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Doing a butt this weekend and two quick questions

Do y’all dry brine that and also is there a consensus on fat cap up or down or does it really matter?

Thanks for the help!

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Comments

  • EzraBrooks
    EzraBrooks Posts: 379
    No on the brine.  I do fat down so if it sticks to the grid at all I'm only losing fat and not meat.  A butt is pretty forgiving, I'm sure yours will come out great!
  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
    Mirror Ezra- although occasionally I will score the fat cap and I go up for that method. Makes for some crispy add ins to the pork. 
    Greensboro, NC
  • TideEggHead
    TideEggHead Posts: 1,338
    Same as above. I usually go fat down. Sometimes I add pecan wood or others and sometimes I don’t. I just give it a good dry rub before putting it on the grill then let it ride.
    LBGE
    AL
  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,052
    Ditto to the above.  I have injected with apple juice but I don't think it made any difference.  Fat cap down.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.

  • dmourati
    dmourati Posts: 1,265
    No need to dry brine. Fat cap down. Pork butt is one of those cooks where less is more. Set up your fire at around 275F, get the pork butt out of the fridge and apply rub, throw on 3-4 good sized chunks of smoking wood, add deflector, wait about 15 minutes, put on the pork butt and don't touch it for a good 8-10 hours. 
    Mountain View, CA
  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    No brine and trim surface fat off. 275F is good (or wherever the Egg settles), usually raise a bit at the end to finish. I go with a @YukonRon style butt, jam all over to make a sweet bark.
  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,629
    No brine and fat cap completely removed. The butt still stays moist in a BGE or like cooker. Removing it gives you more tasty bark. I run anywhere between 250 and 300. Doesn’t make much difference.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

  • ThrasherIII
    ThrasherIII Posts: 252
    What is your average on time per pound ?
    a ball Park figure 
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,314
    edited March 2021
    Absolutely dry brine if you're not injecting and still want your butt seasoning to penetrate past the surface.  Fat cap up on offsets, I'm not convinced it matters either way on the egg. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • kl8ton
    kl8ton Posts: 5,410
    What is your average on time per pound ?
    a ball Park figure 
    A butt is going to take about 6 hours using turbo method.  Did one yesterday.  Grid temp ranged from 280-325.  
    Large, Medium, MiniMax, & 22, and 36" Blackstone
    Grand Rapids MI
  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
    SonVolt said:
    Absolutely dry brine if you're not injecting and still want your butt seasoning to penetrate past the surface.  Fat cap up on offsets, I'm not convinced it matters either way on the egg. 

    Fat cap down on the egg because you will get better bark on the top, and whatever sticks to the grid will be fat.
    NOLA
  • Mark_B_Good
    Mark_B_Good Posts: 1,510
    Fat cap down. I dry rub the day before that's basically it, also inject with apple juice when I remember. It's hard to get it wrong to be honest, as long as you hit that nice target internal temperature ... 203F is normally where it probes nicely for my cooks. Once you smash it, and add your bbq seasoning, it fixes a lot.  See this for other tips and pictures ... including temperatures and times for cooks for various meals.

    https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1225172/pork-shoulder#latest

    Napoleon Prestige Pro 665, XL BGE, Lots of time for BBQ!
  • EagleIII
    EagleIII Posts: 415
    No on the brine. Dry Rub, and let 'er fly.  Fat cap down...