Smoking Brisket on Kamado-Fat up or down?

I always cook fat side up and let the fat drip through the meat. Whether its pork, brisket or beef ribs.

Fat down to protect from the heat IMO. I dont see any of the fat cap dripping "through" the meat...just around it I think.

Flip a coin it probably doesn't matter

Get you some cotton gloves and those thin rubber gloves from harbor freight and you can get your hands on the brisket. That might help keep from rubbing off the bark on the bottom of it.

Mayo is a good fat to cook with....non stick. Can also put on your bread for grilled cheese vs butter.

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I always cook fat side up and let the fat drip through the meat. Whether its pork, brisket or beef ribs

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The fat does not drip through the meat. That is a myth.

I go fat side down so it acts as an insulator for the portion of the meat that is facing the most heat. Helps get a more even cook.

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If you're getting flare ups...

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You're not smoking...you're grilling.

Always fat up... put a water pan as well.

And no... it doesn’t drip through the meat per se. the fat/collagen in the meat does cook down through it though. It’s more of an insulator/basting type effect I guess. If you trim off the right amount and get rid of the fat that won’t dissolve it will cook down a good bit.

If you have a heat dissipation plate and use it... much of the heat will circle around to the top side of the pit/meat, which can make having the fat up a small advantage.

If you’re unsure about trimming... just look up Aaron Franklin on YouTube.

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If the heat source is from the bottom, put it down. If its from above, put it up. Fat doesn't drip through meat.

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I have a kettle. It is hotter in the lid than on the grate. I put it fat side up. I'm protecting from the heat AND letting the fat cap melt all over that flesh. Win/win.

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And no... it doesn’t drip through the meat per se. the fat/collagen in the meat does cook down through it though. It’s more of an insulator/basting type effect I guess. If you trim off the right amount and get rid of the fat that won’t dissolve it will cook down a good bit.

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The fat is just rolling off and dripping onto the plate. The collagen throughout is what makes it flavorful, not the fat on the outside. This myth has been disproven over and over, yet people continue to perpetuate it.

Read this: LINK

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So let's say that you have a hungry crowd of rowdies to feed and this big ole honkin' pork shoulder, beef brisket, leg of lamb, or prime rib. It has a thick layer of fat on top. The question is, leave it on or trim it off? Most books, TV cooks, and websites say that you should leave it on because it will melt and percolate down into the meat making it juicier.

Nonsense.

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The AmazingRibs.com science advisor Prof. Greg Blonder adds a fourth reason: "Raw meat is like a protein sponge. Before it is cooked it is fully saturated with water. There's no room for the fat to go in. As the meat cooks, water-based juices are being expelled from the interior. No way fat can swim upstream."

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The basting myth
People who defend the fat cap claim that it bastes the meat. So let's think about that for a second. What does melting fat do on the surface of protein? At high temps lipid's molecular structure can be altered and create great flavors. That's why I recommend painting a steak with beef fat during the sear phase. But at low or even medium temps, when the meat roasts, the fat just melts and drips off. It does not enhance the flavor of the meat like a paintbrush full of a flavorful basting liquid. Water based bastes cool the meat and slow the cooking which can improve tenderness. It can also to a small defgree replace water that evaporates. But oil? Not so much. There is one possible benefit: Dripping fat that hits hot coals or metal below can vaporize and impart flavor on the meat. How much depends on how long you cook.

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As for the last part about the melting fat getting vaporized and adding flavor and humidity...that happens either fat cap up or down. But with it toward the heat source you get the insulation benefit.

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fat side up

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Whether its pork,

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there's a fat side to a pork butt?

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there's a fat side to a pork butt?

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My last one definitely had a fat side. But you already know which way I had that pointing.

Here's a shot showing one: