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OT: Brisket. Fat cap up, or down?

T-TownDawgg

T-TownDawgg

All-Conference
Nov 4, 2015
4,734
4,706
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For any of you EZ Bake, electrified, pellet fueled gurus, don’t @ me.

My last cook went well. Scored fat cap, healthy coat of mustard, and my carefully crafted custom mix of whatever spices/rubs I had handy. Went heavy on kosher, coarse pepper, a local burger seasoning, and some Montreal Steak seasoning. Smoked with white oak medallions. Fat cap up. Kept the kamado grill between 180 and 230. As you men who don’t use pellet grills know, even some kamados at very low temps needs to be checked every 20-30 minutes, at least for the first few hours. Cooked for 9 hrs. Did not wrap. Turned out great, perhaps a tad dry, but I was going for burn ends. Nothing a little Au Jus won’t remedy.

I’m considering either trimming the fat cap off, or turning it down to retain more spices when sliced and trimmed.

Fire away.
 
DesotoCountyDawg

DesotoCountyDawg

Heisman
Nov 16, 2005
28,839
23,308
113
Fat cap down but I trim some of thicker fat off and wrap in butcher paper later in the cook and it won’t get dry.

if you’re not digging a hole in the ground and putting coals in there and turning it over a spit, then it’s not barbecue and you’re just being a puşsy**
 
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R

Raiderdawg

Sophomore
Oct 31, 2015
183
173
43
aTotal360 said:
Depends on your smoker.

If you have a pellet grill, fat cap down since the heat source is coming from the bottom. If you have an offset stick burner, fat cap up since the heat is rolling over the top of the meat.
Click to expand...

I was about to say similar. That’s exactly what Malcom Reed said in his videos overtime & following his smoking advice has never let me down.
 
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mcdawg22

mcdawg22

Heisman
Sep 18, 2004
13,483
11,637
113
DesotoCountyDawg said:
Fat cap down but I trim some of thicker fat off and wrap in butcher paper later in the cook and it won’t get dry.

if you’re not digging a hole in the ground and putting coals in there and turning it over a spit, then it’s not barbecue and you’re just being a puşsy**
Click to expand...
The Office Thank You GIF
 
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S

sigma_dawg

Junior
Sep 6, 2025
461
232
42
Took me about a dozen briskets to get it right when I moved to Texas. I only use a firebox on the side with indirect smoke. Fat side up or down? I don’t know if there’s much of a difference honestly. I think what is most important is controlling your fire. Need 200-220 degrees and be sure to burn off all impurities off wood before letting its smoke get on your meat. If you have white smoke and creosote getting on your meat, it won’t turn out good. It will taste bitter and give folks heartburn. You want that very light blue smoke, 200-220 degrees entire time 12-15 hrs and it will be glorious.

You don’t need fancy rub, just some salt and pepper and light blue smoke and it will taste incredible if done right. Putting fancy ingredients doesn’t do well in my experience. Especially when it indirect smokes for 12-15 hrs. Wrap it in pink butcher paper about halfway through and let it rest after reaching appropriate internal temp.

I wouldn’t recommend trimming. A big green egg or kamado joe or any other smoker like that won’t do as good on brisket as slow indirect smoke. Hope some of this is helpful. When I first started, my brisket probably tasted like a rubber tire. After messing up half a dozen or so and many conversations with fantastic BBQ folks.. I can finally consistently make something amazing. Every time we have a party, it disappears lightning fast and everyone loves it. Stay away from sweet bbq sauce too.
 
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DesotoCountyDawg

DesotoCountyDawg

Heisman
Nov 16, 2005
28,839
23,308
113
Raiderdawg said:
I was about to say similar. That’s exactly what Malcom Reed said in his videos overtime & following his smoking advice has never let me down.
Click to expand...
Malcolm is all about making the brisket “aerodynamic” so that the smoke rolls over it evenly. Trim thick fat and meat that sticks outside the profile of the brisket.
 
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ckDOG

ckDOG

All-American
Dec 11, 2007
10,276
6,406
113
Seinfeld said:
This reminds me of the folks that eat fried rice with chop sticks even though the fork has been around for 2000 years
Click to expand...
The scale for some of us says that eating doesn't need to be any easier. Using 2 sticks can be beneficial for that reason.
 
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Dawgbite

Dawgbite

Heisman
Nov 1, 2011
9,543
10,577
113
Trim it off before cooking so your bark is complete but as long as you’re cooking indirect it doesn’t matter but if cooking directly over the heat, fat cap down. The fat cap doesn’t add moisture to the finished cook contrary to popular belief, why cook it and 17 up your bark.
 
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T-TownDawgg

T-TownDawgg

All-Conference
Nov 4, 2015
4,734
4,706
113
Seinfeld said:
This reminds me of the folks that eat fried rice with chop sticks even though the fork has been around for 2000 years
Click to expand...
This reminds me of the folks who demonized beef tallow and substituted seed oils, even though seed oils were industrial lubricants from the Industrial Revolution til the 70s
 
Dawgbite

Dawgbite

Heisman
Nov 1, 2011
9,543
10,577
113
HailStout said:
Brisket remains my great white whale. I want to do one but just haven’t. The fact that I live with 5 women who would rather eat lettuce also makes the effort seem not worth it.
Click to expand...
A vacuum packer is your friend. A pot of boiling water and you’ll have fresh smoked brisket in under an hour.
 
Pars

Pars

All-Conference
Oct 11, 2015
1,659
2,416
113
Dawgbite said:
A vacuum packer is your friend. A pot of boiling water and you’ll have fresh smoked brisket in under an hour.
Click to expand...
Sous vide brisket? I’ve had steak
I like the way the food taste with that method but I’m just wary about cooking my food in plastic 🤷‍♂️
 
T

TheDawg-Pound

Senior
Dec 21, 2024
844
596
93
Trim the fat cap. Apply mustard and black pepper. Side of fat cap up if indirect heat. If direct put cap down. In the stall, add butcher paper. If it's ready before 12 hours, cook something less expensive next time.
 
El Perro Grande

El Perro Grande

Senior
Nov 22, 2023
267
591
93
sigma_dawg said:
Took me about a dozen briskets to get it right when I moved to Texas. I only use a firebox on the side with indirect smoke. Fat side up or down? I don’t know if there’s much of a difference honestly. I think what is most important is controlling your fire. Need 200-220 degrees and be sure to burn off all impurities off wood before letting its smoke get on your meat. If you have white smoke and creosote getting on your meat, it won’t turn out good. It will taste bitter and give folks heartburn. You want that very light blue smoke, 200-220 degrees entire time 12-15 hrs and it will be glorious.

You don’t need fancy rub, just some salt and pepper and light blue smoke and it will taste incredible if done right. Putting fancy ingredients doesn’t do well in my experience. Especially when it indirect smokes for 12-15 hrs. Wrap it in pink butcher paper about halfway through and let it rest after reaching appropriate internal temp.

I wouldn’t recommend trimming. A big green egg or kamado joe or any other smoker like that won’t do as good on brisket as slow indirect smoke. Hope some of this is helpful. When I first started, my brisket probably tasted like a rubber tire. After messing up half a dozen or so and many conversations with fantastic BBQ folks.. I can finally consistently make something amazing. Every time we have a party, it disappears lightning fast and everyone loves it. Stay away from sweet bbq sauce too.
Click to expand...
This plus use post oak or pecan.
 
R

ronpolk

All-American
May 6, 2009
9,397
5,301
113
Pars said:
Sous vide brisket? I’ve had steak
I like the way the food taste with that method but I’m just wary about cooking my food in plastic 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
I don’t use the sous vide to cook the brisket but I do for a long heated rest. Cook the brisket as you normally would then vacuum seal and sous vide at about 150 for as long as you want. I usually let it go overnight. I’m convinced this is the secret for a good brisket. I know most good bbq places cook briskets the night before and have them in food warmers overnight.

Try it and I promise you won’t ever not do it.
 
R

ronpolk

All-American
May 6, 2009
9,397
5,301
113
sigma_dawg said:
Took me about a dozen briskets to get it right when I moved to Texas. I only use a firebox on the side with indirect smoke. Fat side up or down? I don’t know if there’s much of a difference honestly. I think what is most important is controlling your fire. Need 200-220 degrees and be sure to burn off all impurities off wood before letting its smoke get on your meat. If you have white smoke and creosote getting on your meat, it won’t turn out good. It will taste bitter and give folks heartburn. You want that very light blue smoke, 200-220 degrees entire time 12-15 hrs and it will be glorious.

You don’t need fancy rub, just some salt and pepper and light blue smoke and it will taste incredible if done right. Putting fancy ingredients doesn’t do well in my experience. Especially when it indirect smokes for 12-15 hrs. Wrap it in pink butcher paper about halfway through and let it rest after reaching appropriate internal temp.

I wouldn’t recommend trimming. A big green egg or kamado joe or any other smoker like that won’t do as good on brisket as slow indirect smoke. Hope some of this is helpful. When I first started, my brisket probably tasted like a rubber tire. After messing up half a dozen or so and many conversations with fantastic BBQ folks.. I can finally consistently make something amazing. Every time we have a party, it disappears lightning fast and everyone loves it. Stay away from sweet bbq sauce too.
Click to expand...
I bet people love attending your bbq…. What could be better than brisket while gathered around the tv watching softball and women’s basketball*****
 
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Villagedawg

Villagedawg

All-Conference
Nov 16, 2005
2,333
2,356
113
T-TownDawgg said:
This reminds me of the folks who demonized beef tallow and substituted seed oils, even though seed oils were industrial lubricants from the Industrial Revolution til the 70s
Click to expand...
Water is really a coolant for internal combustion engines and nuclear reactors. Don’t believe big Noxupater Water Association lies about it being a “safe” chemical!
 
M

macpappy

Redshirt
Aug 8, 2010
119
33
28
I really don’t think it matters either way. What does matter is that you understand when to pull it and you have got to let it rest. I let mine rest at least 2 hours wrapped in a cooler packed with a towel.
It’s been my experience every brisket is different about when to pull. The temp probe has to slide in like it’s going into hot butter. Some briskets that’s 195….some over 205.
A brisket is my favorite cut to smoke.
 
Dawgbite

Dawgbite

Heisman
Nov 1, 2011
9,543
10,577
113
Pars said:
Sous vide brisket? I’ve had steak
I like the way the food taste with that method but I’m just wary about cooking my food in plastic 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
Smoke the brisket and eat what you want fresh. You then divide the remaining brisket into meal size portions and freeze it. When you want fresh brisket just get a pack out of the freezer and put pack and all in a pot of boiling water for 30-45 minutes if frozen, less time if thawed. You can’t tell the difference from meat fresh off the grill.
 
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