Smoked brisket- fat side up or down?

[idahorn 26]

I have done several fat side up briskets on my BGE with a rub and a vinegar-broth+ mop.  They turned out great.  A friend has a Komode Joe and insists on fat side down.  There could well be other factors involved, but the flat on his brisket seemed a bit dry to me.  Five of us ordered some 'Q two weeks in advance from Franklin in Austin back in October.  I was real nice to the cashier lady and she asked if we would like to visit the smoker room!!  I asked the guy in charge of the smoking that day about fat up or down and he said it depends upon whether you are after taste (up) or health (down).

The Egg type cookers are not purely indirect heat (like Franklin) but should be buffered with what BGE calls a 'plate setter' and a water pan (?).  I wanted to do an A/B comparison with my friend, with two briskets and the only variable being the fat location, but the various schedules didn't work out (we are talking about game-watching opportunities).  My friend's KJ is huge so we could do two at a time.  Hopefully next year.

Anyway, I am soliciting opinions from this board.

[Landomatic 3813]

Too bad there’s not an all things brisket thread.

delete, ban, 50

[HenryJames 66038]

Up unless you’re regarded.

[Upgrayedd 5810]

How much liquid smoke are you using?  That will make a difference.

[smoothlonghorn 83]

Off to the Surly start that I would expect (and know and love). Ida, I am as far from an expert as there could be, but in my limited experience (and attempt at a somewhat serious answer), fat-side up has always made a significant difference in keeping the meat (all types) more tender and flavorful. <Insert my/South Austin's mom joke here>

Edited December 7, 2019 by smoothlonghorn

[Henry Hill 3156]

Up. With extra butterfingers and ranch dressing.

[Landomatic 3813]

Depends...are you doing it in the oven or crock pot?

[elfenix 34223]

did you cut it in half first?  that's important

[utee94 15807]

Up or down doesn't matter, if you're doing it sous vide.

 

 

[Baboontyme 2809]

I've never heard of many of these terms so hard to say. What's a brisket. Like at Arby's?

[HenryJames 66038]

I trim the fat off before I cook it tbh.

[RPM 26317]

I've always heard fat side to the fire. Using indirect heat (smoking) that would be fat side up. I am not a world renound chef.

[Steel Shank 9421]

1 hour ago, HenryJames said:

I trim the fat off before I cook it tbh.

I like me some trim.

[Neonmoon 38129]

Tell me more about this vinegar mop you apply

[deft 6839]

Are you going to be out of town on a recording session?  That'll determine how your wife cooks it.

[PantsTent 2002]

Fat side up with a metal turkey pan upside down

[TornACL 7698]

5 hours ago, idahorn said:

I asked the guy in charge of the smoking that day about fat up or down and he said it depends upon whether you are after taste (up) or health (down).

I think he was fucking with you, or just giving you a completely bullshit answer since he's so tired of answering that question. 

[jimmyjazz 45889]

Subway does fat side up, so that's how I do it too.

[Deej 76755]

34 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Subway does fat side up, so that's how I do it too.

 

[Stunns38 3460]

did you cut it in half first?  that's important

Before or after you soak it for 30 days in corned beef brine?

[Steel Shank 9421]

Raise your hand if you like laying pipe.

[RollLeft 5040]

Are you crowdsourcing to start a new business?  

[ChickenSandwich 9828]

[ChickenSandwich 9828]

Ask yourself a question. Does fat add flavor. If yes, why would you be dropping that flavor into a water bowl or heat plate as opposed to letting it melt on top of the meat?  
 

Ever spooned butter on to a steak while cooking?  

[Anastasis 23463]

17 hours ago, HenryJames said:

I trim the fat off before I cook it tbh.

I do this right before I serve it, when I am trimming off all the bark and fat. 

[Hank_Hill 18793]

It don't make a shit.

[Jerry Callo 8698]

I have great results balancing the brisket on its side - almost certain that's how Franklin's does it.

[Baboontyme 2809]

My Groker will only fit briskets on fat cap down so that's usually what I do. 

[AustinMT 952]

I slice the uncooked brisket into individual slices, then lay each flat on the smoker

Edited December 8, 2019 by AustinMT

[Continental Op 3934]

4 hours ago, RollLeft said:

Are you crowdsourcing to start a new business?  

No mention of Competition Style BBQ was made.  I wonder what happened to that guy.  He really liked engaging in digital panhandling on Shaggy.  

[idahorn 26]

Tree fiddy: The mop is composed of cider vinegar, beef broth, peanut oil, garlic powder, chile powder, paprika, dry mustard,  ground bay leaf, Tabasco, and Lea & Perrins.  Very thin consistency; I could probably spray it on and may try that next time to reduce loss of the rub. My opinion is that the vinegar helps to dissolve the fat.

My rub is 2 parts each black pepper and paprika, 1 part salt.  All that is followed by a table sauce that takes me back to the 1950's-I got the recipes from Linda West Eckhardt's The Only Texas Cookbook.  Key ingredients there are the dry mustard and vinegar.  The result has plenty of whang. Also works on country style pork ribs barbecued 'cowboy style' on raft trips.

I use the water pan as a heat sink, actually have a sheet pan beneath the meat which is on a roasting rack.  May have some liquid smoke somewhere in the back of the pantry, but I can't remember when I may have used it.

I don't have a sous vide, but I got one for my son for Christmas last year.

Edited December 8, 2019 by idahorn

[HornPhD 1368]

If you get one with fat on both sides, it won’t matter

[Steel Shank 9421]

3 hours ago, idahorn said:

Tree fiddy: The mop is composed of cider vinegar, beef broth, peanut oil, garlic powder, chile powder, paprika, dry mustard,  ground bay leaf, Tabasco, and Lea & Perrins.  Very thin consistency; I could probably spray it on and may try that next time to reduce loss of the rub. My opinion is that the vinegar helps to dissolve the fat.

My rub is 2 parts each black pepper and paprika, 1 part salt.  All that is followed by a table sauce that takes me back to the 1950's-I got the recipes from Linda West Eckhardt's The Only Texas Cookbook.  Key ingredients there are the dry mustard and vinegar.  The result has plenty of whang. Also works on country style pork ribs barbecued 'cowboy style' on raft trips.

I use the water pan as a heat sink, actually have a sheet pan beneath the meat which is on a roasting rack.  May have some liquid smoke somewhere in the back of the pantry, but I can't remember when I may have used it.

I don't have a sous vide, but I got one for my son for Christmas last year.

This would seem to be the opposite of a minimalist effort.

[Quasimofo 406]

Rotisserie.

1.Welder
2. Rebar
3. Electric ice cream maker (mounted to side of smoker)
4. You get that smoke vortex going...
5. Profit

[Rholl 217]

Heres my go to.... indirect heat..fat side up

heat below (BGE etc.). fat side down.

 

[ZB'Tejas 593]

21 hours ago, Anastasis said:

I do this right before I serve it, when I am trimming off all the bark and fat. 

Like you're dancing with the brisket...

[Anastasis 23463]

12 minutes ago, ZB'Tejas said:

Like you're dancing with the brisket...

Don’t Vic Mackey me bro. 

[utee94 15807]

2 hours ago, ZB'Tejas said:

Like you're dancing with the brisket...

Exactly.  You might not know, but @Anastasis's native American name is "Dances with Brisket."

 

 

[High Plains Drifter 11031]

Wait, you're not supposed to flip it every five minutes?

[ZB'Tejas 593]

16 minutes ago, High Plains Drifter said:

Wait, you're not supposed to flip it every five minutes?

4-5 minutes per side for medium rare I believe

[Landomatic 3813]

18 minutes ago, High Plains Drifter said:

Wait, you're not supposed to flip it every five minutes?

Yeah and also pro tip: just go ahead and leave the lid open between flips.  Really no need to keep opening and closing it.  I‘ve found it becomes a huge beating by about hour 2 when you have to keep opening and closing the damn lid.  Much easier to just leave it open.

[jimmyjazz 45889]

11 minutes ago, ZB'Tejas said:

4-5 minutes per side for medium rare I believe

I like to use the feeling of my penis in various stages of erection as a guide to rare, medium rare, through well done.  It might not be completely hygienic.

[Mack Tripper 696]

20 hours ago, idahorn said:

The result has plenty of whang.

I bet it does. 

[Deej 76755]

Cook in an Instant Pot, fat side down, then finish off in an air fryer.

[Kyrie Eleison 9312]

21 hours ago, idahorn said:

Tree fiddy: The mop is composed of cider vinegar, beef broth, peanut oil, garlic powder, chile powder, paprika, dry mustard,  ground bay leaf, Tabasco, and Lea & Perrins.  Very thin consistency; I could probably spray it on and may try that next time to reduce loss of the rub. My opinion is that the vinegar helps to dissolve the fat.

My rub is 2 parts each black pepper and paprika, 1 part salt.  All that is followed by a table sauce that takes me back to the 1950's-I got the recipes from Linda West Eckhardt's The Only Texas Cookbook.  Key ingredients there are the dry mustard and vinegar.  The result has plenty of whang. Also works on country style pork ribs barbecued 'cowboy style' on raft trips.

I use the water pan as a heat sink, actually have a sheet pan beneath the meat which is on a roasting rack.  May have some liquid smoke somewhere in the back of the pantry, but I can't remember when I may have used it.

I don't have a sous vide, but I got one for my son for Christmas last year.

[pepper brooks 580]

On 12/7/2019 at 3:50 PM, idahorn said:

I have done several fat side up briskets on my BGE with a rub and a vinegar-broth+ mop.  They turned out great.  A friend has a Komode Joe and insists on fat side down.  There could well be other factors involved, but the flat on his brisket seemed a bit dry to me.  Five of us ordered some 'Q two weeks in advance from Franklin in Austin back in October.  I was real nice to the cashier lady and she asked if we would like to visit the smoker room!!  I asked the guy in charge of the smoking that day about fat up or down and he said it depends upon whether you are after taste (up) or health (down).

The Egg type cookers are not purely indirect heat (like Franklin) but should be buffered with what BGE calls a 'plate setter' and a water pan (?).  I wanted to do an A/B comparison with my friend, with two briskets and the only variable being the fat location, but the various schedules didn't work out (we are talking about game-watching opportunities).  My friend's KJ is huge so we could do two at a time.  Hopefully next year.

Anyway, I am soliciting opinions from this board.

generally it depends.  I have a tejas smoker with a center fire box with a water reservoir between the heat fire box and the smoking chamber.  If I had to do them one way I would simply do them fat down to act as another barrier between the heat source and the meat.  What I actually do it rotate it and flip it every hour to ensure an even cooking, and no one side exposed to any potential pit falls too soon.  The whole thought that the "fat side up, the fat melts through the meat keeping it moist" is mostly bullshit according to John Fullilove.