Question:
If you buy a whole pork butt with the fat layer intact, how much trimming do you do before cooking? Inquiring minds what to know.

Choices:
I trim off as much exterior fat as possible
I trim some exterior fat, but leave some intact
I don't do any trimming at all

 

You mean I don't have to hack off that thick pad of fat that's suddenly been showing up on the butts I get (after a year of really well trimmed ones)? Doesn't it get in the way of the rub/bark?

Hi Susan
The butts I get over hear have the hard fat/skin on one side, the other sides (if you can call them that) have next to no fat. I find that leaving the skin on creates a no-stick side I can set on the grate.

morgan

I trim what is easy to trim and I'm not all that precise about it either.

susan said,

quote:

You mean I don't have to hack off that thick pad of fat that's suddenly been showing up on the butts I get (after a year of really well trimmed ones)?

Susan, try no trimming at all, and cook it fat side down for the whole cook. Pretty much that whole fat cap will render off and cook down to a crust. I've been having great luck with that lately.

Keri C

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Keri C,

I look for a false cap, and take that off, if necessary. Otherwise, no trimming.

Hmmm. Verrry interesting! I'd love to not trim.

Doug---what's a 'false cap' exactly?

A false cap is when you have a fat cap with a very thin layer of meat under it, and then another layer of fat under that. You just need to take off the top layer and the thin layer of meat to expose the "true" fat cap.

Im with Joe and Doug. Its all good though.

I trim all the exterior fat. More space for bark to form. I find butts have plenty of interior fat to stay moist.

Ah---now I get it!

I've only done a butt once, whole with bone, and I frankly don't remember, my dear. Musta been all that beer! My husband had eye surgery that weekend, and he was trying to read the thermometer in the middle of the night! Couldn't see a dang thing. He woke me up to help.

I typically do very little trimming, but the two butts that are on the smoker now had a heavier layer than usual, so I trimmed them pretty close.

When I used to only cook them on my gas grill trimming wasn't needed - the heat would melt away the fat and leave a crispy exterior. With the smoker I trim the big pieces and, like Keri C., place the fattiest side down.

Friday I'm smoking two butts and a brisket. I'll be conservative with my trimming because I want the fat to drip on the brisket. HM GOOD.

I usually trim as much fat as I can. Although much of it will cook away, the butt has enough fat in it to keep it moist and flavorable. My family and friends like not having much in thier pulled portions, they like the leaness.

I'm a scalper, I'll admit. I end up tying bone in butts after they are trimmed.

Any 'false cap' meat hits the freezer to be cooked with butt bones for split pea soup.

I don't trim much, my butcher usually beats me to the punch and trims all that off. If he didn't I probably would myself.

I'll usually just take off the false cap - if there is one - and maybe some obvious big hunks. It depends where I get the butt from. One source trims everything, while another just sells them "as is."

I let the render process do it's job

I feel I must post about this because I read about so people doing this too many times. If you know this sorry, but for those who don't I'm posting because the best part of the butt is lost in doing this, cutting off the false fat cap. If you buy untrimmed butts please don't cut the false fat cap off. See there are 2 fat caps on a butt the one you see is a false cap and the true fat cap. There's a very thin piece of meat that lies under the false cap and on top of the true fat cap. Now let me tell you that when your butt is done cooking and after the rest and you got to pull it here is where you will be rewarded for your efforts. I consider this the cooks reward and I hardly ever share it. Gently push the false fat cap aside with your thumb to expose that very thin layer of meat that is sitting on top of the true fat cap and quickly eat it while no one is looking. Trust me you will be eating Pork Butt Nirvana.