Time To Get Serious About Smoking; Brisket Fat Side Up Or Down?

[shanez]

I make a somewhat reasonable smoked brisket. To be honest though, while it's good served traditionally, it is really good when cooled, thin sliced on a deli slicer, and made into sammiches.

So in the never ending quest of improvement I've been researching recipes. Said research turns up the usual differences of opinion which, in my opinion, are a matter of preference. Thinks like species of wood chips, rub mix, etc.

One surprising thing I found was, on occasion, some say the initial smoke should be fat side up while others say fat side down.

So what say you, fat side up or fat side down?

 

[python]

You have to go up! You need to get all that juicy goodness drizzling down into the meat.

It's elementary my dear Watson!

 

[mso489]

python said it.

 

[tbradsim1]

Up, juice trickles down, I put it on an open aluminum foil and spoon every once the juice over it Also if you’re on a pit, put a small amount of water in small pan, steam helps the meat to tenderize.

 

[niblicck]

python said it.

Word UP!

 

[musicman]

Up! You don't want all that fat dripping down into the smoker. You want it to permeate the meat as much as possible.

MMMM...meat fat is gooooood!

 

[jhowell]

Up

 

[dmcmtk]

Chef Dave says up.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Great topic!
I’d agree with everyone else on up. But, when I do an all traditional chatteaubriand, I put it in the bottom, but, because I’m not smoking it, I’m using cast iron, and the fat goes up as it bakes. Or, that is how I’m told.

 

[warren]

I want the fat flavoring the meat so, top side. I also want the fat dripping into the sizzling hot drip pan when smoking, steaming up and back into the meat. I serve brisket "Texas" style. I want it fall apart tender, hard to slice and served with a full salad which would be a simple, snappy dill pickle. Maybe a bit of bread for mopping up and, absolutely no sauce to reduce the taste of a properly smoked and spiced brisket.

 

[wyfbane]

...absolutely no sauce to reduce the taste of a properly smoked and spiced brisket.

Agreed. I get twitchy when anyone reaches for a sauce for my brisket. Luckliy it doesn't happen very often. I make a quite passable brisket for person outside the "Magic BBQ Zone."

 

[ashdigger]

For smoking it goes up.

What are you, a barbarian?

 

[anotherbob]

I don't care. It's your brisket.

 

[chilipalmer]

Fat side up. Every. Single. Time. The only reason to cook a brisket fat side down would be because you hate yourself are are living on a diet of beef flavored sand.

Cheers,

Chili

 

[warren]

I've quit taking it personally when a silly cretin slathers a few choice cuts of my brisket with a sauce. I even provide it for those who want such. I just never invite them back when serving brisket.

 

[stokesdale]

I make a somewhat reasonable smoked brisket. To be honest though, while it's good served traditionally, it is really good when cooled, thin sliced on a deli slicer, and made into sammiches.

So in the never ending quest of improvement I've been researching recipes. Said research turns up the usual differences of opinion which, in my opinion, are a matter of preference. Thinks like species of wood chips, rub mix, etc.

One surprising thing I found was, on occasion, some say the initial smoke should be fat side up while others say fat side down.

So what say you, fat side up or fat side down?

Trim the fat off, period; fat on that part of the steer does not improve the flavor of the meat and actually detracts from it. We aren't talking fat in a ribeye or something, we are talking fat that is next to a working muscle so trim it off. A brisket has plenty of connective tissue inside it to break down and give it flavor.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ha ha, funny how we can all be in agreeance, but still find some aspect to bicker over. Smoking meat is a long slow process, but you are supposed to keep adding water to make steam while it cooks. I'll wager that the steam makes more a difference on the moisture of the meat over fat drippings. But yeh, putting it fat side up in a smoker seems to be the choice that makes the most sense... except removing the fat altogether.... that makes sense also, and sounds healthier.
Also, fat could hinder the absorption of the smoke. Not speaking as an expert, just a dabbler in the smokey arts.

 

[smokiespipesmoker123]

I would add that a brisket should be basted (mop) while smoking with a flavorful liquid

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I would add that a brisket should be basted (mop) while smoking with a flavorful liquid

I think that basting would definitely keep moisture stirred up in the smoker. But, for the last few years on the Test Kitchens show, they've been advocating against basting liquids directly on the meats. They explore the science of cooking, and say that basting doesn't add as much flavor directly to the meats as thought, and washes away many of the flavors developing from the smoke and heating process. But, not basting a turkey just seems like neglect to me, ha ha.

 

[admin]

I interviewed Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe, and asked him this question. If you don't know him, he is a celebrity pit master that has won tons of BBQ competitions over a few decades, and is in the BBQ Hall of Fame. His answer was:

"It depends on your cooker. You want the fat to face the direct heat. If I'm cooking on a Big Green Egg with a deflector in between, the direct fire is coming from underneath, fat down. If I'm cooking on an offset smoker, where the fire is coming over, and over the top, I'm going to go with fat up."