Butt Fat Rendering

Former Member

I'm getting ready to smoke my first Butt on my recently purchased smokette. I was wondering if most people trim any fat before starting or leave it as is? Also, I've always heard of the fat rendering out on a long, slow cook. When you smoke the butt for, as I've read here, 17 - 20 hours or more, when you pull the pork is all the fat rendered, or is there some that still needs to be separated. I guess I would find out when I'm done, but I was curious what to expect.

6/7/078:24 PM

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taktezTo err is human, to smoke is divine.

I asked Dr BBQ that very same question a number of years ago and he said, "I don't trim nothin'." Good advice from a real pro.

Yes you'll have some fat to trim after the cook or if you're the Emeril Lagasse type and "pork fat rules" then you might want to leave some. I prefer to remove all of it.

Good luck with your first butt.

6/7/078:52 PM

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Former Member

there is still a little fat to be seperated. i leave the whole fat cap on mine & pull it off @ the end. This lets all the fat baste the meat. By the way my butts are going ~ 15 hrs. Just did 48lbs in the Amerique monday, went in @ 1:30 @ 225, turned to 250 @ midnight & the oven clicked to hold @ 5:00. was up @ 6:00 & the meat was pulled & ready to go by 8:00.

6/7/078:52 PM

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Former Member

I leave all the fat in when I pull the meat. Pulled pork sammiches are supposed to be fatty. Alot of the flavor is in the fat.

6/7/0710:38 PM

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thousandoakieMember

You'll run into some 'unrendered' pockets of fat, and a bit of yucchy stuff between the muscle layers that you will certainly know to not serve...you know, enough fat is enough. But I think it will be obvious to you what to scrap/scrape and what to eat.

The fat will be reduced a whole lot, but you'll still have some to get rid of...you'll know!

6/8/072:37 AM

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wheelzSmmmmoooookin'!

quote:
Originally posted by GLH:
I leave all the fat in when I pull the meat. Pulled pork sammiches are supposed to be fatty. Alot of the flavor is in the fat.

I agree that the fat adds flavor but it's my opinion that once the meat is cooked any excess fat should be removed. Finding a wad of fat in my sammich is gross - especially knowing that I may be gnawing on the much dreaded Butt Gland. The gland is not harmful. I just choose to remove it (hopefully!).

Do whatever floats your boat!