# Fat cap up or down ?



## wittdog (May 28, 2006)

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?


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## Captain Morgan (May 28, 2006)

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


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## Puff1 (May 28, 2006)

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


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## Bill The Grill Guy (May 28, 2006)

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


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## wittdog (May 28, 2006)

Bill The Grill Guy said:
			
		

> 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.


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## Larry D. (May 28, 2006)

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


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## Uncle Bubba (May 28, 2006)

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


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## cleglue (May 28, 2006)

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


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## WalterSC (May 28, 2006)

wittdog said:
			
		

> 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.


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## Guest (May 28, 2006)

Burnt Food Dude said:
			
		

> 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...  :!:


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## JohnnyReb (May 28, 2006)

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

Great outdoors smokey mountain

char griller w/sfb


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## Thom Emery (May 28, 2006)

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


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## wittdog (May 28, 2006)

WalterSC said:
			
		

> wittdog said:
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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.


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## Guest (May 28, 2006)

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.


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## wittdog (May 28, 2006)

The Joker said:
			
		

> 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


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## Guest (May 28, 2006)

wittdog said:
			
		

> The Joker said:
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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... :!:


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## Cliff H. (May 28, 2006)

WalterSC said:
			
		

> wittdog said:
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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.


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## WalterSC (May 28, 2006)

[
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.


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## john pen (May 29, 2006)

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 ???


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## Captain Morgan (May 29, 2006)

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.


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## john pen (May 29, 2006)

On my next brisket, I was going to do a bunch of slits a stuff them with garlic cloves...that might also be a port for the fat to seep into...


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## jminion1 (May 29, 2006)

Fat cap does not melt into a brisket, there is plenty of science out there on the subject. 

Moisture in a brisket or butt is from the conective tissue as it breaks down and releases it's moisture.

Can cooking a brisket or butt fat cap up be moist sure. Cook fat cap up be moist sure. The reason for fat cap down is to use it as protection from heat as it rises in a vertical smoker or radiates from tuning plates in an offset. The reason for cooking fat side down is that it is more reliable percentage wise when doing briskets in a competition setting. You don't have as much of a worry about the lean side getting over done during the long cook or if you have a pit temp spikes.

The myth has been that the fat cap some how introduces moisture to the interior of the brisket as it cooks, it looks logical but just isn't the case.
Another myth out there is mopping will increase moisture content, again not the case but it will add flavor depending on the mop recipe.
Jim


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## Cliff H. (May 29, 2006)

What Jim said


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## Finney (May 29, 2006)

There you go "Sports Fans".  8-[


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## Rich Decker (May 30, 2006)

I trim both fat cap's off pork butts so that doesn't apply and cook brisket fat side down to protect the bark for better presentation. I trim off all the fat off the brisket for the turn in box.


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## jminion1 (May 30, 2006)

Rich
Sounds as if we prep butts and briskets about the same. Butts don't need a fat cap IMO, there is enough internal fat and conective tissue to keep it moist. 
Jim


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## Captain Morgan (May 30, 2006)

Where the hell you been Jim?  I got called and asked to interview
Dr. BBQ last week, but then they back out!  Too many bigger
markets wanted him I guess.  I was pissed!


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## Jack W. (May 30, 2006)

jminion said:
			
		

> Fat cap does not melt into a brisket, there is plenty of science out there on the subject.
> 
> Moisture in a brisket or butt is from the conective tissue as it breaks down and releases it's moisture.
> 
> ...



Hey Jim,

Been a while.  Thank god you showed up when you did.  I was thinking about getting up on the soap box...again.  

How's the west coast goin's on?

Jack


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## jminion1 (May 30, 2006)

Sorry I haven't been around, organizing 5 maybe 6 competitions this season and starting up an Events company and a new catering business.
Been crazy busy.

I know Doc is busy, to bad you didn't get to do the interview, Ray is always interesting to talk to.
Jim


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## wittdog (Jun 1, 2006)

If I'm cooking on a SFB without the fancy tuning plates then isn't it hotter above the grate. My lid temp is about  25* more than at grate level.  In a WSM bottom grate fat down, top grate fat up because of the radiant heat? Or just fat down the whole time?


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## LarryWolfe (Jun 1, 2006)

I cook briskets in the WSM on either rack fat cap up.  I've tried them fat cap down on the WSM and on LuLu and vowed to never do it again.  I was unhappy with my results compared to fat cap up.  But again, different strokes work for different folks.  No right or wrong way, just the way that works for you!


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## DATsBBQ (Jun 1, 2006)

I'm doing a brisket concurent with posting this message. I have the ceramic hitecky egg thing, Fat cap up. At 6 hours I have an internal temp of 165, went ahead and foiled it up and added a little "liquid" to the foil tent/wrap/bag/enclosure contraption. I've always started fat cap up, sometimes flip at the 4 hour mark but today had a client on the horn who called long distance so it stayed fat cap up.
DATsBBQ


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## LarryWolfe (Jun 1, 2006)

DATsBBQ said:
			
		

> I'm doing a brisket concurent with posting this message. I have the ceramic hitecky egg thing, Fat cap up. At 6 hours I have an internal temp of 165, went ahead and foiled it up and added a little "liquid" to the foil tent/wrap/bag/enclosure contraption. I've always started fat cap up, sometimes flip at the 4 hour mark but today had a client on the horn who called long distance so it stayed fat cap up.
> DATsBBQ



You'll be fine!  Just let that puppy rest as long as you can before slicing, fat cap still up!  Even better, after it's rested in the cooler pop it in the fridge overnight and then reheat and slice.  Some of the best briskets I've done have been like that!  Hope it turns out well for you!


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## DATsBBQ (Jun 1, 2006)

Put some of Festus's leftover pig into some beans and popped them on along the brisket. Rest of the meal will be tator salad, pasta salad and some fried grits (recipe stolen from Alton Brown).
DATsBBQ


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## allisonandrews (Jun 2, 2006)

(This is our new method after trying various techniques this summer.)

Fat side down in a roasing pan for about the first 2 hours.  Then Flip. 
Cook fat side up rest of cooking time, adding beer as necessary.
When meat gets around 150-165, we put foil over the top of the roasting pan.  (This has averaged around 6 hours with the 12 lb briskets we have been cooking lately.

We cook on a reverse flow homemade smoker on a trailer.


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