Fat cap totally removed, what are your thoughts?

[Christobol]

I just read the article about the fat cap by Meathead, and my initial impression leads me to think he is suggesting removing the fat cap, but his final conclusion is to leave 1/8" to 1/4". For my personal taste I avoid large fatty areas like the cap and intermusular fat, and just focus on the lean areas which of course have melted intramuscular fat. I do end up a bit disappointed that I miss out on the rub sitting on the fat cap.

So I'm wondering what your experience has been with removing the cap on any kind of meat, brisket, ribs, shoulder etc:

1) Do you feel the meat cooks too fast?
2) Does it taste a bit more dried out?
3) Do you think there is more flavor from the rub present?
4) Do you miss the fat cap flavor? (not so much for me but for others I'm cooking for)
5) Anything else you can add?

[jrobertson50]

I trim the fat almost completely off. more smoke gets to the meat that way. doesn't affect dryness at all.

[_John_]

Pulled Pork:
1) Do you feel the meat cooks too fast? No
2) Does it taste a bit more dried out? No, I always wrap though
3) Do you think there is more flavor from the rub present? Yes, with fat cap on that whole side slides right off
4) Do you miss the fat cap flavor? (not so much for me but for others I'm cooking for) I add a little butter at rest time so much of the flavor is still there
5) Anything else you can add? I have a PBC so the fat that is there mostly drips off, but when wrapping it can make that whole side soggy. I remove essentially all exterior fat, but I leave the fat that runs between the muscles so it adds flavor and moisture during cooking, then I pull out the remaining when pulling.

Keep in mind I am barely a novice.

[CandySueQ]

I cut fat off pork butts and brisket. Mainly because no smoke ring if there's fat on. I do save the "bacon" on a butt. I will cut fat off to just there, then season heavily with rub. I start off butts with fat cap down then flip after 3 hours. Reason why I'll season heavily is that much of that rub seems to disappear during the first 3 hours. I start briskets point down and flip after 3 hours as well. On butts, I'll remove membrane and silver skin as much as I can too. Just makes for a better pulled pork, IMO.

[Huskee]

I would agree with all here, on pork butts I cut ALL fat off that's reasonable to do so. On brisket I felt like I had to force myself to leave a thin fat cap, my instinct is to shave it all off. The next time I did one I shaved it all off. I trim it on roasts too. I just don't see the rationale of leaving any on- like Candy mentioned you get no smoke penetration, no seasoning penetration, very limited salt penetration, and then you just get a wad of fat on your plate when sliced. To me that's 4 negatives and only 1 hypothetical positive.

[fracmeister]

I like to leave (no more than)1/4" on the brisket fat side and cut out wads of the deckle. But even 1/8" on the fat side decreases the smoke ring to nothing. I get an awesome band of red (from the carbon monoxide of course...not the smoke!) around 3/4 of the brisket but I just cant bear to cut it all off. most people eat the little ring I leave on.

[Jerod Broussard]

Fat is flavor so I leave at least 1/8" on the fat cap and on the fat vein b/n the two brisket muscles.

Pork butt is multiple muscles and much thicker, so I remove all external fat to get more rub and bark.

[grantw]

Honestly i have gotten briskets with no fat cap and they cooked up perfect so shave it off if ya want, i have cooked at events where people love the taste of abit of fat

[Christobol]

Thanks, seems like most of the cap being removed is ideal, and taking it all off is personal preference.

[Huskee]

Thanks, seems like most of the cap being removed is ideal, and taking it all off is personal preference.

That pretty much sums it up!