Pork butt- Trim Fat Or Not?

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
I trim all the fat off including the fat cap.
smile.gif
Butts and shoulders have plenty of fat in them already.
 
Remove all the fat cap. 1) There's no point in cooking what you're not going to eat. 2) You will have even bark all the way around. 3) For every pound of fat removed, you will shorten your cook time by an hour to an hour and a half. That's just my method, your's may vary.
 
I agree with trimming the fat.I spend way to much time growing and making my rubs for them not to be on the meat......
 
Ok, i'm different. I inject, then kind of heavy rub. unless its just a huge fatcap,then trim some. they always say keep it simple.cook fatside down.
 
I never trim mine. Just score the fat cap down to the meat so the rub gets in there. Between the the the fat cap and the false cap in a thin layer of meat. That is some of the best pork you will ever eat!! Those who trim all the fat, you don't know what you are missing.
 
I trim it to miss the fat cap
icon_cool.gif
.Done it both ways-just personal preference.Exterior Fat never seemed to make mine more tender...
 
My first one I did untrimmed, there wasn't a whole lot of fat left when it was done. This weekend I'm trying one trimmed and untrimmed, and see which I like better.

Untrimmed obviously you have less fat to pick out and pitch. I've seen some recipes that call for the fat cap to be added to the finishing sauce or mix-in sauce as it's cooked, then strained out, to add extra flavor. And when I trimmed my butt for this weekend, it lost it's compact shape and kind of spread out, so I assume the fat holds things together a bit as well.
 
I trim a little, Mass amounts come off, but Like some others have said, My butts have minimal fat on them anyway. When I pull I usually loose a piece of bark the size of a dollar bill. No big deal.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Hot Threads

Clicky