If there’s anything I’ve learned after smoking brisket for over 55 years is to never eat potato salad or deviled eggs at a family bbq . Someone is going to suffer. On the serious note please , always, give the elevator speech about safe meat temperature. I wrap in paper. I do fat side down yet I put a pan of water between the firebox and the meat so I’ve never spritzed and I’ve never had a dry brisket. I start at 225 for 6 hours then 250 for 6 hours, then rest it for 90 minutes. Kudos to you young guys that are in the 21st century. I’m not too old to learn . Very good content videos with great camera work. For those of us with hearing issues please do a scroll with the name of the products that you use so we do not have to “rewind” four times or call my wife in who usually says, what now ? I’ve had my butt chewed so many times that she likes fat side up or maybe meat side down , hellfire , I quit caring , yet she still eats the brisket and gives me a kiss.
If u can get hard wood easily, enjoy fire management & authentic BBQ- then you are wasting time thinking about it. You are missing out on Fun & Flavors 😉. GET ONE ALREADY!!! You will Not Regret!! JMHExperiences
When I smoke on an offset I do fat side up and wrap fat side up. When I do it on the pellet grill cook fat down but the I wrap fat side up so it softens up that meat side. They come out closer in texture that way. But that’s just my personal preference. There’s no wrong way as long as you love the results
So I did a fat side up brisket for the first time 2 weeks ago because of your videos. Everyone asked where the smoke ring was because it was almost non existent. I didn’t have an answer for them. Now I do! Thank you for these videos. I’ve learned a TON! Hopefully I can make it down for BBQ School sometime soon!
Great fat side up / down comparison. I prefer meat side up in my offset. Comes out great every time. Matt, all of your rubs go perfectly with briskets and that's what I primarily use. Thanks for a great product.
I just finished trimming and seasoning my first brisket. Gonna let it hangout for about 24 hours in the fridge and then it’s going on my Pit Boss tomorrow night to slow roll all night. I hope I don’t screw this up. I’ve been doing lots of research and these videos are very helpful. Thanks for sharing info with the rest of us.
@@Edible_Semtex_ well, I kinda messed up. Not bad but I could have done it better. Long story short, I had to leave it in the oven for a few hours to keep the temp right but that ended up drying it out a bit. Piss poor planning on my part and my hometown high school baseball team ended up in the State Championship game the same day. C’est la vie. I think under normal circumstances it would have been perfect. It still had great flavor but it didn’t meet my expectations nobody complained but me. LOL.
Thanks for doing this comparison! I have always done fat side up and will continue after seeing your test! The Traeger Timberline 1300 puts a great smoke ring on meat so I'll stick with it! Thanks!
That's the traeger I just bought. I still prefer my stick burner though. There is something about a man making and controlling fire its truly an art. Big butt I do like the convenience of my traegy but I do it fat side down on the traeger because the flame is literally center of the brisket and it comes out great. I will not knock the traeger. Biggest butt stick burner for life though.
I have cooked my share of briskets but always fat side down simply for presentation. I’ve learned some thing here. I think it’s time for me to start cooking fat side up. Thanks guys!
On my WSM I do fat side up on top rack and fat side down on lower rack.The juices from the top rack drop on the lower rack and I rarely wrap at all,if I do it’s paper.
@@steveyork8069 thank you for answering my question that I was about to ask. I will be doing my 1st smoke brisket and have an 18" WSM and wondering in how to cook two brisket, one on the top rack and one on the bottom rack.
@@pamelawalker9056 If you can fit them both on the top rack do that.If they won’t then just keep an eye on the bottom brisket it may cook quicker and you may want to rotate them.If I do wrap I wrap by the feel of the fat melting not by temperature.I want the fat to be rendered soft mushy state before I wrap.
I cook on a RecTec and I always cook fat side down. When I cook fat side up, the flat of my briskets take too much heat and will get crispy and hard on the ends. The RecTec's firepot is right in the middle and even with the heat shield, the drip tray, AND a BGE pizza stone over the heatshield, it still gets too hot there. And that's with me cooking a little below 250* and my brisket pushed all the way over to the side in my smoker.
I have the same issue brotha. Recteq 590 and I roll 225 all the way. Point is really moist but flat gets crispy at the bottom. I was wondering what was the issue.
I’ll actually cook around 190° with the extreme smoke function and let it roll overnight. Then wrap in butcher paper in the morning and turn the heat up. That’s the best way I’ve found to cook and it not get crispy.
Love the vids Matt. One day I would like somebody to talk about what a “smoke ring” really is and that it is not directly caused by smoke. I can and have cooked a brisket in the oven and get a killer smoke ring. The chemistry of smoking deserves a video all on its own.
The smoke ring comes from NO (nitric oxide) & CO (carbon monoxide) from incomplete combustion. I would be concerned if I was getting a smoke ring from an indoor oven, especially if it was not properly ventilated. Your house could be filling up with hazardous fumes, I'm sure you'll be just fine though. But you can also get a smoke ring if you use curing salt in your rub. Maybe that's how your getting a smoke ring?
I see that this video is a year old; I have just recently gotten into smoking briskets. What a labor of love. I have an 18 pounder dry brining in the fridge. I live in Key West, Fl so I don’t always have the option of a prime brisket. Hence why I am doing a dry brine. We have choice mostly, unless I go to the butcher and order a prime. Beyond my means. Is the dry brine going to improve tender and juicy? I’ve smoked 3 choice briskets without brining. I use my Masterbuilt 560 gravity. My smoke ring is amazing….I’m tender-ish and pull apart-ish. Just trying to improve and work with what I’ve got down here. We are literally the southern most point; then there is Cuba 😳. Any advice is appreciated. 10:17
Matt/Joe Great video. I grew up on a side smoker and have always done fat side up. I now cook on a Treager and have done 3 briskets on it and have not been able to dial it in to perfection. They turned out ok and tasted good but I was not pleased as I have been in the past on other smokers. Recently I have had guys recommend cooking it meat side up, with tallow, using injections, etc. I will continue fat side up after watching this video. Both of the briskets look great. I look forward to the cooking with tallow video. Please do the treager vs big green egg vs side smoker vs barrel smoker that would be awesome.
Try meat side up and lower temp, like 225F vs the 275F you would do on an offset. Offsets bring heat across the top of the meat so it makes sense to go fat side up to protect it from the heat. Traeger is better fat side down as the heat source is at the bottom. It is apples to oranges and has to be based on what type of smoker you are using. Also tallow when wrapping in butcher paper is amazing..
@@agalvin1313 also depends on size of offset. On my small Wrangler- heat is coming from below as I have crisped up some meat on bottom when temps got too high. Fat side down works best for my setup. Longer smokers I would try fat side up first
The heat from my pellet smoker comes from the bottom so I do it fat side down to protect meat from the heat. A video showing both ways on a pellet smoker with heat from the bottom would be great.
Pellet smokers have a fan that moves the heat around equally just like convection oven would. So you don’t need to worry about the top getting more heat than the bottom. Cook how you like but I cook fat side up on my Traeger and it comes out perfect.
Well I did my first brisket on a GMG fat side down, as that's the "preferred" method for a pellet grill apparently. Cooked at 275 for roughly 12 hours to 203 internal. Came out fantastic, but compared to some of the local BBQ joints here in Ontario it wasn't as pull apart tender as you guys have also noted. So, the next one I do, will definitely be fat side up. I'll report when I do another.
@@Bear-pw7nu Honestly, no. Both we're fantastic and incredibly juicy. I think it's more myth than reality on which way it's cooked. Wrapped at 165 internal with butcher paper. Cooked to 203-212 internal depending on probe tenderness.
I understand the logic behind smoking a brisket fat side up. It has a basting effect on the meat while the fat renders during the cook. But on my smoker I have to cook fat side down because the heat comes mostly from the bottom going up. So this method, shields the meat from drying up and burning. My briskets have been all the better for it since. And that smoke ring is nice too 👍🏻
Love the videos sir!!! I do have one argument 😁 the whole fat cap up or down. I have a 500 gal offset Stick Burner. I also use a massive heat management plate in the belly so it allows me to utilize my entire smoker chamber without scorching any meat. That being said, if I go fat cap up, I will dry the meat side that is facing the heat plate. If I go fat cap down and meat side up, that fat protects the meat from the heat source.........love the new pit sir💯
I have cabinet smoker with the stack on the top. I cook brisket meat side up to protect it from the heat source as much as possible. I need to do fatside up and see what happens. If i had a traditional offset id probably cook it fastside up.
Hey Matt, couldn't you say cook the brisket for the first 3 hours meat side up and then flip it over to fat side up for the rest of the cook to get the best of both worlds? I haven't tried it but I've heard that the smoke ring gets formed in the first 2 to 3 hours of the cook before the meat actually gets to a certain temperature. And after flipping it to fat side up you would still get that darker bark and more tender meat. Would love to hear your thoughts on that idea.
@@dustinworkman4272 Worked well. I did fat down, then fat up for the wrap portion. Then turned it back to fat down to cut. Had nice smoke ring to present. Not sure until I try again if I would get any appreciable difference putting it fat side up in the beginning, though.
Like Joe said in the first video, I’m lazy and look for the easiest way through the cook. So all things being equal, fat side up and I don’t have to worry with spritzing.
Ultimately that’s what it comes down to, what works best for the person cooking it. Next time I do an overnight cook I’ll probably do fat side up so I won’t have to worry about spritzing.
I've never seen it done, maybe I've just missed it somewhere down the line, but has anyone ever done a rotisserie basket to hold a brisket flat and spin it for the first part of the cook? Would that give you the best of both worlds? Would it matter once wrapped, spinning or sitting flat? Just curious. Thank you for all that you do in teaching us and the amazing products we get to use to feed out families and others with.
I cook meat side up in my Weber. I think in their (Weber's) BBQ guide it mentions the smoke and heat rolling off the round top on to the meat. It is about eating not presentation to a judge.
My first brisket was fat side up. I got a beautiful, pronounced smoke ring, on top, just under the fat. And this was with a pellet smoker, without smoke tubes.
Excellent video. I don't have an offset and am a pellet grill plebe so would really like to know the difference with fat up/down. Though there is convection like with a offset generally the heat is still bottom up even with the diffuser and drip tray. Not sure if it makes a difference though. Thanks again for a great video.
The thing about that though is clearly it didn't make a difference for flavor...if anything the meat in the flat seemed more tough per their taste. Smoke rings are for show but if they don't affect flavor then I think we're overplaying the importance of the ring.
what happens if you flip fat side up after your smoke ring and bark develop and then wrap fat side up aswell… maybe avoid spritzing but get a pronounced ring
I always do fat side down, I use a offset cabinet and I am going to try the fat side up This week. My bark set nice but never a really dark set bark and it drives me crazy, because I want it.
With out the heat management plate, the typical offset has heat that builds from the top down. With the heat management plate, your heat comes from the belly up
If you cook fat side down how do you check to see how the fat is rendering? I use how well the fat has rendered more than temp to determine when to wrap
Do grilled brisket tacos (the best) 1.) Slice raw brisket thin 2.) Season with season all or lawrys 3.) Grill on high heat (watch for flare up's because of high fat content) 4.) Using a clever chop meat (because of toughness) 5.) Serve on grilled corn tortilla (chopped onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa opcional) Creamy green salsa (most people think it has avocado but its a lie) 1.) Grill 5 jalapenos 2 serranos 2 cloves of garlic and a 1/4 onion 2.) Once charred blend everything together 3.) Crucial step slowly drizzle canola oil while blending to emulsify (if oil seperates stop and remove excess oil and reblend) 4.) Add salt to taste (even though it has a lot of peppers it is not a very spicy salsa. Really creamy in texture)
Great video. So meat side up produces a nice smoke ring. Why wouldn’t meat side down also have a nice smoke ring on the downward facing meat side? I would have thought any meat that doesn’t have a fat cap would absorb the smoke there no matter which way it’s facing. Thanks.
I'll be up there visiting your place real soon. The wife got a teachers position in Waxahachie and we are moving to Hillsboro within 2 weeks time. Eager to see your place and I hope I get a chance to meet ya. love the vids and I always learn something. Now I have to get used to eating fresh water fish instead of my trout and flounder down here in Galveston. God Bless and see ya soon. USMC66'- BTW. Maybe you can talk about the difference in smokers that radiate heat from the bottom and those that have air flow from the top down. That may have a difference in how you cook a brisket.Fat side up or down!!
I have a Pit Boss Sportsman Series 7 and have been thinking about this very issue you two are talking about at about 5 min in. (The issue of pellet grills and people going fat or meat up when using a pellet grill). I have done fat up the past few times, but I am considering trying meat up. I've noticed from doing racks of st. louis ribs and whole racks of wings in there, that the hottest part of the smoker is in the back wall (those little wings get pretty crispy back there in the corners of the rack). My biggest concern with meat up is that juices from the fat side will drop down into the water pan and I'll lose that flavor. I'm only 5 min into the video so I'll see the outcome here, but I just wanted to comment on how the smoker I'm using cooks. I have a brisket sitting in the fridge, so maybe meat side up kitty corner into my smoker is the next experiment for me. Edit - watching through the video, my question or observations is more about the flow of heat. In the offset, which way does the heat flow as opposed to an offset pellet smoker, or a vertical smoker? Now you're going to have to run this experiment with different cookers and heat source directions. Have fun! Keep it up. Love this series and the analysis of different methods!
Probably novice question, what about trimming the fat off grinding it and injecting it back into the middle of the meat was gonna have time to cook down I’m still at the fat to help tenderize and flavor the meat? Especially on a cheaper dryer cut of meat?
I'm glad yall brought up the Pellet grills going fat side down. I honestly go fat side down on my Pellet grill bc it renders fat faster then meat side up. Let me know yalls thoughts.
Ive been stick burning for 15 yrs still love it the most. I recnetly bought a traeger. The traeger is good but i jabe to say it is semi direct heat since the hot pot is rigjt under the meat with a small flame. For the traeger i prefer fat side down but stick burner fat side up. Im my humble opinions
What do you like to spritz with on brisket and ribs pulled pork. Apple cider vinegar mixed with water??? Thanks man great videos I'm just here going to school
I made my first brisket last week on my Pit Boss pellet grill. I got that same smoke ring with the meat side up. I was so happy. I let it go to 205. Too well for me. Next time, 165. Also, I put celery seed in my rub. It has nitrates that enhances the smoke ring. Tomorrow I'm doing a pork butt. Gotta slap it first, lol.
What temp did you smoke it at ? Pulling it that early is going to be a disaster . you have to get to the 198-203 range so the fats can render down properly.
Last post didnt all type ...........should I pull off at a certain temp or when probe tender everywhere? Just took one off at 205 but thick part not as tender. Is temp just a guide?
If there’s anything I’ve learned after smoking brisket for over 55 years is to never eat potato salad or deviled eggs at a family bbq . Someone is going to suffer. On the serious note please , always, give the elevator speech about safe meat temperature. I wrap in paper. I do fat side down yet I put a pan of water between the firebox and the meat so I’ve never spritzed and I’ve never had a dry brisket. I start at 225 for 6 hours then 250 for 6 hours, then rest it for 90 minutes. Kudos to you young guys that are in the 21st century. I’m not too old to learn . Very good content videos with great camera work. For those of us with hearing issues please do a scroll with the name of the products that you use so we do not have to “rewind” four times or call my wife in who usually says, what now ? I’ve had my butt chewed so many times that she likes fat side up or maybe meat side down , hellfire , I quit caring , yet she still eats the brisket and gives me a kiss.
I like how everyone is still learning even though they are all Pitmasters and been doing this for awhile
That’s the fun part!
Every one of your videos gets me 1 step closer to a new good offset.
If u can get hard wood easily, enjoy fire management & authentic BBQ- then you are wasting time thinking about it. You are missing out on Fun & Flavors 😉. GET ONE ALREADY!!! You will Not Regret!! JMHExperiences
Finally made my way to your store in Waxahachie today. Great products. Happy to support a family business like Meat Church.
Yes please try this cook on kamado or pellet smokers. Interested in the difference. I love this series
When I smoke on an offset I do fat side up and wrap fat side up. When I do it on the pellet grill cook fat down but the I wrap fat side up so it softens up that meat side. They come out closer in texture that way. But that’s just my personal preference. There’s no wrong way as long as you love the results
Yes sir! As long as it's good bbq! I'm always interested in how people do bbq!
I’m gonna give that a go sounds like best of both worlds
A great Brisket video... as always.
I like mine with fat side up as it provides a continuous basting effect with fat and flavor.
Excellent choice for a video series! This has taught me a great deal of information. Looking forward to part three!
So I did a fat side up brisket for the first time 2 weeks ago because of your videos. Everyone asked where the smoke ring was because it was almost non existent. I didn’t have an answer for them. Now I do! Thank you for these videos. I’ve learned a TON! Hopefully I can make it down for BBQ School sometime soon!
I still get a huge smoke ring on the bottom. This video is misleading.
I'm loving these visiting Preachers!!
The associate pastors bringing the sermons!
Ok on my pitboss vertical I smoke mine meat up, when I wrap I put fat up to finish and rest.
There's the answer I needed. Always cook 2 briskets 🤣
Would love to see a stick vs drum style smoker. Where the heat is at the bottom like you guys called about. Would be an interesting watch
Yeah I have a Traeger. Love to see vid on that between Traeger and offset. Thanks
+1 here. Would love to see how they differ, doing fat side up and fat side down on both.
same!
Matt, I’m really appreciating your content and the channel! Thank you sir
Thanks for being here Kev!
Great fat side up / down comparison. I prefer meat side up in my offset. Comes out great every time. Matt, all of your rubs go perfectly with briskets and that's what I primarily use. Thanks for a great product.
I just finished trimming and seasoning my first brisket. Gonna let it hangout for about 24 hours in the fridge and then it’s going on my Pit Boss tomorrow night to slow roll all night. I hope I don’t screw this up. I’ve been doing lots of research and these videos are very helpful. Thanks for sharing info with the rest of us.
How did it come out bud ? Doing my first one tmrw morning
@@Edible_Semtex_ well, I kinda messed up. Not bad but I could have done it better. Long story short, I had to leave it in the oven for a few hours to keep the temp right but that ended up drying it out a bit. Piss poor planning on my part and my hometown high school baseball team ended up in the State Championship game the same day. C’est la vie.
I think under normal circumstances it would have been perfect. It still had great flavor but it didn’t meet my expectations nobody complained but me. LOL.
Get some PT Alpine fly bait to help with those flies! Loving the series, awesome video
Thanks for doing this comparison! I have always done fat side up and will continue after seeing your test! The Traeger Timberline 1300 puts a great smoke ring on meat so I'll stick with it! Thanks!
That's the traeger I just bought. I still prefer my stick burner though. There is something about a man making and controlling fire its truly an art. Big butt I do like the convenience of my traegy but I do it fat side down on the traeger because the flame is literally center of the brisket and it comes out great. I will not knock the traeger. Biggest butt stick burner for life though.
Excellent comparison guys!
Thanks for doing these differences. Looking forward to tallow info.
I have cooked my share of briskets but always fat side down simply for presentation. I’ve learned some thing here. I think it’s time for me to start cooking fat side up. Thanks guys!
This videos are so great to see the difference about every step 👍
Direct heat, as opposed to offset (indirect) produces a great smoke ring when fat side is up. Best of both worlds!
Love these videos Matt! Keep it up sir, very interesting things happened when cooked upside down. Hey can y’all post a smoked turkey leg video next?
Great video. Loving the color shine on the Mill Scale.
We wiped her down with beef tallow.
Great video and love that cutting board
I cook on a WSM so I’ve traditionally cooked fat side down. I’m going to give it a try fat side up next time to see how it turns out. Great video!
On my WSM I do fat side up on top rack and fat side down on lower rack.The juices from the top rack drop on the lower rack and I rarely wrap at all,if I do it’s paper.
@@steveyork8069 thank you for answering my question that I was about to ask. I will be doing my 1st smoke brisket and have an 18" WSM and wondering in how to cook two brisket, one on the top rack and one on the bottom rack.
@@pamelawalker9056 If you can fit them both on the top rack do that.If they won’t then just keep an eye on the bottom brisket it may cook quicker and you may want to rotate them.If I do wrap I wrap by the feel of the fat melting not by temperature.I want the fat to be rendered soft mushy state before I wrap.
I cook on a RecTec and I always cook fat side down. When I cook fat side up, the flat of my briskets take too much heat and will get crispy and hard on the ends. The RecTec's firepot is right in the middle and even with the heat shield, the drip tray, AND a BGE pizza stone over the heatshield, it still gets too hot there. And that's with me cooking a little below 250* and my brisket pushed all the way over to the side in my smoker.
I have the same issue brotha. Recteq 590 and I roll 225 all the way. Point is really moist but flat gets crispy at the bottom. I was wondering what was the issue.
I’ll actually cook around 190° with the extreme smoke function and let it roll overnight. Then wrap in butcher paper in the morning and turn the heat up. That’s the best way I’ve found to cook and it not get crispy.
@MrPitblue80 ok this might work! So if I need it at 4pm the next day would I still put it like at midnight the day before??
I cook far side up, and am able to achieve a great smoke ring. But i also cook it lower and slower than most.
I go for taste/texture over presentation any day. (But damn that smoke ring is pretty lol)
Well said
I balance mine on its edge--best of both worlds!
“You’re not supposed to squeeze your meat but it’s so fun “ 🤣
Love the vids Matt. One day I would like somebody to talk about what a “smoke ring” really is and that it is not directly caused by smoke. I can and have cooked a brisket in the oven and get a killer smoke ring. The chemistry of smoking deserves a video all on its own.
The smoke ring comes from NO (nitric oxide) & CO (carbon monoxide) from incomplete combustion. I would be concerned if I was getting a smoke ring from an indoor oven, especially if it was not properly ventilated. Your house could be filling up with hazardous fumes, I'm sure you'll be just fine though. But you can also get a smoke ring if you use curing salt in your rub. Maybe that's how your getting a smoke ring?
I see that this video is a year old; I have just recently gotten into smoking briskets. What a labor of love. I have an 18 pounder dry brining in the fridge. I live in Key West, Fl so I don’t always have the option of a prime brisket. Hence why I am doing a dry brine. We have choice mostly, unless I go to the butcher and order a prime. Beyond my means. Is the dry brine going to improve tender and juicy? I’ve smoked 3 choice briskets without brining. I use my Masterbuilt 560 gravity. My smoke ring is amazing….I’m tender-ish and pull apart-ish. Just trying to improve and work with what I’ve got down here. We are literally the southern most point; then there is Cuba 😳. Any advice is appreciated. 10:17
Do you have Costco? They usually have prime
Never have done fat side up on my Traeger, but now i'm going to have to try it! Thanks!
From Detroit Michigan, I was wondering about that, thanks i will continue to smoking it fat side up!
Matt/Joe Great video. I grew up on a side smoker and have always done fat side up. I now cook on a Treager and have done 3 briskets on it and have not been able to dial it in to perfection. They turned out ok and tasted good but I was not pleased as I have been in the past on other smokers. Recently I have had guys recommend cooking it meat side up, with tallow, using injections, etc. I will continue fat side up after watching this video. Both of the briskets look great. I look forward to the cooking with tallow video. Please do the treager vs big green egg vs side smoker vs barrel smoker that would be awesome.
Try meat side up and lower temp, like 225F vs the 275F you would do on an offset. Offsets bring heat across the top of the meat so it makes sense to go fat side up to protect it from the heat. Traeger is better fat side down as the heat source is at the bottom. It is apples to oranges and has to be based on what type of smoker you are using. Also tallow when wrapping in butcher paper is amazing..
@@agalvin1313 also depends on size of offset. On my small Wrangler- heat is coming from below as I have crisped up some meat on bottom when temps got too high. Fat side down works best for my setup. Longer smokers I would try fat side up first
The heat from my pellet smoker comes from the bottom so I do it fat side down to protect meat from the heat. A video showing both ways on a pellet smoker with heat from the bottom would be great.
Pellet smokers have a fan that moves the heat around equally just like convection oven would. So you don’t need to worry about the top getting more heat than the bottom. Cook how you like but I cook fat side up on my Traeger and it comes out perfect.
@RSXXX no, just a fan that stokes the pellet embers.
Matt2:
love the channel and the content which advances the evolution of flavor in our shared passion. Lawd have mercy, I believe!
Thanks Stan!
Matt - loved this video. Can you do the same test on a pellet grill and see if the results are the same?
Really would like to see comparison offset and pellet smoker. But they REALLY did look discustingly GOOD.👍🍻😁
Great video series!
Well I did my first brisket on a GMG fat side down, as that's the "preferred" method for a pellet grill apparently. Cooked at 275 for roughly 12 hours to 203 internal. Came out fantastic, but compared to some of the local BBQ joints here in Ontario it wasn't as pull apart tender as you guys have also noted. So, the next one I do, will definitely be fat side up. I'll report when I do another.
Hey Shawn did you find a difference?
@@Bear-pw7nu Honestly, no. Both we're fantastic and incredibly juicy. I think it's more myth than reality on which way it's cooked. Wrapped at 165 internal with butcher paper. Cooked to 203-212 internal depending on probe tenderness.
Please do a video of the same thing on a traeger please!!!
I understand the logic behind smoking a brisket fat side up. It has a basting effect on the meat while the fat renders during the cook. But on my smoker I have to cook fat side down because the heat comes mostly from the bottom going up. So this method, shields the meat from drying up and burning. My briskets have been all the better for it since. And that smoke ring is nice too 👍🏻
Love the videos sir!!! I do have one argument 😁 the whole fat cap up or down. I have a 500 gal offset Stick Burner. I also use a massive heat management plate in the belly so it allows me to utilize my entire smoker chamber without scorching any meat. That being said, if I go fat cap up, I will dry the meat side that is facing the heat plate. If I go fat cap down and meat side up, that fat protects the meat from the heat source.........love the new pit sir💯
I have cabinet smoker with the stack on the top. I cook brisket meat side up to protect it from the heat source as much as possible. I need to do fatside up and see what happens. If i had a traditional offset id probably cook it fastside up.
I smoke mine fat side up on an offset smoker. I always get a smoke ring.
Would love to see the pellet smoker brisket video.
Would love to see the pellet vs offset comparison!
You gotta go offset vs reverse flow , stick burner vs stickburner
Hey Matt, couldn't you say cook the brisket for the first 3 hours meat side up and then flip it over to fat side up for the rest of the cook to get the best of both worlds? I haven't tried it but I've heard that the smoke ring gets formed in the first 2 to 3 hours of the cook before the meat actually gets to a certain temperature. And after flipping it to fat side up you would still get that darker bark and more tender meat. Would love to hear your thoughts on that idea.
I like this theory. Was thinking the same thing. Trying it out on a brisket today!
And at the end, I am going to flip it back to meat side up to cut and make that beautiful smoke ring present better!
@@edancummings7738how did flipping the brisket work for you? What was the end product?
@@dustinworkman4272 Worked well. I did fat down, then fat up for the wrap portion. Then turned it back to fat down to cut. Had nice smoke ring to present. Not sure until I try again if I would get any appreciable difference putting it fat side up in the beginning, though.
Love this series! Informational and love getting the guest cooks. And yeah, fat side up.
Like Joe said in the first video, I’m lazy and look for the easiest way through the cook. So all things being equal, fat side up and I don’t have to worry with spritzing.
Ultimately that’s what it comes down to, what works best for the person cooking it. Next time I do an overnight cook I’ll probably do fat side up so I won’t have to worry about spritzing.
"You're not supposed to squeeze your meat, but it's.... so fun" That literally made me LOL! So great!
Always love these videos! Thanks!
Mill Scale for the win
Dream rig is right
Another great side X side cook
I've never seen it done, maybe I've just missed it somewhere down the line, but has anyone ever done a rotisserie basket to hold a brisket flat and spin it for the first part of the cook? Would that give you the best of both worlds? Would it matter once wrapped, spinning or sitting flat? Just curious.
Thank you for all that you do in teaching us and the amazing products we get to use to feed out families and others with.
I've done rotisserie and it took 22hrs you have to evenly cook it and it came out dry in my opinion. You have to have the oven effect in my opinion
I cook meat side up in my Weber. I think in their (Weber's) BBQ guide it mentions the smoke and heat rolling off the round top on to the meat. It is about eating not presentation to a judge.
My first brisket was fat side up. I got a beautiful, pronounced smoke ring, on top, just under the fat. And this was with a pellet smoker, without smoke tubes.
Excellent video. I don't have an offset and am a pellet grill plebe so would really like to know the difference with fat up/down. Though there is convection like with a offset generally the heat is still bottom up even with the diffuser and drip tray. Not sure if it makes a difference though. Thanks again for a great video.
Great content!
Can you do traeger vs big green egg?
Hard to argue with that beautiful smoke ring.
The thing about that though is clearly it didn't make a difference for flavor...if anything the meat in the flat seemed more tough per their taste. Smoke rings are for show but if they don't affect flavor then I think we're overplaying the importance of the ring.
@@SinisterMD I tend to agree. I was just commenting on how nice the smoke ring looks. You definitely don’t need it for flavor though.
@@Schooletto1776 but... The Ring is old school and a Beautiful Thing!!
@@2005Pilot Agreed!! 100%
Awesome videos as always!
Always watch Meat Church Videos!
What would you serve to your brisket mashed potatoes mac & cheese what is the most traditional to serve??
what happens if you flip fat side up after your smoke ring and bark develop and then wrap fat side up aswell… maybe avoid spritzing but get a pronounced ring
I always do fat side down, I use a offset cabinet and I am going to try the fat side up This week. My bark set nice but never a really dark set bark and it drives me crazy, because I want it.
With out the heat management plate, the typical offset has heat that builds from the top down. With the heat management plate, your heat comes from the belly up
Love the videos man
Those flies are huge lol! Great video
The joys of cooking outside in a hot Texas summer!
If you cook fat side down how do you check to see how the fat is rendering? I use how well the fat has rendered more than temp to determine when to wrap
I done both way's and determined on my Pit Boss that Once the bark starts forming, I flip my briskets every 1.5 to 2 hours and spritz then also.
Do grilled brisket tacos (the best)
1.) Slice raw brisket thin
2.) Season with season all or lawrys
3.) Grill on high heat (watch for flare up's because of high fat content)
4.) Using a clever chop meat (because of toughness)
5.) Serve on grilled corn tortilla (chopped onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa opcional)
Creamy green salsa (most people think it has avocado but its a lie)
1.) Grill 5 jalapenos 2 serranos 2 cloves of garlic and a 1/4 onion
2.) Once charred blend everything together
3.) Crucial step slowly drizzle canola oil while blending to emulsify (if oil seperates stop and remove excess oil and reblend)
4.) Add salt to taste (even though it has a lot of peppers it is not a very spicy salsa. Really creamy in texture)
New Yorker trying to learn the way here. Can I spritz with something other than vinegar??
No matter which way, I love my leftover brisket for home made corned beef hash
I get the same smoke ring doing fat side up. But its just on the bottom..?
Great video I’m gonna continue to smoke mine fat up. I just like the way it eats.
Great video. So meat side up produces a nice smoke ring. Why wouldn’t meat side down also have a nice smoke ring on the downward facing meat side? I would have thought any meat that doesn’t have a fat cap would absorb the smoke there no matter which way it’s facing. Thanks.
I'll be up there visiting your place real soon. The wife got a teachers position in Waxahachie and we are moving to Hillsboro within 2 weeks time. Eager to see your place and I hope I get a chance to meet ya. love the vids and I always learn something. Now I have to get used to eating fresh water fish instead of my trout and flounder down here in Galveston. God Bless and see ya soon.
USMC66'- BTW. Maybe you can talk about the difference in smokers that radiate heat from the bottom and those that have air flow from the top down. That may have a difference in how you cook a brisket.Fat side up or down!!
Another great video and meal
What would you say about smoke it for 3 hours meat side up for smoke ring. Then wrap and cook fat side up for rendering fat?
Love these vids!!! Has inspired me!!
Can I flip it mid cook and get the best of both methods?
Where can I buy that beautiful cutting board?
I have a Pit Boss Sportsman Series 7 and have been thinking about this very issue you two are talking about at about 5 min in. (The issue of pellet grills and people going fat or meat up when using a pellet grill). I have done fat up the past few times, but I am considering trying meat up. I've noticed from doing racks of st. louis ribs and whole racks of wings in there, that the hottest part of the smoker is in the back wall (those little wings get pretty crispy back there in the corners of the rack). My biggest concern with meat up is that juices from the fat side will drop down into the water pan and I'll lose that flavor. I'm only 5 min into the video so I'll see the outcome here, but I just wanted to comment on how the smoker I'm using cooks. I have a brisket sitting in the fridge, so maybe meat side up kitty corner into my smoker is the next experiment for me.
Edit - watching through the video, my question or observations is more about the flow of heat. In the offset, which way does the heat flow as opposed to an offset pellet smoker, or a vertical smoker? Now you're going to have to run this experiment with different cookers and heat source directions. Have fun!
Keep it up. Love this series and the analysis of different methods!
Probably novice question, what about trimming the fat off grinding it and injecting it back into the middle of the meat was gonna have time to cook down I’m still at the fat to help tenderize and flavor the meat? Especially on a cheaper dryer cut of meat?
Fantastic
I get a nice smoke ring through the fatcap.
Smoke 'em if ya got 'em. I'll gladly take either of those :)
I love seeing channels I’m subbed to in a different part of UA-cam. Is this what you do with your scraps Jay?
It's jayyyyyyy!
I'm glad yall brought up the Pellet grills going fat side down. I honestly go fat side down on my Pellet grill bc it renders fat faster then meat side up. Let me know yalls thoughts.
I will be going to Zavalas to try one of these briskets
My understanding is that you do not need to trim or only trim very little when you're cooking the brisket meets side up.
Ive been stick burning for 15 yrs still love it the most. I recnetly bought a traeger. The traeger is good but i jabe to say it is semi direct heat since the hot pot is rigjt under the meat with a small flame. For the traeger i prefer fat side down but stick burner fat side up. Im my humble opinions
What do you like to spritz with on brisket and ribs pulled pork. Apple cider vinegar mixed with water??? Thanks man great videos I'm just here going to school
I agree but with the smoke ring I believe it’s a mental thing where you eat with your eyes am I correct or in the ballpark?
Some people look for it. Especially judges in a bbq comp. right or wrong…..
I made my first brisket last week on my Pit Boss pellet grill. I got that same smoke ring with the meat side up. I was so happy. I let it go to 205. Too well for me. Next time, 165. Also, I put celery seed in my rub. It has nitrates that enhances the smoke ring. Tomorrow I'm doing a pork butt. Gotta slap it first, lol.
What temp did you smoke it at ? Pulling it that early is going to be a disaster . you have to get to the 198-203 range so the fats can render down properly.
Next time you are cooking the meat tmep to only 165? Let us know how it came out because that sounds to low???
Would it make a difference if you used foil like in Part 1? I feel like the fat down brisket would come out just as tender as fat up.
everywhere? I pull off at temp or when fully probe tender? Is temp just a guide? Thanks
Last post didnt all type ...........should I pull off at a certain temp or when probe tender everywhere? Just took one off at 205 but thick part not as tender. Is temp just a guide?
Please try this experiment on a UDS