FTC is a technique used to allow the meat to rest after cooking; it allows the juices to evenly distribute through the finished product while continuing the breakdown of connective tissue/collagen. It is especially important on large cuts like pork shoulders. briskets, hams.
If you try to slice your finished smoked meat as soon as it is cooked, much of the juice will run out on the cutting board.
FTC also keeps the product hot and allows flexibility in serving times. Meat left a few hours in this fashion stays quite warm.
The FTC Method
- Wrap meat in a couple of layers of aluminum foil
- Wrap foiled meat in an old towel
- Place the wrapped meat in a dry, clean cooler (the microwave also works well)
The internal temperature of the product will continue to rise maybe 5 or 10 °F while in the cooler.