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tallgrandma

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Original poster

Nov 23, 2016

3

10

• Nov 23, 2016

• #1

I was looking on google to answer some questions about smoking a pork shoulder roast, I found this site & decided to give it a try!!! My question was; which is better... Roast Fat side up or down?? We have a traeger & our family voted on pork this Holiday; they're sorta tired of Turkey so I thought I'd give this a whirl!!! Thx for you're input!!

 

noboundaries

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Sep 7, 2013

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Roseville, CA, a suburb of Sacramento

• Nov 23, 2016

• #2

Tallgrandma, welcome to SMF!  Glad you are here and feeding the family some smoked goodness.

There's a big debate whether to smoke fat side up so it self bastes (that's the common wisdom), or fat side down closest to the heat to protect the meat.  I've done it both ways.  I prefer fat side in the direction of the heat source to keep the non-fat side from drying out, resulting in a stringy bark on that side.

Enjoy Thanksgiving with your family! 

 

joe black

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Jan 25, 2015

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Greenville, SC

• Nov 23, 2016

• #3

Welcome from SC. It's good to have you on this great site. I prefer to smoke with the fat side up. After you've heard from everyone, you'll notice that the results will probablly be 50/50.

 

tallgrandma

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Original poster

Thread starter

Nov 23, 2016

3

10

• Nov 23, 2016

• #4

Thx Noboundaries[emoji]128077[/emoji][emoji]127996[/emoji] I'm thinking I'll maybe smoke it half the time up & half down & see how my crowd likes it? I'm L[emoji]128525[/emoji]VING this forum, so glad I found this! Thx for your input & Have a Happy Thanksgiving[emoji]128075[/emoji][emoji]127996[/emoji]

 

tallgrandma

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Original poster

Thread starter

Nov 23, 2016

3

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• Nov 23, 2016

• #5

Thx Joe Black, that's what I'm reading (50/50) boils down to preference. Thx for the input, Happy Thanksgiving[emoji]129411[/emoji]

 

mike5051

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Feb 7, 2015

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New Orleans LA

• Nov 23, 2016

• #6

Welcome to SMF!  Good to have you with us.  I vote fat side up.

Mike

 

SmokinAl

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Jun 22, 2009

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Central Florida (Sebring)

• Nov 24, 2016

• #7

Welcome to the forum!

Glad to have you with us!

I trim the fat down to about 1/4".

Then smoke it fat side down, but I use the trimmed fat on a rack above the butt so as it renders it drips & bastes the butt.

Best of both worlds. Fat cap down protects the meat from the heat, & fat on upper rack keeps the top moist!

Al