The fat cap serves many purposes.  It can add flavor to the meat during the BBQ process.  It can help keep the meat tender while cooking.  It can be used to protect the meat while over direct heat.  And some people like to eat it.

For BBQ discussions we are usually referring to the fat cap on a pork butt/shoulder or brisket.

When trimming meat we like to leave about 1/4 inch of the fat cap on.

Some people will score the fat cap to allow the rub and juices to get down into the fat.

Fat Cap UP or DOWN When Cooking?

A big question about the fat cap is “should the fat cap be on top or bottom while cooking?”.

Some people put it down to protect the meat from burning while others swear by keeping it on top to help baste the meat.  And some will start it up or down then flip it during the cook.

Just like many other BBQ topics, there are many opinions on this subject and we recommend trying it both ways and deciding for yourself.

The post Fat Cap appeared first on BBQ Dictionary.

The original Fatty was just a 1 pound sausage log sprinkled in rub and smoked.

But it has evolved into a more complex BBQ treat.

A 1 pound sausage log is rolled flat in a 1 gallon ziploc bag.  Then the stuffing is placed on the sausage which the gets rolled back up.  Next a 6 by 6 bacon weave is wrapped around the sausage.  BBQ rub is then sprinkled on and the Fatty is smoked until the insides reach 165 F and the bacon is crisped.

THESE ARE DELICIOUS!

The stuffing is only limited to your imagination.  Here’s a few examples….

A breakfast fatty could be stuffed with scrambled eggs, cheese, onions, potatoes and peppers.

A cheesesteak fatty could be stuffed with thinly sliced steak, provolone cheese, mushrooms, peppers and onions.

A Greek fatty could be stuffed with spinach leaves, onions, and feta cheese.

The post Fatty appeared first on BBQ Dictionary.

These mats are great for cooking food that falls apart or sticks to the grill grates like fish and vegetables.  Frogmats are also useful for grilling smaller item that might fall through your BBQ grates.

Frogmats are designed to be used for indirect cooking and not over direct flames.  In our use of them we found it OK if the direct fire is below the mats but the frogmats will burn off their coating in very high heat or if the flame is directly touching the mat.

Overall these are a great product with many uses.  They clean easily just a quick scrub or toss in the dishwasher.

You can buy a big piece or roll and cut to size for your specific BBQ needs.

The post Frogmats appeared first on BBQ Dictionary.

The added rest time is often considered critical to a good product for pork butt or shoulder and brisket but with all things BBQ it is subjective to your own personal theories and preferences.  A 30 minute rest would be a minimum goal and a 2 hour rest would be a good mark to shoot for if you have time, but use the FTC to your advantage – if your meat is done earlier than planned all will be cool (or coolered) and it makes traveling with your cooked Q easy and it will be ready when you get there.

A tip for using FTC in cold weather is to add a couple gallons of hot tap water to your cooler prior to using it to hold the meat.  Let the water rest in the cooler for a half hour or so to get the cooler temperature up and then drain the water and wipe dry; it is now ready to hold your cooked meat and will hold it for a longer period of time.

Towels or blankets are often placed in the bottom of the cooler and then again on top of the meat to fill the empty space adding an additional insulating effect.

The FTC technique is not to be confused with the Texas Crutch which is a technique using foil during the cooking process.

The post FTC (Foil, Towel, Cooler) appeared first on BBQ Dictionary.