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Trimming the Fat?

BlueHorseShoe
BlueHorseShoe Posts: 54
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I cooked two 7lb butts this weekend. They both had a large fat cap. The meat turned out very good except it was a little greasy. They cooked at 225 for 19 hrs, pulled at 192.

The greasiness made me wonder about trimming the fat cap. So the question is: To trim or not to trim?

Comments

  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
    i usually trim them a bit but not completely


    04-05-2008006.jpg

    i also go fat cap down ;)

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

  • I think my butcher usually trims the cap. I bought these at Publix and had to request a whole shoulder cut into to two. The standard offering is 3.5 to 4 lb butts. It doesn't look like they trimmed any. I also cook fat cap down.
  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    OT: Bente, is the upper grid resting directly on the two lower level butts in your pic?

    Thanks! RB
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    i like alot of bark in the pull, the butts i get have very little fat on them. you can practically just cut it all off imho
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
    yes it is but since i got my rig i have yet to do a big butt cooking... so the next time i will take a new picture... i do not think that it effected the final product much

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    that explains even more, when they cut it you get 1 butt and one picnic, the picnic end is loaded with fat but the meat has more flavor
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    Good Idea Bente. I am thinking of doing 4 butts Friday. I have a woo2, but not sure if it is tall enough for two levels of butt.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Count me in the "trim the fat cap" crowd. After all all it does is "melt" and run into the drip pan. Besides like fishlessman says a trimmed butt allows more bark. As for your statement about the pulled pork tasting greasy I'd say that was due to the internal fat content in the butt and not the external fat cap.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • I thought the same thing. But, if you had thick fat cap could that hold in some of the fat that otherwise would have dripped out?
  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
    Celtic wolf got 6 in a large if i remember correctly.. the rack i used was just my expandable grate i have done it several times with good results

    DSCN0083.jpg

    DSCN0084.jpg

    04-05-2008002.jpg

    04-05-2008005.jpg

    04-05-2008006.jpg

    04-06-2008005.jpg

    just make sure you use a drip pan ;)

    i did not on one of those cooks and had a pretty good grerase fire :pinch:

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    I was disappointed this weekend when I got the last four butts at my Sam's and they were just 6 pounds each or so...I wanted some big ol' butts to fill up my new adjustable rig! :woohoo:
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Your thought makes sense especially if you had placed the butts so the fat cap was on the bottom. Of course there are groups here who will argue whether the fat cap goes on top or the bottom! :P
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • Mahi-Mahi
    Mahi-Mahi Posts: 162
    It is personal choice. Some people feel if you trim the meat more of the rub will flavor the meat. I noticed that Dr BQQ does not in his book but other books state the oppsite.