Pork Butt Fat Cap Gash

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ewatts2003

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I have a question for the Brethren about some pork butts that I have. I have 4 butts that I pulled out of the freezer for a comp this weekend...now these butts were bought when I concentrated solely on the money muscle size and didn't know much about the "bacon". All of the fat caps have a pretty good gash in them exposing some of the bacon...has anyone, or is it even legal to, use a trimming from the butt to cover this gash to try and protect the exposed bacon?

I trim pretty aggressively so I was thinking of taking a piece of fat and covering the gash using toothpicks...but don't know if this is allowed or not? Or am overthinking the whole thing and just need to cook it how it is?
 
how would it be any different than laying a bunch of actual bacon across it to protect it? I think since you wouldn't be turning in the trimmed fat or actual bacon, if used to cover the gash, that it wouldn't really matter.......but I am not expert on the rules or interpretations of said rules. I'm just trying to approach it from a common sense standpoint.
 
masque13 said:
how would it be any different than laying a bunch of actual bacon across it to protect it? I think since you wouldn't be turning in the trimmed fat or actual bacon, if used to cover the gash, that it wouldn't really matter.......but I am not expert on the rules or interpretations of said rules. I'm just trying to approach it from a common sense standpoint.
Click to expand...

That's how I look at it too...I'm just new to the competition scene and want to make sure I'm not doing anything out of line.
 
Pretty sure you can remove fat and put it wherever you want it. Some people take brisket fat from other areas of the brisket, and use it to put where the brisket fat cap has been inadvertently removed from the bottom. In absence of a rule explicitly stating that you cannot do something, I would say that you can.
 
Stressing over something minuscule. MM is still king. So many options with pork.
 
I would discuss it with the teams around you and the contest Reps. Pork, unlike all the other categories does have a parting component. Or, at least until it's determined that the pork has been cooked. I can see how an argument could be made that what you are considering isn't legal. If you did the same thing with bacon, or brisket trimmings it wouldn't be debatable as long as none of that made it into your box. Even if none of the trimmed pork makes it into the box, it's still from a butt that isn't being cooked whole and that portion would likely be under 4 lbs.... Clear as mud?

If you were next to me, told me what the issue was and what you intended to do I don't think I'd care. If somebody notices you do it, and they care, and they call a Rep over it's possible you may not like their interpretation of the pork rule.
 
Jorge said:
I would discuss it with the teams around you and the contest Reps. Pork, unlike all the other categories does have a parting component. Or, at least until it's determined that the pork has been cooked. I can see how an argument could be made that what you are considering isn't legal. If you did the same thing with bacon, or brisket trimmings it wouldn't be debatable as long as none of that made it into your box. Even if none of the trimmed pork makes it into the box, it's still from a butt that isn't being cooked whole and that portion would likely be under 4 lbs.... Clear as mud?

If you were next to me, told me what the issue was and what you intended to do I don't think I'd care. If somebody notices you do it, and they care, and they call a Rep over it's possible you may not like their interpretation of the pork rule.
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Thanks for this answer! It all makes perfect sense, and why I came here in the first place. I'm just going to cook them how they are and go from there. Going forward I'm going to be more picky on the butts I select, I just had these in the freezer so wanted to use them up. No use in trying something that may result in a DQ...but I will also ask the reps about it at some point during the competition to see if I can get some clarification.
 
Most of the pork butts I cook have the fat caps shaved down too much to use the bacon. I've never turned it in. It's overrated.
 
If there is thicker fat adjacent to the damaged fat exposing the bacon, you could try filleting the thicker fat (but leave it attached) and just fold that layer over the damaged area.
 
thirdeye said:
If there is thicker fat adjacent to the damaged fat exposing the bacon, you could try filleting the thicker fat (but leave it attached) and just fold that layer over the damaged area.
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You should cook more. Interesting approach!
 
Jorge said:
You should cook more. Interesting approach!
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You could say that came from experience.... usually it was me that cut too deep on a butt or brisket and needed to figure out how to correct my mistake. :mrgreen:
 
tduffy said:
Most of the pork butts I cook have the fat caps shaved down too much to use the bacon. I've never turned it in. It's overrated.
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Last comp I turned in a combination of the bacon and the tubes for the pulled. Best score I've had so far in pork but I also changed a few other things so I can't say it was the bacon that was the key. All in all I've realized it definitely isn't worth making a big fuss over lol.
 
tduffy said:
Most of the pork butts I cook have the fat caps shaved down too much to use the bacon. I've never turned it in. It's overrated.
Click to expand...

that is interesting to me.....cause the funny thing I find is that for me personally, I like the bacon from the butt pretty much as my fave, if it's done right.

I actually prefer it over money muscle most times.

to me the horn meat is overrated yet lots of folks love it..

food is kind of like art, it's very subjective and I guess that is one of the things that makes it so interesting to be involved in.
 
I know I'm pretty much a newb, only being around comp. BBQ since '06 but I have never heard of Butt Bacon. Could someone please explain where, what, how and provide pictures and direction of said bacon?
Mucho grass.
Ed
 
ModelMaker said:
I know I'm pretty much a newb, only being around comp. BBQ since '06 but I have never heard of Butt Bacon. Could someone please explain where, what, how and provide pictures and direction of said bacon?
Mucho grass.
Ed
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There are usually 2 layers of fat on butt. In between the two layers is a layer of meat that gets super tender and makes great pulled strands.
 
Trying to determine which of the 9 muscles (if I remember correctly) you're talking about. If you have the MM on the top side and facing you, is that bacon also located on the top, far side above the bone ?
 
Here is a good picture that shows the “bacon”. It’s the thin layer of meat between the two fat caps.
 

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Thank you sir. Looks like I will need to keep a better eye out when purchasing them. Most have had that outermost fat cap already pre-trimmed...
 
I wish you guys hadn't brought up the "bacon" because I'm sure that will now be a "thing" with the judges trying to interpret just where the pulled meat in the box came from and should we judge down or up because of that. Because, like it or not, judges like to be on the cutting edge (no pun intended) when it comes to judging what's in the box as evidenced by the current brisket turn in box critique post. Just saying.


Robert
 
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