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Butt fat up or down?

Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Had a short debate with a couple of experienced fellow eggers last night. The discussion was whether to put the fat side up or down when slow cooking something like a Boston Butt.[p]The first contention was from a guy that cooks at about 350 degrees "until its done". His view is fat side down so it hits the drip pan (and I guess cooks back up as the drippngs evaporate). He covers the top of the meat side with aluminum foil and does not use any rub.[p]The second contention was from a guy that slow cooks at around 250 degrees for about 2.5 hours per pound. His view is fat side up and let the juices run over and through the meat, keeping it basted and moist. He doesn't cover the meat with anything and he does use a rub.[p]I was wondering what opinons are from the forum on which way to put the fat side as well as use of aluminum foil on top. I think the one guy said he uses aluminum foil to cut down on the bark.[p]Comments?[p]BHFG

Comments

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    Bald Headed Fat Guy,
    pulled pork is pretty forgiving, i dont think it matters. you can cut it all off if you want more bark, i do that sometimes. briskets i cook fat side down with a fatty pork butt over it, with this cook i like the fat basting the brisket and cook with the fat on the butt on top.

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Bald Headed Fat Guy,

    Fat side up has always given me good results. I have also put a few strips of bacon on the fat cap if the cap is not up to my standards :-). Reading thru the forum though, there seems to be a bit of a debate to this. Did a butt this past weekend that came out good (could have been better IMO), but this no fat or fat down concept has me curious. My next butt may be done fat side down or have the butcher cut off most of the fat and see how it goes. Bark is my friend :-)[p]Egg-N-Tino[p]P.S. Ah, the options of the Egg are endless

  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    Bald Headed Fat Guy,
    I do them fat side down. The fat gets stuck to the grid when the butt is done and I pick up the meat leaving the fat behind. -RP

  • Steeler Fan
    Steeler Fan Posts: 395
    Bald Headed Fat Guy, fat side up. Mine usually take about 14-16 hours ( 2 hours a pound).

  • dhuffjr
    dhuffjr Posts: 3,182
    AZRP,
    That is a good way to get rid of it :>)
    My next pork cook is gonna be a picnic shoulder I think. Skin on. I do love that pig skin.[p]H

  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    Bald Headed Fat Guy,[p] Fat side DOWN. You got this piece of meat all rubs and ready to go and you put the fat up and burn the spices off it. never could understand that reasoning.[p] Furthermore the spices aren't really going to penetrate the fat. The fat side down gives you that much more of a barrier to the heat as it's rendered away.[p] By the time I pull the butt off the Egg there's no fat left to stick to the grate. I have plenty of bark from the meat being in the heat all night without the fat dripping through it.[p] Try it you'll like it..[p][p]
  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    dhuffjr,
    I've always taken it off and tossed it. Does it turn into craklins if you cook it? -RP

  • Bald Headed Fat Guy,
    You should run a double-blind taste test![p]Get two eggs, simultaneously cook two identical butts according to the two methods, and feed them to unsuspecting victims, er, volunteers.[p]Be sure to let us know the results....

  • Steeler Fan
    Steeler Fan Posts: 395
    Celtic Wolf, Oh Master....Grasshopper goes the other path.

  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    Bald Headed Fat Guy,[p]I favor fat side down so I can monitor bark formation and color. I have no issues with tenting or even wrapping in foil if necessary to protect Mr. Brown. This position also allows for basting with something flavorful if you are into that.[p]Fast cook (hi-temp or shortcut) butts have a tendency to come out a little greasy due to a different rendering at those elevated temps. Especially if you do them kickass style in quarter pans. If your fast cook buddy has noticed this (or if he has admitted it) a sure fire way to eliminate the greasiness is to trim the fat cap close.[p]~thirdeye~

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    thirdeye,
    how'd you get them there italics?[p]sooper spooky

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • I have not had any pork from the "slow cook guy". But his method seems to be pretty standard to what most folks on the forum does.[p]The "fast cook guy" used to do the pulled pork the high school band sold in the concession stands at home football games. If you didn't get there before the middle of the second quarter, you missed out. We usually had a line fo folks waiting for the BBQ before kickoff and it always sold fast!! [p]I like the double blind idea. As my forum name suggests, I can be cook and judge at the same time!! I'm just a newbie but I got a BBQ Guru last week for my anniversary so I could try two of the same size in the same large BGE to keep everything the same. One fat side down with rub, one fat side up with no rub.[p]Of course, I'll have to explain to the wife that I am not eating two Boston Butts because of my addiction to BBQ pork...I am really scarificing myself to do it as a matter of scientific research and dedicated community service to all the Eggheads on the forum that are trusting in me to provide the physical evidence to support the final decision of such a highly valuable and critical question. [p]BHFG
  • Bald Headed Fat Guy,[p]Shave all the fat off and rub that baby down. There is enought fat on the inside to provide moisture. The bark created from a good rub is like gold.[p]Odis
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    italicstags.jpg
    <p />stike,[p]Aw man, I'm giving computer help twice in the SAME WEEK....This is too much. [p]Anyways, all you do is bracket the word or paragraph with the html tags for italics. Everything between the tags will be in italics [p]~thirdeye~
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    thirdeye,
    how did you get the capital letters : )

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Rusty Rooster
    Rusty Rooster Posts: 1,239
    fishlessman,
    That question HAS to be addressed to Celtic Wolf. lol

  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    Bald Headed Fat Guy,[p]Exactly, find out what you like but most importantly don't be so set in your ways that you....[p]1. Can't take criticism or refuse to try new things OR
    2. Can't change your style to cook things that others enjoy.[p]And a few things to remember....You don't always need to use a rub, but most folks like them. You don't always need smoke when you barbecue, but most folks like a smokey flavor. You don't always need sauce, but have some on the side because most folks like them. And as you have seen, you don't need lo-n-slo for everything, but it is a great way to show off, it's a lot of fun and great braggin' material to say you cooked something for 16 hours.[p]~thirdeye~

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • 61chev
    61chev Posts: 539
    Bald Headed Fat Guy,
    Just to add to the confusion try one standing on it's side
    Gerry

  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    fishlessman,[p]I'm on a roll.[p]<font size="3.5" color="green">~t<html><font size="3.5" color="red">h<html><font size="3.5" color="blue"><font size="3.5" color="blue">i<html><html><font size="3.5" color="orange">r<html><font size="3.5" color="green">d<html><font size="3.5" color="red">e<html><font size="3.5" color="blue">y<html><font size="3.5" color="orange">e<font size="3.5"<font size="3.5" color="red">~<html><font size=3.5" color="black"><html>
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    fishlessman,
    doan make me kick yer ass....[p]hahaha[p]wait.. almost forgot. knife. glove compartment. got it.
    forget what i said

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    thirdeye,
    really? lemme see
    i guess it works. cool. my first html (aside from posting pics).[p] this could get really annoying [p]i mean, more annoying than i usually am

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    stike,[p]<div align="center"><fontcolor="#ffffff" size="+1"><marquee direction=" right?loop=" width="75%">
    Glad I could help .... I'm getting my resume ready to send to Microsoft.
    </marquee></span>[/quote]</blockquote>[p]~thirdeye~[p]

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    thirdeye,[p][p]<div align="center"><fontcolor="#ffffff" size="+1"><marquee direction=" right?loop=" width="75%">
    "Microsoft" is the name i used to dance under while putting myself thru college
    </marquee></span>[/quote]</blockquote>[p][p]...never made much money. dunno why.

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • mollyshark
    mollyshark Posts: 1,519
    Bald Headed Fat Guy,[p]Waalll...it all kinda depends who you're with.[p]mShark
  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
    fishlessman,[p]<font size="8">THESE CAPITAL LETTTERS</font>[p]<font size="#">SOME TEXT</font> # = a number between 1 and 8[p]
  • Rusty Rooster,[p]<font color="green" size="6">WHY?</font>
  • chuckls
    chuckls Posts: 399
    thirdeye,[p]Ya got to watch out for the "HTML Police>". I worked up a really cool page (forum message) in an HTML editor, and posted the whole thing. It was banished to the bit bucket in about 30 minutes.[p]:)[p]Chuck
  • dhuffjr
    dhuffjr Posts: 3,182
    AZRP,
    I think cracklins are fried.[p]Its gets really hard and kinda chewey.[p]H

  • mollyshark,
    Probably the greatest reply I have seen or read concerning that particular matter. Keep up the good work kid.