An Important Tip To Remember When Smoking Brisket Fat-Side Up

Lovers of pastrami and Texas barbecue are united on at least one fact: Brisket is an amazing cut of beef, capable of incredible juiciness and depth of flavor. Pastrami lovers brine their brisket in pickling spices, crushed coriander and mustard seeds, and minced garlic for almost two weeks before roasting it low and slow in the oven. Conversely, Texas barbecued brisket is often coated in little more than generous amounts of ground salt and pepper and smoked (also low and slow) over hickory coals. Even when you trim the thick layer of fat off one side of the cut, there's some controversy over whether brisket should be cooked fat-side up or fat-side down. The answer is fairly complex, but keep this in mind: Cooking (or smoking) your brisket fat side up won't help keep it tender, but what the rendering fat is guaranteed to do is carry most of your spice rub with it. 

To the first point about brisket being self-basting: This is true, but mostly because of the collagen that marbles the inside of the cut rendering, not the outer layer of fat. While this kind of fatty marbling spells disaster for higher-heat cooking applications like grilling and broiling (which would result in a brisket as tough as old boots), it creates juicy magic when lower temperatures are applied over a much longer time. Meanwhile, the outer layer of fat will render and carry away flavoring agents intended to survive the cooking process.

So, what is brisket? It is one of nine so-called primal cuts of beef, coming from the lower part of the animal's chest (hence the toughness — muscles that see a lot of use tend to be less tender). Briskets are big, fatty cuts of beef with a thick cap of fat on the outside and extensive marbling within. Most smoking enthusiasts will get the whole, or "packer" cut, as that leaves the cap intact. Many brisket fans strip the cap down to a consistent thickness of ¼ inch.

Here's where the controversy comes in. Does one cook the brisket with the fat on top to render over the cut? Or fat-side down to protect the meat from the source of direct cooking heat? Coated in ground spices, pastrami is never placed directly on heat but sits on a rack set over water in a roasting pan — fat-side down.

 Smoking brisket proves a bit more challenging. If oriented down, the fat can be a barrier to direct radiant heat, preventing the cut from drying out. If you're using a regular charcoal grill to smoke your brisket (direct heat), doing this is a good idea. Dedicated smokers (variously known as "offset" or "horizontal" smokers), however, never subject the meat to radiant heat, relying instead on convection to cook it. So, which way should you orient the fat side of your brisket?

Either way (or both) is appropriate, depending on the kind of cooking device you use (that is, one that employs radiant heat or convection). Smoke the brisket fat-side down on a grill, making certain that its low temperature is carefully maintained. Conversely, it's okay to smoke the brisket fat-side up in an offset smoker (remembering our previous admonition). But really, you might consider flipping the cut at least once during the smoking process, as well as regularly basting or spritzing it.

Flipping the brisket will give you the best of both worlds. You won't lose all that good spice rub on the fatty side, you won't have the cut dry out from direct heat, and best of all, flipping will allow pooled meat juices and rendered fat to travel back down through the cut, making the brisket even juicier. Consider flipping the brisket once while being sure to baste it every half hour or so with a good mop sauce or apple cider vinegar spritz.