Fat Cap UP, or Fat Cap DOWN?


 
~Mark~

~Mark~

TVWBB Pro
I've always done my Pork Butts and Briskets with the fat cap up using it as a free basting material.
I just read a post where someone said they always put the fat cap down so I started wondering what everyone else does and why.
 
Fat down toward the fire, brisket whole time, but fat cap side of butts down at least 2/3rds of the cook. I haven't always done it, but flipping them once or twice is probably a good thing. Otherwise, fat down whole time. Even if the fatcap side starts to fall apart, it's a lot more forgiving than the other side and will be slower to dry out. I'll trim the cap a little and/or score it, and usually it crisps up nicely to mix in with the butt, especially if not using water or cooking much under 250. It's the very best bark you'll get if rendered crisp. From now on you can bet I'll be looking at it in the store to make sure it's not too trimmed...just the opposite from if I was planning on foiling.
 
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For the briskets, mine are always fat cap down. Same reason as James.
For pork butt, I fully trim off all exterior fat, but position it so the MM is in the top most part.
 
I won't ever trim another fat cap off I think it makes a considerable difference in the results of how anything I've cooked turns out without the fat cap I feel the product isn't near as moist
 
I did my first / only brisket fat cap up on the top grate and the bottom 1/8" was dried out and the knife wouldn't cut it. Fat cap down for me next time.
 
Dave Russell said:
Care to elaborate?
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Brisket fat cap down=my bark and smoke ring turn out better. The bark has better texture this way (for me).

Pork Butt fat cap up=allows the fat to render from the top threw the meat. I don’t care if the bark sticks to the grate. I am more worried if the pork is juicy or not.

This is just my opinion! I have done test runs, and this is what I came up. Only thing I can say is to do test runs, and see what you think is good BBQ to your own eyes and taste buds.
 
Ryan P.K. said:
Brisket fat cap down=my bark and smoke ring turn out better. The bark has better texture this way (for me).

Pork Butt fat cap up=allows the fat to render from the top threw the meat. I don’t care if the bark sticks to the grate. I am more worried if the pork is juicy or not.

This is just my opinion! I have done test runs, and this is what I came up. Only thing I can say is to do test runs, and see what you think is good BBQ to your own eyes and taste buds.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Ryan. I haven't smoked 'em fat up much since my first stickburner, so good to know both ways can work on the wsm.
 
Ryan I think just the opposite I think anything should be fat cap down that takes several hours to do allows meat to cook more evenly and holds moisture from escaping out bottom I tried my first several butts fat cap up and none of them were near as good as having fat cap down so just like everyone says different strokes for different folks
 
Caps down for me. I like the barrier between the heats. Also better bark, IMO. If I want to baste something w fat, I'll get a piece from the butcher and put it over what I'm smoking.
 
Matter of opinion and much debate. I trim it to around 1/4" and face the cap down on brisket. As indicated here earlier, the meat side can get a little tough down if you're not one who foils (I foil). I don't really care much when it comes to butts.

Regardless, the fat doesn't penetrate the meat when it renders so it all ends up in the pan/foil/water.
 
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