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Turbo butt’n, bone-in or boneless?

I’m planning on crankin out a couple turbo butts tomorrow and want to have the butcher reserve me a couple cuts. Should I get bone-in or boneless butts? Does it make a difference?

Comments

  • I find the bone is a great indicator of doneness (e.g. when it pulls out cleanly), but I don’t find that it adds anything for flavor. 

    I’d just get whichever cut is cheaper
    DFW - 1 LGBE & Happy to Adopt More...
  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
    I usually do boneless when I do turbo, but that is only because Costco’s boneless are around 6.5 lbs, whereas the bone in at the grocery store are usually 8.5-9 lb range.

    On turbo I think that butts over 7 lb I think the outside dries out a little too much.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

  • EggbertGreenII
    EggbertGreenII Posts: 253
    edited September 2018
    I'm doing two right now, put them on at 9:00 a.m., going at 300 degrees, both bone-in, fat cap down. As NP06 says, I like to use the bone pull-away and pull-out as an indicator of doneness.
    Tampa Bay, Florida
  • I like bone in.  This is because the boneless I have to tie to avoid the thinner flaps from going dry.  We go to costco for everything, but I keep a sams membership for the bone in butts.
  • Fredb
    Fredb Posts: 89
    Bone in. I think it adds something and for me, a better cook.
  • DWFII
    DWFII Posts: 317
    edited September 2018
    FWIW, I did a 7.5lb. bone-in shoulder last weekend. It cooked at @300° for five hours. I expected it to go longer but got distracted after I foiled with some apple cider at 180°+/- IT. When I came back 20 min. later, it was at 203° IT.
    The bone was loose, loose.
    I was worried, but I'd always heard that for the meat to be done for pulling, the bone should be loose. So I wrapped it in a towel and let it sit for an hour or so before pulling--shredded perfectly w/ no extraneous fat or connective tissue. At which point I added the apple cider/pork juice back to the meat.
    It was some of the tenderest, juiciest pork we've ever had.
    I've been doing pulled pork for a lot of years and never paid much attention to the bone or lack thereof.  I'd take them to 198° +/- and they'd turn out good. But at 198° the bone wouldn't have been loose...in my experience. Just those few extra degrees made a big difference. Lesson learned--the loose bone was a great indicator that the meat was just right.
    Bespoke boot and shoemaker--45+ years
    Instagram
  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,708
    Boneless is good for making sausage....for cooking, bone in 
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
    Fat cap down ok in turbo mode? I’ve always done em cap but but tonight put the cap down.
  • Yup, no real difference and some folks think that the fat protects the meat, especially when cooking turob. 
    DFW - 1 LGBE & Happy to Adopt More...
  • DWFII
    DWFII Posts: 317
    edited September 2018
    No claim to be an expert...just sharing my experiences.
    One of the whole points of doing pulled pork is to take a relatively inexpensive piece of meat and make it edible. The goal is to render the fat and connective tissue out of the meat.
    That begs the question: where is that rendered fat, etc., gonna go?
    If you put the fat cap down it either goes into a drip pan where it invariably burns or into the fire itself. In any case, it is largely lost.
    If you put the fat cap up, some of it at least, goes into the meat itself, keeping it moist. And flavourful.
    That's what I was taught years ago and while the thinking may have changed in recent years it still seems to work for me.
    FWIW...
    Bespoke boot and shoemaker--45+ years
    Instagram
  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    DWFII said:
    No claim to be an expert...just sharing my experiences.
    One of the whole points of doing pulled pork is to take a relatively inexpensive piece of meat and make it edible. The goal is to render the fat and connective tissue out of the meat.
    That begs the question: where is that rendered fat, etc., gonna go?
    If you put the fat cap down it either goes into a drip pan where it invariably burns or into the fire itself. In any case, it is largely lost.
    If you put the fat cap up, some of it at least, goes into the meat itself, keeping it moist. And flavourful.
    That's what I was taught years ago and while the thinking may have changed in recent years it still seems to work for me.
    FWIW...
    No, the fat cap on top does not melt into the meat.
    https://amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/more-cooking-science/myth-melting-fat-cap-penetrates-meat
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • Yeah, that was the old school of thought, but it’s been debunked 
    DFW - 1 LGBE & Happy to Adopt More...
  • DWFII
    DWFII Posts: 317
    edited September 2018
    Yeah, that was the old school of thought, but it’s been debunked 
    OK, Well that's interesting...and something to think about.
    That said--from the link just above ^^
    "On the other hand,the fat layer will trap evaporating moisture and produce juicier meat,"
    It stands to reason that it can't trap evaporating moisture if the fat cap is down.
    Whatever. Like I said, I don't claim to be an expert but from my personal experience fat cap down or fat cap cut off doesn't result in as juicy a product. YMMV

    Bespoke boot and shoemaker--45+ years
    Instagram
  • Chief9
    Chief9 Posts: 141
    Im with DWFII, I just know whats worked well for me, and I have always done fat cap up.  I only cook turbo when cooking butts.  No complaints from some picky ass firemen.
    Carrollton, Va
  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
    DWFII said:
    Yeah, that was the old school of thought, but it’s been debunked 
    OK, Well that's interesting...and something to think about.
    That said--from the link just above ^^
    "On the other hand,the fat layer will trap evaporating moisture and produce juicier meat,"
    It stands to reason that it can't trap evaporating moisture if the fat cap is down.
    Whatever. Like I said, I don't claim to be an expert but from my personal experience fat cap down or fat cap cut off doesn't result in as juicy a product. YMMV

    I know I’m thinking maybe I shoulda gone fat cap up as usual for me. I’ve never done one down until tonight. Live and learn I guess. That is an interesting factoid about it holding moisture in it the caps up. Seems to work good. I’ve always had juicy meat in cap up. I do cap up on briskets too.
  • Powak
    Powak Posts: 1,391
    Little under 6 hours later:

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,230
    Bone in. 

    Bone in butt is more fun to say than boneless butt. 
    New Albany, Ohio