Butts, How Much Fat Do YOU Trim?

[jetfxr27]

How much do you personally trim in some or all the scenarios below and why.

Back Yard cook:


Comp Cook:


Fundraiser/Commercial Cook:

Just curious, it seems every backyard butt I cook I spend more and more time trimming fat. The two going on now, I must have trimmed a pound or two.

 

[shares]

I don't bother to trim nothing off a butt except glands if present, and any large fat deposits. Cap is left alone. At most we're talking a few ounces.

I'm not sure why you would want to trim a butt to that extent. Do tell?

 

[landarc]

I don't trim any fat unless there is yellow or old looking fat. I smoke cap down, so I figure most renders down into pan.

 

[jetfxr27]

I assume this is for any cooks? Does your cooker require the cap to protect from hot spots?
If not why do you choose to leave the cap?

I've read of guys who also peel it back to coat the meat with rub then lay it back down.

 

[Meat Burner]

Jet, what are you cooking on bro? Big difference as to the way you cook.

 

[landarc]

I cook on a kettle, I am a back yard cook. I do feel that the cap provides some protection to the meat. I would not trim for competition either unless the cap was super thick, in which case I would trim to 1/4" or so. I still equate fat with flavor and think much renders out during a long cook.

 

[BRBBQ]

I trim the fat cap off, more flavor.

 

[SmokeJumper]

Using a ceramic cooker I trim the fat cap down to less than 1/8" as I find you get more edible bark that way.

 

[Captain Dave]

I tried trimming nearly all the fatcap off a brisket once. Disaster on the uds. A bunch of stringy meat. I still trim all but about a 1/4" with much better results.

 

[starvinmarvin]

I trim nothing except old-looking fat. Maybe its personal taste, but always get plenty of flavor with fat on....and rendered fat helps make it moist.

 

[bmanMA]

On my WSM, I trim it up good to get the most edible goodness as I can. Looks like you took it a bit further than I do, but that is probably because I am too busy refilling a cocktail. I personally don't think leaving all that fat on really matters since the roast has plenty of internal fat and the WSM handles its meat with love. I want max exposure to rub and smoke and therefore bark on meat that I will actually eat and not just wind up picking out.

 

[gtsum]

I trim nothing unless something looks way off...I cook fat down on a ceramic

 

[lcbateman3]

I may trim a little off the fat cap depending on how thick it is. I cook fat cap up so it renders. You will get a lot of different answers from people here. I usually do the final trim at the end and dogs get the fat....they love it!

 

[sticker500]

I trim the fat cap as well so I can expose as much surface area to smoke and rub.

There is so much fat in the butt anyway.

 

[Chef Jim]

I may trim a little off the fat cap depending on how thick it is. I cook fat cap up so it renders. You will get a lot of different answers from people here. I usually do the final trim at the end and dogs get the fat....they love it!

Poor dogs, not good for them at all.ray:ray:

 

[jetfxr27]

Todays smoke is on a UDS. The two buttts pictured are going for maximum flavor, thats why I trimmed so much.

Lots of rub and no foil for maximum bark. 1 rub is super sweet and the other is super hot.

 

[MilitantSquatter]

Minimal if any trimming done by me.

 

[Dale P]

I trim off the cryo vac paper and leave the fat on.

 

[Phesant]

Slight if any for me too

 

[KC_Bobby]

Jet, what are you cooking on bro? Big difference as to the way you cook.

I concur - big difference in cooking in a heavy/insulated smoker that holds in the moisture compared to a thin breezy unit that looses the moisture.

I tried trimming nearly all the fatcap off a brisket once. Disaster on the uds. A bunch of stringy meat. I still trim all but about a 1/4" with much better results.

Did you cut off the false cap? Directly under the fat cap is a thin layer of meat before another thick layer of fat. That layer between turns really stringy and I don't find it worth keeping.

How much do you personally trim in some or all the scenarios below and why.

Back Yard cook:
Comp Cook:
Fundraiser/Commercial Cook:

Personally, I cut off the entire fat cap cooking in the BWS or FEC. I also trim out some fat and other crap up near the shoulder bone where the meat will come apart. Main reason is that when the butt is ready to pull, nearly 100% of what I have left is meat that can be pulled in a matter of seconds and it's all meat. No fat or other crap to sift through.