Fat cap up or down ?

[wittdog]

I know this has been touched on in a number of threads but inquiring minds want to know ? Do you cook your brisket/butts fat cap up or fat cap down? Do you flip it sometime during the cook? And most importantly why do you do what you do? Please include the type of smoker you are using?

 

[Captain Morgan]

I'd flip if I weren't so lazy.

 

[Puff1]

Fat cap up, it keeps the meat moist.
Flip it half way thruogh for a few hrs., to help build up the bark.
Char Griller

 

[Bill The Grill Guy]

Fat side up and let them juices flow through the meat. YUMMY! =P~ I also score the fat. Helps it render.

 

[wittdog]

Fat side up and let them juices flow through the meat. YUMMY! =P~ I also score the fat. Helps it render.

That's a good tip thanks Bill.

 

[Larry D.]

Fat cap up, and I don't flip them at all, cooking on a WSM.

 

[Uncle Bubba]

Cap down for about half the time then flip for a few then back down again.

 

[cleglue]

Fat down on a brisket. On butts sometimes down sometimes up.

 

[WalterSC]

I know this has been touched on in a number of threads but inquiring minds want to know ? Do you cook your brisket/butts fat cap up or fat cap down? Do you flip it sometime during the cook? And most importantly why do you do what you do? Please include the type of smoker you are using?

Start fat cap up , flip halfway . Helps with retaing juices. 55 gallon drum modified smoker with side fire box.

 

[Guest]

Lately, I've been doing my briskets without water in the pan. Without water I start fat cap down to protect from heat. Then I follow the rule of half.

That "Rule of Half" really sounds interesting ~ Gonna have to try it. I do think it get's a little busy near the end though... :!:

 

[JohnnyReb]

fat cap up, why? well thats just how i do it

Great outdoors smokey mountain

char griller w/sfb

 

[Thom Emery]

Cap down 2 hours then up then down BDS cooking ya needs ta turn the meat

 

[wittdog]

I know this has been touched on in a number of threads but inquiring minds want to know ? Do you cook your brisket/butts fat cap up or fat cap down? Do you flip it sometime during the cook? And most importantly why do you do what you do? Please include the type of smoker you are using?

Start fat cap up , flip halfway . Helps with retaing juices. 55 gallon drum modified smoker with side fire box.

I never thought about it in that way.....I'll have to try it. I've always done mine fat cap up on Buford, and only did them once of the WSM and I did one of each on the top rack. I prefered the one with the cap up.

 

[Guest]

I've done butts both ways and I've found that all of the fat cap doesn't render during the cook. I prefer to cook butts fat cap down because of this and also, since I don't rotate or flip them, some of the bark sticks to the grate and I prefer that the fat cap stick rather than the good bark. =P~ I voted fat cap down.

 

[wittdog]

I've done butts both ways and I've found that all of the fat cap doesn't render during the cook. I prefer to cook butts fat cap down because of this and also, since I don't rotate or flip them, some of the bark sticks to the grate and I prefer that the fat cap stick rather than the good bark. =P~ I voted fat cap down.

What about starting them cap down, and then flipping when the meat/bark is firm and will not stick to the grate as much? :-k

 

[Guest]

I've done butts both ways and I've found that all of the fat cap doesn't render during the cook. I prefer to cook butts fat cap down because of this and also, since I don't rotate or flip them, some of the bark sticks to the grate and I prefer that the fat cap stick rather than the good bark. =P~ I voted fat cap down.

What about starting them cap down, and then flipping when the meat/bark is firm and will not stick to the grate as much? :-k

Well that might work but I really like snackin' on the grates after slavin' over the WSM for 20 or 22 hours. =P~ =P~ Seriously, I like the way it works this way and haven't seen any reason to change. Don't fix what ain't broke... :!:

 

[Cliff H.]

I know this has been touched on in a number of threads but inquiring minds want to know ? Do you cook your brisket/butts fat cap up or fat cap down? Do you flip it sometime during the cook? And most importantly why do you do what you do? Please include the type of smoker you are using?

Start fat cap up , flip halfway . Helps with retaing juices. 55 gallon drum modified smoker with side fire box.

I would like to see how that works. Got Pics?

Fat side up the way I was taught. I have an offset smoker made from a butane tank in the back of mind.

 

[WalterSC]

[
I would like to see how that works. Got Pics?

Fat side up the way I was taught. I have an offset smoker made from a butane tank in the back of mind.[/quote]


email me at web323sc@aol.com , I can send ya pics eaiser and fast that way!! JUst put the words BBQ smoker in the subject line.

 

[john pen]

I wonder if it would be possable to take a brisket and put some sort of food coloring on the fatcap, to see if it really renders down into the meat or if it just lays on top. Im a big fan of the cap up, but Im curious if it really does get into the meat as it "melts"...

Bill Nye ???

 

[Captain Morgan]

John that sounds like a hell of a good experiment. I've been known
to jaccard my fat cap to help the fat get into the meat.