Pork Butt fat strip

LesMo

For a low and slow cook; fat strip up or down when placing it on the grate?

pgprescott

Doesn’t matter for pork butt. Pick your poison. I tend to cook everything fat down towards the heat source, but it really isn’t a big deal with butts. Very forgiving cook. 

ryantt

I agree with @pgprescott.  fat down is the way we tend to roll, but it doesn't make a difference.   

LesMo

Good to hear.  I placed fat down since it was the flattest side. :-)

johnmitchell

I tend to go fat up....

CigarCityEgger

I do fat down, but doesn’t appear to make a difference as others have stated

Photo Egg

I think the Egg holds enough moisture during the cook and the fat cap is not needed. I trim it because I like the extra bark on all sides. Also less fat drippings this way.

GoldenQ

Agree with Photo Egg

Sea2Ski

+1 with @Photo Egg. I trim it, but trim it down to 1/4” or less, but do leave some. Some of them can be really thick and fatty, so I take a knife to it, but always leave some.  I like that fat.   And I try to leave it fat cap up on the egg. 

milesvdustin

I go fat up on pork, and it all gets mixed into the meat. 

I never ever trim pork butts. I unwrap, rinse, rub, and then into the smoke. No funny business. 

dbCooper

I typically use a v-rack for butts and fat cap down.  Benefit for me is no meat/bark adheres to the rack.  Fat cap insulator in other words.

loco_engr

Photo Egg said:

I think the Egg holds enough moisture during the cook and the fat cap is not needed. I trim it because I like the extra bark on all sides. Also less fat drippings this way.

same for me . . . the more bark the better

BUFFALOMOOSE

+1 on trim the fat for more bark. 

shtgunal3

I remove completely. 

YukonRon

What is left after the fat cap is trimmed to a maximum 1/2 cm, will be fat side up.

I brine for at least 24 hours

I do trim most of it off. I leave some, add my rub then cover with peach preserves prior to cooking.

Smoke it with peach.

Turns out great.

Spicy, sweet, salty, smokey char.....grab a grenache or pinot noir rosé, and knosh on the crust, before anyone sees what you are doing....

You are welcome.

JohnnyTarheel

Trim here for extra bark

LesMo

I think I will try trimming the cap next time.  Yesterday was the first time I went with a semi-turbo method.  I was sharing with neighbors and wanted to be sure it was done in time for their dinner.  I started a 9 pound butt at 5:30 AM.  First 3 hours grid temp was ~250.  The remainder of the cook was ~285.  It hit 195 at 2 PM (much earlier than expected) and pulled it off and FTC for 3+ hours.  It was pretty good.  For all of the comments I hear about how forgiving pork butt is I still haven't mastered it.   Admittedly, the sample size is fairly small.   @YukonRon my go to for pork is Zinfandel, but I like bourbon when smoking.  Since I was conflicted, I stuck with water.  :-)   I also need to try the V rack like dbCooper uses.  Thanks to all for the input!

dmourati

Trim and heavily season for extra bark, then fat side down.

fishlessman

fat up and the rub washes off with the drippings. here its low and slow, fat completely trimmed off, lots of rub, lots of bark, pulled in big pieces

YukonRon

LesMo said:

I think I will try trimming the cap next time.  Yesterday was the first time I went with a semi-turbo method.  I was sharing with neighbors and wanted to be sure it was done in time for their dinner.  I started a 9 pound butt at 5:30 AM.  First 3 hours grid temp was ~250.  The remainder of the cook was ~285.  It hit 195 at 2 PM (much earlier than expected) and pulled it off and FTC for 3+ hours.  It was pretty good.  For all of the comments I hear about how forgiving pork butt is I still haven't mastered it.   Admittedly, the sample size is fairly small.   @YukonRon my go to for pork is Zinfandel, but I like bourbon when smoking.  Since I was conflicted, I stuck with water.  :-)   I also need to try the V rack like dbCooper uses.  Thanks to all for the input!

Red Zins are awesome.  I keep a few on the rack, for a few meals. Love them with beef roasts and stews.

littlerascal56

dmourati said:

Trim and heavily season for extra bark, then fat side down.

Exactly how I do it!