Smoking Brisket Meat Side Up vs. Fat Side Up
This is part 2 of our brisket series where we compare different methods of smoking brisket. Join Matt Pittman, Founder & CEO of Meat Church BBQ, along with Joe Zavala Zavala’s Barbecue and Jonny White of Goldee’s BBQ as they explore various techniques. Enjoy tips and tricks along the way and an unbiased taste test at the end of each video.
Part 1 – Smoking Brisket wrapped in Foil vs Butcher Paper:
Part 2 – Smoking a brisket meat side up vs. fat side up
Part 3 – Smoking a brisket with beef tallow vs. no beef tallow:
Meat Church BBQ Supplies: www.meatchurch.com
Mill Scale Offset Smoker:
44 Farms Beef:
Zavala’s Barbecue: &
Jirby’s BBQ –
Goldees BBQ:
Tools Used:
Butcher Block – Rosewood Block: www.rosewoodblock.com
Thermapen IR thermometer:
Subscribe: | Website:
Watch the newest videos:
Follow Meat Church BBQ
Instagram:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Watch more videos!
Shop Playlist:
Recipes:
Beef Recipes:
Most Popular:
About Meat Church BBQ:
Welcome to the official Meat Church BBQ YouTube channel! Meat Church is a global lifestyle BBQ brand and has one of the largest social media reaches in the world of outdoor cooking. The unique brand offers some of the most popular craft BBQ seasonings, apparel, recipe development & live fire cooking instruction around the world. Matt Pittman is the pitmaster and the founder of Meat Church BBQ. He is an expert and respected authority on outdoor cooking. Students travel from around the world to attend BBQ schools in his private outdoor kitchen. Make sure to subscribe and enable ALL notifications!
#MeatChurchBBQ #CookingShow #Brisket
source
32 Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You're not supposed to squeeze your meat but it's fun…
fly's are killing your videos.
since the internal heat is going to generate a bit of pressure pushing out toward the surface in my opinion it doesn't matter if you cook it fat side up or down. I also think if you have ten prime briskets you will find varying levels of tender between them. so cook it fat side up or down according to which you prefer.
Great video series!
I will be going to Zavalas to try one of these briskets
Man people make this complicated, I use a roasting tin, let the bottom sit in the juice while the smoke crisps the fat, then when the fat gets crispy I flip that, let the fat cook in the juice awhile while the meat side smokes, comes out great, dice it up and serve it with bbq sause, and it seems like it is as good or better than any of the best BBQ joints I have been to.
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
Reverse flow oklahoma joe fat up or down?
If you're on a pellet smoker meat side down is the best way to get a good smoke ring. Now that I have the new Camp Chef Woodwind 36 with the smoke box I can get a healthy smoke ring no matter which side I put up or down.
I cooked a pork shoulder fat down and had a fire on my pellet grill
I get the same smoke ring doing fat side up. But its just on the bottom..?
First and foremost, what I'm about to say is in no way, disrespect to these pitmasters. I have no doubt, they cook better than I do. However, as far as the smoke ring difference between the two in this video, it has more to do with the spritzing than anything. Nothing to do with fat orientation. Spritzing produces a more pronounced smoke ring, due to the collection and integration of gas molecules. It's been years since I did the scientific research, so I can't state the exact gases that "produce" a smoke ring off the top of my head, but it has to do with nitrogen and oxygen entering the meat. From first-hand experience also, I know that moisture on the surface of the meat in early stages, affects the visible smoke ring above all else. In my early endeavors, I spritzed heavily, at least once an hour. My briskets, even under the fat cap, would come out with a 1/2" smoke ring. I'm not saying this is the most desirable, it just looks good, as they pointed out in the video. As soon as I started spritzing less, or none at all, my smoke rings reduced considerably and proportionately. Spritzing also increases cook time considerably, and produces a more pungent smoke flavor. These are just my experiences, and I respect other barbecue cooks' methods as well. That's one of the greatest aspects of barbecue, in my opinion. So many methods, so many results. All in all, barbecue is just lovely!
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.
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!!
Fat side up and a drip pan underneath to protect the meat. Why the hell would you want all your fat drippings to end up in your drip pan. Also, a true Texas brisket rub is only salt and pepper. Don’t take my word for it….take it from the best bbq joints in Texas. This guy is a hack who puts bbq to shame….especially in Texas. If you buy his stuff, you probably voted for Biden.
Great video and love that cutting board
Big belly pipe cleaner legs… the picture of health
Excellent comparison guys!
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.
I’ve cooked it both ways many times and I like meat side up just because it looks better when I slice it. IMO neither brisket is more moist than the other.
No matter which way, I love my leftover brisket for home made corned beef hash
I Don't like it 😕
The fat side down was also sliced slightly thicker..
perhaps folks need to consider new judges vs not changing the mechaincs when it aint broke.
Would love to see you cook a brisket on a Kamado and critique it. I have a kamado Joe and LOVE IT!!!
I would like to see it on a pellet grill. Because that’s what I have and I plan on getting a medium range offset vertical smoker from Cabela’s I wanna experiment before I build one or buy one that’s more expensive.
Texas texas texas.. once you cross the state lines into Texas.. BBQ is so different.. ..
“You’re not supposed to squeeze your meat..but.. it’s so fun” 😂
Please mute the mics while you are eating. People with mysophonia wants to watch the video but it’s impossible.
My understanding is that you do not need to trim or only trim very little when you're cooking the brisket meets side up.
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 want to see this comparison on a pellet grill