Fat Cap...just sayin'

Hitch

I have cooked literally tons of shoulders/butts just like all of you here. Some folks will just not cook the butt with the Fat Cap still on. Some won't think of cutting it off.

I have not ever cooked one with the Fat Cap on and up, but I must say that my favorite way of cooking these is.....FAT CAP ON BUT DOWN.

If you have not tried this, TRY IT AT LEAST ONCE BEFORE YOU DECIDE NOT TO DO IT. Seriously, the fat cap turns into the most delicious part of the entire cook in my opinion.

Rarely do you find a situation where less prep turns out a better product, but I think this is one of those rare times.

Best to you all!

Little Steven

Hitch,

I haven't done a lot of butts and I have never tried fat down. Doing two whole shoulders tomorrow night and I'll give them a try that way.

Steve

Hitch

Would love to know what a pro like you thinks! Seriously...soooo good.

Nature Boy

Hey Hitch.
Good points. We always cook our competition butts with the fat down. A lot of folks believe that the fat on top will baste the meat, but that doesn't happen. The fat melts and runs off instead, and meanwhile the bottom (with no fat protection from the heat) gets dried out with a tough bark.

Beers to you.
Chris

AZRP

I always cook butts with the fat down, most of it remains on the grid when I take the butt off. -RP

Chubby

I haven't cooked "hundreds" of butts...but on, and down is how I usually do them here.

I agree with your results. If you want more bark, (and many competitors do)...you can trim the cap and then inject
the butt for some added insurance when it comes to moisture in the final product.

Evans

Rolling Egg

I always cook fat cap down and do not trim. I agree that the meat on the bottom close to the fat cap is some of the juiciest meat on the butt. I always shredd mine and make sure all the bark gets mixed in with the meat but I believe the meat next to the cap is what brings alot of juice and flavor into the mix.

Little Steven

Hey Chris,

Should I separate the butt and picnic on a whole shoulder? Thanks

Steve

AZRP

I used to cook them whole when I could get them, can't find them around here anymore. -RP

Rolling Egg

Whole fit on a large?

Hitch

Steve,

You may get mixed opinions on this one... I, for one, would absolutely not mess with separating it, and cook each shoulder and picnic as 1 piece of meat. I have only done a couple of whole ones as they are tough to find, but the ones I have done have been great and left alone. Those gotta be large hunks of pork. 10lbs+ each??

Little Steven

Randy,

Yeah, haven't seen them before here.

Steve

Nature Boy

Cutting them apart will give you more bark, but it's your call. Whole shoulders cook up nicely as well if you can get it all in without being too close to the edges and changing your airflow. Cutting it up might give you a little more flexibilty in arranging on the grate.

Dang....did that make any sense?? LOL.
Have fun mang!
Chris

Little Steven

Rolling Egg,

I was thinking of two on the adjustable rig. I may go with two larges or both on the XL

Steve

Little Steven

Thanks Chris. It made sense. Just have to figure out where to cut.

Steve

Little Steven

Hitch,

They are both over 8kg more or less 18 lbs. Untrimmed.

Steve

AZRP

I used to cook them on a drum smoker and could fit two 14 lb shoulders on one grid, but had to saw the hocks off. -RP

AZRP

Do they have the skin on them? -RP

Little Steven

Randy,

It didn't look like it. Lots of fat but they are cryovaced.

Steve

Rolling Egg

I never have tried a whole one. I guess I just figured they were too long for my large. But on the other hand I don't actually ever see them whole in the store. I bet you'll end up on the XL with them. Good luck and post pics!

Little Steven

Rolling Egg,

I didn't test drive but they looked like they would fit on the large. I am figuring a long cook so I may go with one on the XL and one cut on a large.

Steve

Carolina Q

Interesting. Prevailing opinion around here seems to be fat cap down. I had always heard that it should be UP until I signed on here and that's what I've always done. Until last time.

I finally put the cap down when I cooked a 7-8 pounder a few weeks ago. It was by far, the worst butt I ever cooked. With the cap up, they always come out great. This one, not so much. I did have time and temp issues so that was most likely the reason this one was dried out and stringy, but still - they've always been great with the cap up so, if it ain't broke...

Celtic Wolf

Just like Chris (Nature Boy) said having the fat cap up does nothing for retaining moisture. All the fat does is roll off the sides. I'd rather have that fat act as an extra heat barrier as it renders off and down. All the butts I have cooked, the number is considerable, not one was fat up and none were ever dry.

I think your temp control problems were why that butt was drier.

Fidel

But if you've never done one with the fat cap up, how do you know that fat cap down leads to a better product?

Carolina Q

Re temp control, you are probably right...... but Rod has a point.

Hitch

ha! Great point...guess I should have stated my position on Fat Cap up in the original post.

1. Cap on top could not produce the bottom layer of awesomeness that results from having the cap on the bottom.
2. I don't like the thought of the 1 inch of liquid fat that ends up in the drip pan running through the shoulder to get to the pan.

3. I know that I like the bark on the lean areas of the pork as opposed to the slippery bark that results in the fatty areas, and I wouldn't want to waste the entire top of the butt surface area having the fatty type bark on top.


Just a couple of reasons why I am unwilling to cook it that way. But your point certainly stands...

Davekatz

Never tried it cap down, but I'm doing 2 butts this weekend and will try one each way. Does fat side down change the cooking time any?

fishlessman

same time but more rub sticks to the meat without washing away and the fat that sticks to the grill is some of the best eating

TheDirtyBurger

I am a fat cap down guy
one of my favorite parts of the pork is the meat on the inside part of the fat cap. It is so damn tender and greasy! I couln't eat a while sandwich with it, but it is good pickin's!

I also found I think get a better product if I stand a few butts up on the smallest part of the butt and lean them into each other. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Either way it ends up with awesomeness!

field hand

I've had a BGE for about six months and ask the "fat cap" question on this board. Almost all responses were cap down. Sure has worked for me. But there's always reasons to try grilling a different way. Just my two cents.

Barry
Marthasville, MO

Celtic Wolf

Way back in my memory in a place I want to forget (my chargriller days) I did a few fat cap up, I was not pleased with the result. I trimmed all the fat off and I was still not pleased with the results.

Then I was reborn an Egghead and followed the advice of great eggers like Chris and Ray and almost all of the BBQ competitors and started cooking them fat cap down.. I have been pleased...