fat side down or up

[rdknb]

Ok I am all ready for tomorrow, then I read a thread that said put fat side down, I was planing to smoke it fat side up??

 

[the dude abides]

You're gonna get a bunch of answers on this one. First of all please clarify what it is you're smoking. For the sake of argument, I'll assume a butt.

I trim it all off since there is plenty of it in the butt itself. This also allows the rub to permeate more of the meat surface. For a fatty piece of meat like a butt there's no point in thinking that it needs to stay on to keep the meat moist. No point in smoking what you're just going to cut off anyways.

My $0.02

 

[rdknb]

Sorry yes a butt

 

[ronp]

What Dude said. I do mine fat side up.

 

[bigorangesmoker]

I smoke it fat side down.

 

[the dude abides]

Yeah, I trim mine off. Some will say fat side up to baste the meat as the fat renders down. Others will say fat side down to insulate the meat against spikes in temperature.

A butt is pretty forgiving. You can really do it however you feel the most comfortable. There is no wrong way. Well I'm sure there is, but you know what I mean.

 

[rdknb]

Well I like forgiving meat lol. I will trim it down and do it as I planed, fat side up. BTW this is a great site!

 

[the dude abides]

No problem. Glad you're getting something out of this place. Now just remember to post some pictures qview.

 

[rdknb]

Oh I plan to, Already have pics of the meat and the rub on it, will post as I go tomorrow. Seems I will be shoveling snow first just to get to smoker, but that makes it all the better lol

 

[ddave]

Well, if your going to do it fat side up you might consider scoring the fat cap in a diamond pattern a la Capt Dan.

I think it helps render out more of the fat.



Like Dude says, there's really no wrong way to do it. Scored caps look yummy though.

Dave

 

[rdknb]

That does look yummy, thank you for the advice

 

[flash]

Fat side down, but as Dude said, trim it off and it's all good. The reason for me was not the idea of insulating the meat, but you get better bark with it down........atleast in a vertical you do.

 

[smokaholic]

i remove 90% of the fat cap and smoke fat side down. I get a smoke ring all the way around. People like the smoke ring and this way Im getting more "ring" meat. But like everyone says its all up to personal preference. I hate fat and dont care if it gives more flavor there are already several flavor profiles in my pork butts, from the injection, rub, smoke, mop and finishing sauce. The fat isnt going to be missed IMO. I also think its true that there is enough fat through the interior muscle to provide moisture.

my .02

 

[reeko]

You know, my wife was amazed.
I did my first Butt 10 days ago.

When it was done and I pulled the pork, I don't think I found any noticable fat remaining. Seems like it all rendered.
I was also amazed that the 2 of us ate the butt (started 6 lbs) in 3 meals.

I am ready to do another, maybe 2 this time.

 

[smokaholic]

I always do two. One for the wife and I and one I sell off like hot cakes at work. $7 a pound and generally end up breaking even.

 

[eaglewing]

Like I have chimed in before on this Q.... I have done BOTH up and down, but I did DOWN only because I knew the heat was going to be directly on the ones on the lower rack, this was to not BURN the butt... the ones above it I did UP...

So for me it depends on how close to the fire by butts are getting as to up or down...

 

[wutang]

Just to confuse you..I do them fat cap up in my offset and fat cap down in my UDS. I guess you will havel to smoke 2 of them, do one each way, and see what you like better.

 

[smokebuzz]

I'm a flipper, start down, half way thru flip it over. Butt some times I lay the but on it's side, fat towards the fire box the first half, then flip and rotate for the second half .I think thats what I do, I may be confuseing my self now.

 

[smoking gun]

I've done both and you'll get good results either way. Anymore though I do butts fat cap up and score the fat to let the rub get through and help baste the meat. Kinda like this......

 

[the dude abides]

There's the best advice!