Yes I know I'm stirring up a hornet's nest. I've always heard fat side up to allow it to baste the meat and keep it moist, and that's what I've always done. However, I'm also hearing that when the heat is directly below the meat like in an electric smoker it's helpful to have the fat side down as an insulator.

Anybody have any applicable experience to share here?

I always did fat side up in my old electric smoker. Never had a bad brisket come out of it.

It just doesn't matter.

[This message has been edited by HTownAg98 (edited 7/3/2013 1:56p).]

just like every other brisket cooking device..... it does not matter.

Fat side up and drink unsweet tea. Rules to live by.

Depends on the quantity of beans in your chili, if i recall correctly.

does not matter.

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_fat_caps.html

for those to lazy to click:

Meat scientist, Dr. Tony Mata, the AmazingRibs.com beef consultant, explains "Fat will not migrate into the muscle as it is cooked. First of all, the molecules are too large to squeeze in. Second, fat is mostly oil. The red stuff in meat is made from muscle and it is mostly water. Oil and water don't mix. Protein in muscle is also immiscible in fat because of its chemical configuration. Third, in most cases there is an anatomical barrier between muscle and fat cap, namely, a layer of connective tissue holding muscle groups together. It too is water based."

The AmazingRibs.com science advisor Dr. Greg Blonder adds a fourth reason: "Meat is like a protein sponge. It is fully saturated with water. There's no room for the fat to go in. As the meat cooks, water-based juices are being expelled from the interior. No way fat can swim upstream."

Consider this myth busted.

Pretty much sums it up. I did one last week with the fat side down. First one I did that way. Came out one of the best I've done. And I usually did fatside up. Go figure.

Hmm, well maybe I'll give fat side down a go. Thanks!

quote:

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I'm also hearing that when the heat is directly below the meat like in an electric smoker it's helpful to have the fat side down as an insulator

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Especially if you have it on the bottom rack and cooking a little hotter than 250.

see above

I have two 16 pounders about to go on the offset smoker in about an hour. Fat side up, of course.

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Might as well toss them on the ground and piss on them....

Seriously....post pics later. All I'm doing is spare and back ribs on the Egg

Don't get me wrong, I love my egg, but when it comes to long smokes I much prefer my offset. Besides it would be hard to fit two 16 pounders on the egg. If I could, I would certainly put them both fat side up. Heck, I might construct an apparatus that will allow me to put them one on top of the other. One fat side up and the other fat side down on top. The one on top would be a sacrificial brisket just used to get all that delicious fat down into the meat of the brisket on bottom.

Fat side up, but turn the smoker upside down. Life is about balance.

Go professional...get an HEB fully cooked, the electric smoker will not know.

Well I went fat side down. Put it on at 11:30 last night with 230 temp. It's been stuck at 165 for about 2 hours. I was prepared for that. But I think going to wrap to see if it will push on through so it will be ready in time. So far it's looking good.

OP is trolling

coal is the way to go.

So how'd it turn out??

Actually turned out really good. Slightly on the dry side, but much more moist than my previous attempts. Great flavor and bark though. I pulled it at 195. Stuck the thermometer and it slid right in so I thought it was done. That was after 16 hours though. Think I maybe should've wrapped it a little earlier. But it was still good. And once i chopped up the point and mixed it in with the rest for chopped beef sandwiches in my lunches the moisture level was fine. It was just the flat that was a little dry.









[This message has been edited by Sweet Kitten Feet (edited 7/5/2013 8:23a).]

Great article about Fat Cap UP or DOWN from Rita Olsen: https://www.bbqqueens.com/fat-cap-up-or-down/

/reddit

That's what they call the Hiroshima method

It just does matter… but its your brisket, do as you wish and that is all that really matters and I truly mean that.

crag said:

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for those to lazy to click:

Meat scientist, Dr. Tony Mata, the AmazingRibs.com beef consultant, explains "Fat will not migrate into the muscle as it is cooked. First of all, the molecules are too large to squeeze in. Second, fat is mostly oil. The red stuff in meat is made from muscle and it is mostly water. Oil and water don't mix. Protein in muscle is also immiscible in fat because of its chemical configuration. Third, in most cases there is an anatomical barrier between muscle and fat cap, namely, a layer of connective tissue holding muscle groups together. It too is water based."

The AmazingRibs.com science advisor Dr. Greg Blonder adds a fourth reason: "Meat is like a protein sponge. It is fully saturated with water. There's no room for the fat to go in. As the meat cooks, water-based juices are being expelled from the interior. No way fat can swim upstream."

Consider this myth busted.

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In conclusion, the fat cap acts as a moisture barrier trapping all the good juices in the meat as it cooks. Fat side up for the win!

I will simply say, I have never been successful in a BbQ competition using the fat side down method….

Using the fat side up method…. I literally have more trophies/ ribbons / cashed checks/ plaques
that i can count.

I am of the opinion, its your brisket, do as you wish and i wish you the best!

Happy Smoking to all!

Has anyone ever tried to solve this age old question by cooking a brisket on its side?

I was thinking the same thing, sort of like when use this rib racks when cooking several slabs of ribs simultaneously…

I have experienced Gauchos in South America cooking tri tip on a metal fence post driven into the ground

The post is then surrounded by a bed of coals…

Technically the tri tip is on it side

Not a brisket:

But I always look for a rack of ribs with a moderate amount of fat on them. For some reason, this seems to be a challenge nowadays, probably because people are fat fearing.

I score the fat on the top of the ribs about 1/4 inch apart in two directions at a minimum, cutting into the first part of the meat. Then apply the rub. They can say all they want about the water vs. fat stuff, but if you do that as I described, the water may cook out of the meat, but the fat from the scoring as mentioned finds it's way in. Can't explain it (science whatever) but every time I can find ribs with some fat on them and do the scoring those ribs are always preferred from my captive (family and friends) testing group.