Is it wise to put a brisket fat side up on WSM

[Kimo1]

"Now I'm using a WSM and remember when I tried fat side up on my old drum smoker I made I thought it was more tender but dryer tasting on the bark or what was left of it after the seasoning fell off and grill marks."

I cook fat side up on the WSM and always have the water pan in place (with or without water) as a shield. The grill marks aren't really grill marks (my experience). It is just an indentation of the grates from the weight of the meat and not noticeable after slicing. Also, the cap holds moisture in. So, if evaporation moves up away from the meat, the cap should help hold it in a bit (when cap up). Little more juicy? Maybe.


"I'm not convinced the fat renders so much it goes into the meat that deep"

Agreed. The fat will not render into the meat. Fat=oil and meat=water. It will not penetrate the meat. Maybe baste the sides slightly?

"He also slices his briskets fat side up....never occurred to me to try that. Much difference for those that do?"

Never tried. I like to see where I'm slicing.

"He also uses mustard for slather. No on this one for me. I think it creates too much of a burnt taste and think it's harder for the rub to penetrate the meat. So I stopped using mustard or oil for those reasons."

Some swear by it. To help hold the rub on or to get the little bit of tenderizing effect from mustard. Never used oil and can't say I noticed enough of a difference when I did use mustard.

So, with all this said. Personal preference

 

[nachos4life]

busted out the WSM yesterday for a brisket which i hadn't done in a while. Fat cap always down for me.

 

[dalelovelace]

I cook mine in a 1/2 steam pan, with no wire rack under them, fat side down until 165, then flip the brisket and cover in foil to 201.

 

[lastmajordude]

SPOG, cook Fatside up (Aaron Franklin), wrap by color, rest by feel. As someone who has only cooked a handful of briskets I kept it simple but VERY PROUD of the fact that a novice like me hasn’t had a bad experience yet.......now the slice I don’t know what is best....I need to give that some thought and listen to the sage’s on here........

 

[aerotech11]

I do not have a wsm but on my stick burner I will cook my brisket fat side up. Always have good results. I will trim most of the fat but leave a thin layer over the flat.

 

[W.I.T.W.A.G?]

I primarily go fat side down regardless of cooker unless I am in a direct heat situation (close to FB on an OS), then I go fat between the meat and heat.
Fat down is my default because I figure I'm going to lose some to the grate and I would rather it be fat than meat and I like the bark better when I go fat side down.

 

[fwdiii]

I go fat down regardless of heat source and fat up when wrapped in bp.

Same here!!

 

[Steve S]

Fat side down on the WSM is what I have always done.

 

[70monte]

I was taught to go fat cap down and that is how I've always done it. I also use mustard as well.

Wayne

 

[minAL]

I go fat up. That’s what I’ve always done. Read on this site from Texans that you’re supposed to do it fat side down. So said to myself, “what does someone from Alabama know about brisket?” Tried it fat down. It was not bad, but I still cook nekkid fat side up.

 

[minAL]

Just a clarification, I cook the brisket nekkid.

 

[Q_Done_Right]

I’ve had the best results doing whole packer briskets fat side UP on my WSM’s. Go figure. I use the water pan with water and wrap with butcher paper when I get the color/bark I’m looking for (usually around 175ish). I always return it fat side down until finished.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

No water for me on the WSM and fat side down.

Did this all night cook that way.

Here is the whole cook thread:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=254278

 

[zmhill]

Just a clarification, I cook the brisket nekkid.

Probably warm enough in Bama to do your cooks nekkid year round, huh? [emoji14]

Zack

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[zmhill]

I've also been doing my briskets fat side down, as I've got a vertical smoker and subscribe to whole "protect it from the heat" idea. I think I'll try flipping to fat up once I wrap next time in BP, as some of you seem to do this as well. Is your reasoning to allow it to self baste a little bit once it's wrapped and no longer needs the extra heat shield?

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[pjtexas1]

I've also been doing my briskets fat side down, as I've got a vertical smoker and subscribe to whole "protect it from the heat" idea. I think I'll try flipping to fat up once I wrap next time in BP, as some of you seem to do this as well. Is your reasoning to allow it to self baste a little bit once it's wrapped and no longer needs the extra heat shield?

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

in my mind it helps to have the flat sitting in the fat after the bark is set. just remember to vent fat cap down after you pull it to firm the bark back up a little.

 

[aks801]

in my mind it helps to have the flat sitting in the fat after the bark is set. just remember to vent fat cap down after you pull it to firm the bark back up a little.

For that matter, perhaps it makes sense to set it on a wire rack while venting? More evaporative effect that way?

 

[EdLo]

Fat Cap don’t render much, doesn’t render thru the meat. Try it both ways and see but I never saw anything benefit to fat side up. I don’t eat the Fat. Cooking Hot , Fat cap down in a vertical I’ve had the fat cap come out Hard so I thinking it was Helping as a Heat Shield.

+1, Try both, you will find which method works best for your style cooking/smoking.

 

[smokingmeats]

Fat cap down until I wrap in butcher paper. Once wrapped, fat cap up.

I slice with the fat cap up. Am I in the minority on this?

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

If your cooking under 275*, doubt it makes much difference. If your cooking hot and fast you'll notice a difference, fat makes good insulation.