POST PICTURES!

[Sailor]

Growing up I got my hands slapped more than a few times when I tried to get into Mamma's roast that just came out of the oven.  I still remember her telling me that the meat has to rest to get the juices redistributed.  She would foil it and wrap a heavy towel around it and let it sit on the counter for a few hours.  Man I can still remember the smell and the taste of her roasts.  So juicy and never ever dried out.  Granda did the same thing so I reckon there is something to the FTC for sure.  I have cut into some briskets just after coming out and they were not as juicy as the ones that I have FTCed.  As others have said.....FTC is great for timing, however it serves to let the juices redistribute. 

[Habanero Smoker]

I rarely FTC, but as for adding liquid during the time the meat is resting provides more moisture for the meat to redistribute. I learn that from an article in Cook's Illustrated. They performed a test on brisket. During the rest time, when the juices are redistributing, they foiled the meat tightly and added a liquid. They found that a lot of the added liquid was drawn into the meat.

[Consooger]

I rarely FTC, but as for adding liquid during the time the meat is resting provides more moisture for the meat to redistribute. I learn that from an article in Cook's Illustrated. They performed a test on brisket. During the rest time, when the juices are redistributing, they foiled the meat tightly and added a liquid. They found that a lot of the added liquid was drawn into the meat.

So are they spraying the meat with the liquid of choice or dipping it in liquid and then packing it up in the foil and keeping the juices from dripping? That's the only way I can see this happening. I sooo cannot wait to get one of these baby's cooking!

[Habanero Smoker]

You add the liquid by pouring a certain amount over the top of the meat. Then tightly seal in foil, this keeps the liquid in contact with the meat. At the end you will still have some liquids left in the foil.

[Consooger]

noted!!! Thanks guys!

[viper125]

Knowing Bradley service I find this post hard to believe. Sorry! They always go out and beyond with ALL problems. I would think they recommended returning to where you got it. Seems to make a lot more sense than wanting separate items shipped. Seems it would not be hard to notice the Smoke Generator wasnt in the box when they shipped....

[KyNola]

The post Viper is referring to has been removed by me as the poster started a new thread complaining about Bradley Customer Service.  The new thread has been left intact.  I removed the duplicate from here for two reasons. 1. It didn't need to be posted twice and 2. it had nothing to do with the topic of this thread.

Hope everyone understands.

[Wildcat]

Hope everyone understands.

Yeppers. Makes perfect sense.

[viper125]

No problems here. I thought it was out of line any way.

[Robert Rose]

I'm a newbie to this site and don't understand some of your abreviations that are used like FTC. It would be nice if the forum had a list somewhere of all these abreviations so newbies like me could go look up the "term" to understand what is being said.