question about butt

Fair-chase · August 10, 2007, 10:38:35 AM

I'm curious as to how others do it. Do you put the fat cap on the butt up or down?

iceman · August 10, 2007, 10:55:39 AM

I prefer fat up so all the fat that renders, drips thru the meat to help keep it nice and juicy. Just my thoughts on it. Have a great weekend. ;D

Consiglieri · August 10, 2007, 11:37:14 AM

Fat up for me too.

Tiny Tim · August 10, 2007, 12:02:35 PM

Depends on the situation. If I'm standing, it's behind me, if I'm sitting, it's down.....oh, you mean on a pork butt...in that case, I've done them with the fat up, and it disappears a lot easier than the other I was talkin' about. ;D

Gizmo · August 10, 2007, 01:43:46 PM

Yup, fat up and let it flow through.

Habanero Smoker · August 10, 2007, 02:08:00 PM

After trimming the fat to 1/8"-1/4", I smoke fat cap up.

icerat4 · August 10, 2007, 03:19:53 PM

No trimming fat up.lots of fatty juice ;D dripping down. ;D

Wildcat · August 10, 2007, 04:55:12 PM

Quote from: Habanero Smoker on August 10, 2007, 02:08:00 PM
After trimming the fat to 1/8"-1/4", I smoke fat cap up.

Same here.

Fair-chase · August 10, 2007, 06:24:24 PM

Thanks guys.

I've always cooked mine fat up, and it looks like most folks do the same.

Fair-chase · August 11, 2007, 05:25:11 AM

Well since I got drafted to cook bbq for a party I decided to try it in my new bradley. Let me say I have bbq'd butt several times on my holland grill with a recipe I got at kickass bbq.com. ; Which always turned out great.

I figured the butts would make good first time victims.

I picked up a 8 and 9 lb. butt yesterday at 7 am. ; did the mustard rub followed by a dry rub and put in frig.

6:30 pm placed butts on counter

8pm fired up the obs

9pm placed 9 lb. on bottom rack 8 lb on next one up. at 225 deg..

9:45 pm started 4 hr. hickory smoke.

12:30 am changed water , sprayed with apple juice and went to bed.

6am sprayed and inserted Et 73 probes. The meat is farther along than I thought it would be. After a few minutes the temps settled in the bottom 9lb. at 169 , top 8lb at 171.

7:30 am temps finally back to where they were at 6 am after the dreded lost time when you open the door.

I was planning on ftc at 1Pm to eat at 6pm. Am I on scedule or ahead? remember this is my first cook on the bradley. I figured it's beter to err on the early side rather than late!

If they are ready early can I foil them and place them in say a 100 deg oven to keep them warm until were ready to pull and eat ?

Tiny Tim · August 11, 2007, 07:02:01 AM

Well, I'm not sure if you want to hear my opinion. I did a 4# butt last weekend, rubbed it at 7P and let sit on the counter until it went into the magical Bradley Chamber at 9P. I got up at 10A and it was at 167-171 (don't remember, but right in there somewhere. Granted, my PID was set for 210 and the Maverick oven probe said 200-201 most of the times I checked it, but I only got it to 186 IT by 8:30P when I pulled it out, and since I was out of foil and the butt broke in half when I picked it up, I shredded it right away.

One advantage you have over my situation is your 225* temp. Wait for more advice if you can, but I'd kick it up another 25* if I was on a schedule. FTC is your friend, you obviously know that since you have it factored in to your plan. As for holding it after 4 hours FTC but not wanting it to cool off, 100* is barely luke warm, I'd go 150, but get some liquid in there with it before sealing it tight with foil.

Just my opinions...I reserve the right to be wrong on everything I said. ;D :P

Fair-chase · August 11, 2007, 07:17:10 AM

Sure I want your opinion as well as others.

I'ts 9:19 am and the bottom one is at 180 , and the top at 177. I actually droped my box temp to 220 at 7:30 am thinking I was ahead of scedule. With 20 deg. to go and 6 hrs to get there I think I'll let it be and see what happens.

Hope I'm right. there is a first time for everything!

Tiny Tim · August 11, 2007, 07:27:28 AM

Looks like smoker temp makes a big difference in the speed of gaining temp in the meat. ;D (I knew this, but didn't know 20 degrees would make that big of a change...I had 1 degree an hour last sunday after I got up).

Carter · August 11, 2007, 10:18:31 AM

Interesting about the time.

I'm doing Butts this weekend too. I've got a 6 & two 7's in the smoker right now. In at 10 pm last night. At noon they were at 170-180 degrees. I decided to put them back in for another 2 hours since I've got loads of time. Maybe I'll leave them until 3pm instead and then FTC them. Hopefully things workout so we're not eating too late.

Re: the Fat Cap. I've always had the Butcher cut the whole thing off. Matter of preference I guess, but there's no shortage of fat all through this cut & I have found from doing it both ways, the difference is minimal.

The first time I did one of these (it was on a Gas BBQ on indirect heat), I actually cooked the thing with the Skin Cap on as well. When the Meat was cooked, it fell off like a piece of armour.

Carter

Fair-chase · August 11, 2007, 01:22:02 PM

All the butts are now resting mine included. I never rotated the racks. wanted to see how much difference there would be between the 9 lb on the bottom and the 8lb on the rack directly above.

Bottom rack hit 195 at 12:00 pm. Moved 8 lb. to bottom rack. It hit 195 at 2:00 pm.

They were so tender when I wrapped them they were falling apart. Since it already fell apart I had to grab a chunk for a taste test. Mighty good eats!