Trimming the fatcap

[MelonSC]

Has anyone trimmed the fat cap on pork shoulders? I feel like the last few butts I've smoked up have come out extra fatty in the end.

Or should I try smoking fat side up? I normally go fat side down and wrap in the 165 range. I'm going to look over my next one better and may consider taking alittle off to see if it helps.

 

[tander28]

I'll trim off any hard pieces or excess amounts like I would a brisket

 

[sawhorseray]

You could take a little something more with that fat-cap and make Buckboard bacon if you liked. I smoke butts fat side up so the fat runs thru the meat as it smokes. Some guys score the fat-cap with a blade and season it so it renders even more. RAY

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

You can trim the fat cap down to a 1/4 inch.
Or as Ray suggested score the fat cap.

 

[Sowsage]

You can trim or not trim. If you feel you like the added protection from the fat cap leave it in. But your rub will not penetrate the fat. If you trim most of it off the rub will get to all the meat. Instead if wraping use a foil pan and cover with foil. When its done remove all the liquid and seperate the fat. Then when you pull or chop the meat you have a good liquid to add back to it without all the fat. Keep in mind that the "fatty" mouth feel you get from pulled pork is really not fat at all. It's the collagen that breaks down over the long and slow cooking process.

 

[MelonSC]

It looks like I need to make 2 pork butts, one fat side up and the cut off some of the fat cap and see how it changes :)

I have a pan I normally set it in when I unwrap and shred it. I had wondered about pouring out the liquid and try to cut off some of the remaining fat cap back into the foil before shredding in the pan. That will depend on just how tender it is and if it'll hold its shape long enough :)

 

[thirdeye]

Has anyone trimmed the fat cap on pork shoulders? I feel like the last few butts I've smoked up have come out extra fatty in the end.

Or should I try smoking fat side up? I normally go fat side down and wrap in the 165 range. I'm going to look over my next one better and may consider taking alittle off to see if it helps.

-
I've noticed that when cooking competition style butts, with higher pit temps, if I don't remove some of the thicker areas of fat, the meat will sometimes be greasier, so I trim hot-n-fast butts a little closer. The upside to less fat is more bark.

For my backyard butts, I shoot for 230° - 250°, and don't trim much fat at all as it works as a heat shield. My Eggs have the charcoal below, so I cook fat down the entire cook and use a heat deflector. My drums also have the charcoal basket below, but it's a raised direct set-up and I'll turn the butts several times.... but the majority of the time is still with the fat cap down.

 

[bregent]

I trim the fat cap to 1/4 inch. Much of that will render out (it really can't render through the meat as some folks believe) and leave you will just a small amount of nice sticky goodness. The rendering fat can help baste the sides as it drips and protect that from drying out, but if you have a strong heat source on the bottom you might be better with fat side down.

Leaving the whole fat cap on makes too much of a mess for me, and butts have plenty of internal fat.