# What Do You Do With Your Pork Fat



## smokebutt (Nov 16, 2010)

hi, on a pork butt i never trim the fat off i let it melt into the meat...and after its smoked i cut it off along with all the fat on the inside...the fat on the outside is normally where the bark is so there's plenty of flavor there, i was wondering what do ya'll do with ur left over fat? right now i'm cooking mine down which will turn into smoked pork fat and what doesn't cook down i will blend it real fine and find something to do with  it...thinking it would taste awesome in pretty much anything....any idea's?


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## rbranstner (Nov 16, 2010)

I save my trimmed fat before I cook it and use it in sausage or snack sticks but I have never saved any fat from a cooked piece of meat. I'm sure there is something you can use it in but I just don't know. Someone will be along that will have some idea's for you.


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## smoke 2 geaux (Nov 16, 2010)

What R Branstner said.  I trim up my meat ahead of time and save the fat to make deer sausage.


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## alblancher (Nov 16, 2010)

I always do a bit of a trim on pork butts, chuckies and briskets.  I don't think you accomplish anything by leaving more than 1/8 to 1/4 inch of a fat cap on the meat.  Just gives you burned, inedible fat in My opinion.  If you trim them a bit the fat layer shrinks, get crispy and you can serve it with the meat.  When I pull a butt some of the internal fat is left in for moisture, the rest is either given to the dogs as treats or tossed.   I guess you could fry it up or use it in beans and it would be quite tasty but man, my doc would kill me knowing I did that.   you could fry it up or use it in beans and it would be quite tasty but man, my doc would kill me knowing I did that.    .  I guess you could fry it up or use it in beans and it would be quite tasty but man, my doc would kill me knowing I did that.  The rind of home smoked bacon it's easier to remove once smoked.  The smoked rind gets cut up and put into a pot of beans.  It becomes real soft and adds a great flavor.  There again, I try to limit just how much of that I eat.

_Weird that I can't remove the double sentence in the post_


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## athabaskar (Nov 16, 2010)

I trade mine with the pharmacy for cholesterol and blood pressure meds.

Seriously, one of the benefits of smoking is that it eliminates a lot of the natural fat from the meat. Why bring it back? Won't even do it to my dog.


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## smokebutt (Nov 16, 2010)

why couldn't you instead of taking the trimmed fat and making sausage use it after its been smoked...is there a differents here in pork fat and bacon fat?  i would kill for bacon fat...isn't smoked fat from the butt the same just from a different part...not the belly...

i put some up in a ice cube tray to use in beans and greens...gonna try it in sausage to...to me fat is fat..but smoked fat is better...jmo...

ty for all ya'lls replys...lol @ athabaskar ....funny


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 16, 2010)

SmokeButt said:


> why couldn't you instead of taking the trimmed fat and making sausage use it after its been smoked...is there a differents here in pork fat and bacon fat?  i would kill for bacon fat...isn't smoked fat from the butt the same just from a different part...not the belly...
> 
> i put some up in a ice cube tray to use in beans and greens...gonna try it in sausage to...to me fat is fat..but smoked fat is better...jmo...
> 
> ty for all ya'lls replys...lol @ athabaskar ....funny


You won't get the same product as bacon fat, which is cured and cold smoked, and I wouldn't recommend cold smoking unless it's cured first. The exception would be cold smoked and seared to safe finish temps with smaller cuts of meats.

Hot smoked fat may take on some flavor, but the texture will be a lot softer than from cured/cold smoked. If it would be used in a smoked sausage recipe, I'd just trim the fat and freeze until I'm ready to make the sausage mix...you'll get plenty of smoke flavor in the sausage when it all comes together in the end.

Just a few thoughts...

Eric


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## smokebutt (Nov 17, 2010)

all that does make sense as bad as i hate to admit it...lol..i guess i'll throw it out...ty alot everyone for ur advise


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## mballi3011 (Nov 17, 2010)

Do you have a dog. We do and he loves it when I do pulled pork for he knows he will have some scraps for days to come.


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 17, 2010)

SmokeButt said:


> all that does make sense as bad as i hate to admit it...lol..i guess i'll throw it out...ty alot everyone for ur advise


If you do trim fat you can bag it up and freeze it for sausage mix later on...do it a lot myself. I use beef fat for a chicken sausage that's to die for.

Eric


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## fpnmf (Nov 17, 2010)

> Eric


Got that recipe around here somewhere???

  Craig


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 17, 2010)

fpnmf said:


> > Eric
> 
> 
> Got that recipe around here somewhere???
> ...


I sure do, had to scrounge (search) a bit, but here ya go:

Here's one...Sweet Red:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...smoked-sweet-red-chicken-sausage-qview-recipe  

And another...Garlic & Pepper:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...garlic-pepper-chicken-sausage-3-ways-w-q-view  

My wife and kids have all but been begging me to make another batch of the Sweet Red...it goes pretty fast arounf our house. The Garlic & Pepper was my original recipe, and the Sweet Red evolved from that recipe. They're both pretty tasty and easy to make.

Enjoy!

Eric


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## fpnmf (Nov 17, 2010)

forluvofsmoke said:


> I sure do, had to scrounge (search) a bit, but here ya go:
> 
> Here's one...Sweet Red:
> 
> ...


Awesome!!! Thank you very much...

  Craig


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