My biggest butt to date.

coolpick87

Fire Starter

Original poster

Sep 16, 2008

35

10

• Sep 4, 2009

• #1

Well, I decided to smoke a butt for tailgating this weekend. I usually smoke smaller butts(6-7lbs) but I got a 11lb for some odd reason. I plan on smoking it Friday afternoon/night and reheating it in an aluminum pan on the grill(w/ the coals set off to the side). But I'm wondering if I should smoke it fat cap up on this big of a butt, I've smoke all my others cap down, but I cook a brisket a week ago with cap up, and it was the juiciest briskest I've had. So I was wondering if I smoke it cap up, if it will be more tender? I have a offset horizontal w/ a baffle so I'm not worried too much w/ heat spikes and such.

Anyways, it should be a good weekend, I'm sure we'll all get stupid drunk and anything will taste good

.

 

nate_46

Meat Mopper

May 12, 2008

270

10

Alamosa, CO

• Sep 4, 2009

• #2

I usually cut 90% of the fat cap off and throw it in and see how it lands. Like a big meat dice cube. Seriously I lose most of it and lately I have started with the cap up and flipping it after 3 or 4 hours. Why? I seem to get better smoke penetration on the side that was down first. Might not make any difference but it's worth a try.

One thing I want to tell you is expect a longer smoke than you would expect. Seems like the bigger the butt the more time per pound it seems to take.

I'm sure someone will chime in soon. Good luck!

 

coolpick87

Fire Starter

Original poster

Thread starter

Sep 16, 2008

35

10

• Sep 4, 2009

• #3

I plan on spending like forever on this thing, I'm taking the day off tomorrow, so I have all day. Its going to be so nice.

 

brandsbay

Meat Mopper

SMF Premier Member

Aug 21, 2008

243

10

Dorset,England

• Sep 4, 2009

• #4

Wow now thats a big butt

I always smoke mine fat on top and they turn out real good,I know others will say different but thats the way I like em,nice and moist.The biggest I've done so far was 9lb and it sat at 160 for what seemed like weeks.Good luck and don't foget the Qview

 

eaglewing

Master of the Pit

SMF Premier Member

Jul 4, 2008

1,132

365

St. Louis MO

• Sep 4, 2009

• #5

I had absolutely no problem taking my 9.5lbers and cutting them in half as was advised here and now my cook time was cut in half also... there was no difference in the meat result, the 'pull' was the best I ever did so far.

 

omahasmoker

Smoke Blower

Jun 12, 2009

141

12

Omaha, NE

• Sep 4, 2009

• #6

try having the butcher cut it into 3-4" slabs and smoke those. have them cut the long way for more surface area. your cooking time goes down and you get more outside 'bark' and therefore more flavor in your pulled pork. the more bark the better, i say.

 

mballi3011

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Mar 12, 2009

14,477

58

• Sep 4, 2009

• #7

I always smoke my butts fat cap up and let it baste the meat as it melts. and I'm stickin to it. There are alot of differant people here that say cit all the fat off and some like me that leave it on. So it's a coin flip. It sound like you have quite a long smoke ahead of you and the re-heating on the grill sounds good to me. Are you going to the Gator Game ? If I see you can I have some.?