Brisket: Fat Side Up or Down? (2024)

FAQs

Brisket: Fat Side Up or Down? ›

To set things straight, we're here to put an end to the confusion, so you can get back to the grill with confidence. For brisket cooked to flavorful perfection, fat-side-down is the way to go. This is the only way to achieve a brisket that is perfectly moist with a perfect bark on both sides.

A heavily debated topic within the BBQ realm is whether to cook a brisket fat-side up or fat-side down. We are here to answer the question once and for all: cook brisket fat-side DOWN. Many believe the theory that when a brisket is cooked fat-side up, the fat renders and naturally braises the brisket. This is not true.

Spritz the paper with water. to make it more pliable and prevent it from sticking to the bark. place the brisket a third of the way from the bottom with the fat side facing up. optionally put cold tallow under the flat to keep it moist. fold the paper over the brisket and tuck it under the top.

Trimming a Brisket

The main goal is to cut away most of the fat cap, which comes too thick to fully render in the low-and-slow smoking temperatures every brisket needs to become tender. If you don't trim the fat cap, you'll be left with big mouthfuls of fat that'll have to be sliced off after the cook anyway.

Smoke your brisket fat side down between 225°F and 250°F and do not open the lid of your smoker for the first 4 hours. After 4 hours spritz the brisket with water and any time after if the surface looks dried out.

It takes approximately 7 hours to cook a 5 pound brisket at the base temperature of 250°F. You can use an internal thermometer to gauge when it's done cooking. When the thermometer reads 195°F to 205°F (90°C to 96°C) that's the surest indication your brisket is ready to be removed from the smoker.

Wrapping brisket in butcher paper is the favored method of the top Texas barbecue joints. It speeds up the cooking time like foil does but still allows some smoke to get through which foil doesn't. Professional cooks smoke dozens of briskets at a time, so they get a lot of practice.

Brisket Resting Techniques and Strategies

Wrapping in Foil or Butcher Paper: Wrapping the brisket in foil or butcher paper during the resting phase helps to retain heat and moisture. This method, known as the "Texas Crutch," accelerates the redistribution of juices and maintains a warm environment for the meat.

Wrapping the brisket once it has reached the desired level of smoke absorption or when it enters the "stall" phase, typically around 160-170°F (71-77°C), is generally recommended. Wrapping too early can hinder bark formation, while wrapping too late may lead to excessive moisture loss.

Rub the brisket with mustard or olive oil and apply the seasoning evenly over all sides of the brisket. Place the brisket in the smoker with the point side (thicker side) facing the fire box. Close the lid and don't open it for 6 to 8 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

What temperature to wrap brisket? ›

When Should You Wrap a Brisket? Most barbecue experts recommend wrapping brisket when it reaches an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees Fahrenheit.

You don't want the finished brisket to be too fatty, but you'd also hate to have a dry brisket. Keep it fatty: The fat cap will protect the brisket from drying out during the long, slow cook and baste the brisket as the fat slowly melts. You can remove the excess fat after the brisket is completely cooked and cooled.

The main reason to cook brisket fat side down is for delicious consistent results, especially when it comes to competitive barbecue. Fat-side down encourages a more pronounced smoke ring. A smoke ring refers to the thin ribbon of pink-colored meat between the crust and the interior brown-colored meat.

Place it fat side down on the grill grate and smoke for 4-6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches around 160° F. 4. After 4-6 hours of smoke, remove and double wrap in foil. Turn the grill to 225 and cook the brisket until it reaches an internal temperature of 200 – 205° F, approximately 6 more hours.

It's a phenomenon that happens after a brisket has been smoking for a few hours and the temperature suddenly stops rising. This stall in temperature can last for over four hours, sometimes even dropping the internal temperature inside by a few degrees. The stall normally happens right about 160 to 165 degrees.

5. Place roast fat side up / bone side down on the rack. Placing your roast fat side up lets the fat melt and flow down, moistening the meat as it cooks. There are debates on whether the fat would be enough to baste the lean meat as it melts down, but it makes the surface crispier.

Trim your brisket fat down to around 1/4 inch of fat coverage on top. As your fat melts down and starts to caramelize, your pepper will bind together and bark formation is upon you! Melting surface fat is a component of time and temperature. Our briskets typically cook for an hour and ten minutes per pound.

Our general rule of thumb is to plan on between 30 and 60 minutes per pound when learning how to cook a brisket. For example, a 16-pound brisket cooked at 275 degrees Fahrenheit will take between 10 and 12 hours. The entire process from trimming, injection, seasoning, and cooking will take between 18 and 20 hours.