brisket question

[Kevin Thomas]

I've always heard and read that one should smoke a brisket with the fat side up so the fat and go back into the meat to keep it moist. Now lately I read where you should smoke a brisket with the fat side down. What are the reasons and/or advantages of smoking it fat side down? Thanks!!

 

[Doug D]

The thinking recently, in competition barbecue circles, is that having the fat-side down during the cook prevents an undesirable hard crustiness on the bottom of the brisket. One would also have to believe, in that case, that the melting fat cap is of neglible value as a self-basting mechanism. Traditionalists would say cook fat-side up, and any bottom crust will be softened by resting in foil. In any case, I don't think the fat from the cap really penetrates the meat.

 

[Jim Minion]

Kevin
Cooking competition to score regularly you need techniques that are repeatable. I and others have found that cooking fat side down give us the best repeatable results. It protects the lean side from direct heat of a vertical cooker keeping dry crusting you find cooking fat side up to a minimum.
Jim

 

[Dale Perry]

I cook alot more butts than briskets bu I tried it Jims way "fat side down" and liked the results. Ive cooked them that way ever since.

 

[Chris Finney]

Same here. Fat side down from now on. It's worked so far.