Brisket - Fat Side Down or Up?

fat side down keep the bottom from burning but I also trim mine lean not much fat left on befor smoke
 
I've smoked probably 100 briskets over the years with the fat side up to help keep the meat moist. It's kind of like wrapping lean meat in bacon. I really don't think it matters when the heat source isn't under the meat.
 
I've probably only done about a dozen, but I start out fat side down. Once it's taken as mush smoke as I want and it's the proper color, I wrap in butcher paper and put it back on the smoker fat side up. That's worked well for me, but there are lots of good approaches.
 
How do you guys smoke Brisket? Fat side up or down?

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I trim the fat cap very thin. Smoke fat down. Then fat side up if it stalls and I wrap. 14 hr cook last weekend. Best brisket I've done in 10 years
 

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I do fat side up. Trim that layer ahead to about 1/4" so it renders out and reduces down to a chewy dark sticky bark from the rub.
If you are on an open grid you could try down but its just going to drip away. If you are in a pan on a shallow rack then the heat is going to be more on the top since the pan acts as an indirect shield.
 
I've probably only done about a dozen, but I start out fat side down. Once it's taken as mush smoke as I want and it's the proper color, I wrap in butcher paper and put it back on the smoker fat side up. That's worked well for me, but there are lots of good approaches.
I also flip mine after wrapping, but then flip it back to rest.
 
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