Fat Cap Down or Up

zueth · September 30, 2011, 04:43:11 PM

I have always read that you smoke/cook pork butt and brisket with the fat cap up. But I have seen a few discussions lately that say that you should cook with fat cap down, that way your rub does not come off the meat. What are your thoughts on whether the fat cap should be up or down and does it matter?

FLBentRider · September 30, 2011, 04:59:32 PM

Let me start by saying that for each person on the forum you may get a different answer.

I used to be a "fat up" guy, subscribing to the "self basting" theory.

I experimented with "Fat down" and I found that it works like a "heat shield" - There is much less fat cap left over, and I think the brisket is more tender for it. I've been doing them fat down ever since.

Tenpoint5 · September 30, 2011, 05:03:43 PM

I agree with Randy everyone has a different idea on up or down. I am in the fat cap up camp. Just because thats the way I have always done it.

Caneyscud · September 30, 2011, 05:24:04 PM

I'm in the fat cap on bottom camp but i really don't think it makes much difference. I do it partially as a little protection from the heat source, but mainly because I'm a mopped. Mopping the fat cap seems well rather........useless.

ghost9mm · September 30, 2011, 06:13:04 PM

Quote from: Tenpoint5 on September 30, 2011, 05:03:43 PM
I agree with Randy everyone has a different idea on up or down. I am in the fat cap up camp. Just because thats the way I have always done it.

X2

Ka Honu · September 30, 2011, 08:07:37 PM

You should always cook with the fat cap down... or up. I think almost everybody agrees on that... or not. Historically this discussion first started in 1726 when Jonathan Swift took pen to parchment (or whatever) and wrote Gulliver's Travels. Your perspective pretty much depends on whether you're a small end or large end egg peeler.

ArnieM · September 30, 2011, 09:36:27 PM

I used to go fat cap up but now I'm pretty much in the same camp as Caney; a lot of mop.

However, one should carefully consider KH's point of view.

La Quinta · September 30, 2011, 11:13:11 PM

KH...you crack me up... ;D I do fat up...but hell there are people that flip a turkey over too..I get the point of that...but I go with tradition on a brisket...

squirtthecat · October 01, 2011, 06:39:55 AM

Down for me. I like the extra bark and I'm too lazy to trim..

Fat Cap Down or Up

squirtthecat