Let's talk about FAT. And vote on it.

lantern · Aug 3, 2015

I love fat and when I look around it seems that folks say they like it too. However, when I see a lot of cooks from my Brethren it seems that they trim away MUCH MUCH more fat than I do. I understand when serving the public there's a reason for eliminating the delicious fat and the same applies for competition meats.

I've always been a lover of the fattiest of things. From the chunks on my prime rib to the amazing thick fat ring on a fried pork chop to fatty bacon to fat cap on my pork butt to pork belly to brisket. Speaking of which the brisket point is my favorite because it has piles of fat.

Sooo.... Am I some sort of freak? Or are there more folks that think the same as me? I understand the "texture" remark from folks, but my desire for massive flavor usually overrides and problems I have with texture.

Vote however ye wish. I left it so you could have more than one answer. Do ya let the fat render till it's something sublime or do ya think there's enough inter-muscular fat to flavor about anything so you trim it till your heart's content? I was just in a curious mood today.:thumb:

Fwismoker · Aug 3, 2015

Boy oh boy that's difficult. It really depends on the meat. I did trim the cap off the last butts so I could get more bark.

aawa · Aug 3, 2015

I trim the hard fat as it doesn't render out properly, but I keep the other fat as it produces a lot of flavor as well as helps keep things moist.

Now when pulling/slicing I will take the big globs of fat off as some people think it is unappealing. My gf doesn't like the fat on the bottom of the brisket point slices. She slices it off. I of course love fat and eat it off her plate.

oldbill · Aug 3, 2015

I love fat on a steak, prime rib or a pork chop especially when it's got a good sear on it but on larger cuts that I want to get a good bark on I trim it pretty vigorously. On a brisket for instance too much fat can result in a barrier between the meat and the rub and smoke whereas by trimming it down to 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch it will render down, marry up with the spice rub and become an important part of the bark,... THE MOST important part IMO!
Ahhh,... that sticky, crunchy, smokey and spicy layer of goodness!:tongue:

DaveAlvarado · Aug 3, 2015

I prefer not to eat too much fat, but I leave it on for cooking.

PekingPorker · Aug 3, 2015

I trim off the stuff that I know won't render.

Brew n Que · Aug 3, 2015

You need an option for the middle ground. I trim off the hard stuff, then take everything else down to 1/4". This allows for great rendering. If I do it right, there is just the slightest band of very well rendered fat left on my brisket slices. It is not enough of a band for the fat averse to cut off, and it is substantial enough to flavor and moisten each bite of brisket. I also think the bark that forms on top of a layer of fat is a lot better than the bark that forms on the meat itself (for brisket at least.)

deguerre · Aug 3, 2015

I don't trim the fat at all. Silver skin, I'll get rid of. But the fat stays.

PatAttack · Aug 3, 2015

Fat = Flavor!

Fat...is where it's at.

qman · Aug 3, 2015

deguerre said:
I don't trim the fat at all. Silver skin, I'll get rid of. But the fat stays.

This, exactly.

jakel · Aug 3, 2015

PatAttack said:
Fat = Flavor!

Fat...is where it's at.

qman said:
This, exactly.

absolutely, positively, without question true :thumb:

cheeaa · Aug 3, 2015

for me, two of the best bites in the world is slightly charred pork fat on pork steaks and that one bite nub on the end of a of a ribeye that's like half charred fat, half meat.... So, yeah give me fat... :thumb::hungry::hungry::hungry:

sliding_billy · Aug 3, 2015

Most of the time, I don't even trim the hard fat. I can throw away what doesn't render at the end.

Seed · Aug 3, 2015

always trim the hard stuff

pjtexas1 · Aug 3, 2015

oldbill said:
On a brisket for instance too much fat can result in a barrier between the meat and the rub and smoke whereas by trimming it down to 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch it will render down, marry up with the spice rub and become an important part of the bark,... THE MOST important part IMO!
Ahhh,... that sticky, crunchy, smokey and spicy layer of goodness!:tongue:

Brew n Que said:
You need an option for the middle ground. I trim off the hard stuff, then take everything else down to 1/4". This allows for great rendering. If I do it right, there is just the slightest band of very well rendered fat left on my brisket slices. It is not enough of a band for the fat averse to cut off, and it is substantial enough to flavor and moisten each bite of brisket. I also think the bark that forms on top of a layer of fat is a lot better than the bark that forms on the meat itself (for brisket at least.)

This is what I aim for on my briskets. Just enough to protect and flavor the meat but not so much that it gets in the way or has to be cut off. According to the voting over 70% of us are some fat farkers.:thumb::laugh: ...I meant fat loving farkers.:tsk:

lantern · Aug 3, 2015

Well, it looks like I'm not alone! I especially like the comments about the large chunks of fat on steaks and pork chops.

Between my mother while growing up and the women I've dated or am about to marry there hasn't been many chunks of fat that they've cut off of those cuts that haven't disappeared somehow someway.:thumb:

And yes, I did make a mistake by leaving out the 1/4-1/8th inch trimmers. I thought it was close to the "depends, but am a lover of fat" option, but its not really close enough.

Smokin' Greene · Aug 3, 2015

I agree with Brew-in-Que. I am of middle ground.
I love fat, but hard fat leaves and trim down to about ~1/8" on briskets.
I remove the fat cap on pork butts, because I love me some bark.
Steaks let them ride. I love charred fat on my ribeye. Everyone has a steak knife in their hand they can trim.
Ribs: silver skin removed, and trim a little if it is too thick.
I want my burgers fatty and juicy.
Chuckies let'em ride.

angryfish01 · Aug 3, 2015

Yes, I am getting fat. So what's your point?

I will trim the hard stuff and then decide if this particular piece of meat needs any more trimming. If so, I will render the trimmings and use it for a gravy or sauce.

Now you know who I am getting fat!

Jason TQ · Aug 3, 2015

Love the fat!

Joe Black · Aug 3, 2015

Chris, I am diabetic with no gall bladder, Cindy has a heart condition and no gall bladder. Do I really need to say anymore? Seriously, I will leave some fat on sliced meats to the plate and folks can trim as they like. On pulled meats, I take off the hard stuff and any large areas of fat. After it's done I take out ANY fat while I'm pulling to keep the meat more lean. BTW, any showing of fat in a SCBA box will get a DQ.

When is the date? I have forgotten. Also, where did you decide to go?

Joe

Let's talk about FAT. And vote on it.

Do you like it fatty...or not so much?

I trim the hard fat and let the rest ride. It's delicious!

I trim as much as I can. I eat meat not fat!

Depends who I'm cooking for if I trim heavy or not, but I prefer it fatty.

Depends on who I'm cooking for if I trim or not, but I prefer it well trimmed and not very fatty.

is One Chatty Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

Babbling Farker

is One Chatty Farker

is Blowin Smoke!

is one Smokin' Farker

Knows what a fatty is.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

Babbling Farker

Quintessential Chatty Farker

Full Fledged Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

Knows what a fatty is.

somebody shut me the fark up.

is One Chatty Farker

Take a breath!

is one Smokin' Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

Babbling Farker

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