re: If SEC Football was BBQ Competition

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I think the right answer is in between. The meat MUST be great by itself with nothing added. You should be able to just savor it alone and make your taste buds explode with a multi level flavor profile of smoke, spice, and savory flavors. Then if you wish you can add a sauce to give you yet another flavor profile as well.

I am a Texan but my Mom is from South Carolina and I grew up with both. The problem with most of the places we would go to in in SC is far too many actually pre mix the pork with a strong vinegar sauce and I can barely eat it. I like a little vinegar but it is very easy to overpower it. Same with mustard but not quite as sensitive. Texas sauces tend to focus more on spicy/pepper with a tomato base but they vary significantly.

As for the pork/beef debate it comes down to this for me. The best pork loin in the world will never be able to beat out a filet. If both are cooked to perfection the beef will win because it is a better meat. Pork is far more forgiving though, brisket is very tricky and sensitive. It also dries up fast. That's actually why you need to go to a BBQ place that sells out fast and has a line if you want brisket. That way they are slicing up each brisket almost whole so it doesn't have a chance to sit and dry out.

Pork OTOH dries out much more slowly. You really need to wrap it and spritz it with apple juice or something similar imo though. If you don't it will almost always turn out dry and most of the fat rendering flavor just goes in to the bottom of the smoker. If you cook it right though it will stay moist for quite a while. You also have much more forgiveness in overcooking it, whereas with brisket if you don't pull it off between 190 and 200 internal temp its not going to turn out right.

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