Brisket fat up or down?

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Yikes! What service..... I asked for a butcher last week at wally world and they told me they didn't have one....this store just gets everything prepackaged ..... I have to drive into Tucson (20mi) to find a butcher at ww.......... I've been trading there for 2years and didn't even know they don't have butchers in every store.
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.............. Nobody loves us out here in the badlands of Arizona! 
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Yikes! What service..... I asked for a butcher last week at wally world and they told me they didn't have one....this store just gets everything prepackaged ..... I have to drive into Tucson (20mi) to find a butcher at ww.......... I've been trading there for 2years and didn't even know they don't have butchers in every store.
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.............. Nobody loves us out here in the badlands of Arizona! 
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It's all wal marts, not just arizona. None of them that i know of have meat cutting / wrapping facilitys anymore.
 
I haven't seen any either. Safeway has what they call butchers but their meat isn't what it used to be so I don't even bother with them. Only the upper end local supermarket chain here has a decent meat department with real butchers anywhere around here. From what I can see, what they call butchers in the big chain markets like Safeway, Albertson's etc. are nothing more than wrappers and someone to keep the meat cases stocked up.  
 
I had not realized how fortunate I have been... we live about a mile from a local chain here in Az called Bashas... their butcher was the only one around here that carries pork bellies, so I actually thought they all did till I tried to find some in the other stores to compare prices.. only to find out others didn't even have a real butcher on staff...
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A few years ago a neighbor told me about a mexican butcher shop about 25miles from where I live and we have got tripe and pigs feet from him over the years, but will have to get back over there and see if he has some whole briskets and pork bellies ..
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Fat cap down. Trim the excess fat, especially the hard fat between the point and flat. Cook the brisket with the fat you trimmed off above your brisket. That protects the bottom and keeps the top moist.

Foil at about 165. When you foil, flip the brisket to fat cap up.

Once you hit 195-200 and the probe goes in like butter, place the brisket (still fat at up) in a cooler covered with towels and let it sit at least an hour.. but I've let them rest for 5 or 6 hours.. longer of you have a cambro.

The better quality brisket you start with, the more room you have for error. A select brisket can turn out just fine, but a choice or even a prime will provide you with more room for error and will not dry out as fast.
 
Meat is not a sponge.  Yes, it can absorb moisture (think brining) in small amounts as long as the circumstances are right (like a low temperature, salt content and the right PH.)  The fat from the melting cap is going to pour around the meat and drop off the bottom.  All this is going to do is wash off much of your spice rub and rob you of a bark.
 
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You're going to get mixed answers, but I believe always smoke brisket fat side down.  Heat rising over the brisket is the primary source of drying. By using the fat cap of the brisket (the thick layer of fat on one side of the brisket) as a shield between the intense heat of the fire and the delicate meat will give a more tender brisket with a lot less surface drying.

Many will say, FAT SIDE UP, but it's scientifically proven, meat is not a sponge. Yes it will absorb moisture (think brining) in small amounts as long as the circumstances are right (like a low temperature, salt content and the right PH). The fat from the melting cap is going to pour around the meat and drip off the bottom.  This action will wash off much your spice rub.

Also, the brisket should be as cold as you can have it (without freezing) when you put it on the smoker.  Don't let it sit out at room temperature at all.
 
I too put it fat side down to protect the meat. Low and slow (between 230 and 260), I've never had a dry brisket. That said, 99% of the brisket I cook are from a local meatlocker and top quality.
 
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just bragging like many here do...hope you don't mind if so I will delete it...jeff
 
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Doing my first tomorrow for the big show (aka Turkey day). Got it from a local butcher, there were three on display up front and I didn't really have an idea of what I was looking for so grabbed the one that looked most similar to what I'd seen on Pitmasters. I'll do a thread on it tomorrow.

After reading this thread I have to say that I'm more uncertain of what to do than ever before, but the show must go on. Going to trim the fat closer to the meat and cook it fat down. 275+ with no rub, just salt'n'peppa. Pull and wrap at 160, cook to 190 then fridge overnight.
 
Outspoken, I will suggest that you check for doneness beginning at 190°F, but realize that many briskets will need to cook longer than that in order to fully hit the "moist and tender" stage, when a toothpick can be inserted with little resistance in several areas of the meat.

 Good luck on the cook!
 
 
Doing my first tomorrow for the big show (aka Turkey day). Got it from a local butcher, there were three on display up front and I didn't really have an idea of what I was looking for so grabbed the one that looked most similar to what I'd seen on Pitmasters. I'll do a thread on it tomorrow.

After reading this thread I have to say that I'm more uncertain of what to do than ever before, but the show must go on. Going to trim the fat closer to the meat and cook it fat down. 275+ with no rub, just salt'n'peppa. Pull and wrap at 160, cook to 190 then fridge overnight.
Are you doing a flat or a packer?  How big?  
 
 
I'm guessing it is a packer 'cause it sure ain't flat. It almost has a pyramid shape to it. I'll post a photo when I get home.

It's 4lbs.
4 pounds and triangular sounds more like the point. Which is commonly used for burnt ends, and will have a higher marbling than the flat. The flat is typically more rectangular in shape and leaner. When connected to the point you have a packer. The weight of a packer would be in the 15+ pound range.

This is one of the est brisket posts ever posted here:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...ood-sliced-brisket-defies-conventional-wisdom
 
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4 pounds and triangular sounds more like the point. Which is commonly used for burnt ends, and will have a higher marbling than the flat. The flat is typically more rectangular in shape and leaner. When connected to the point you have a packer. The weight of a packer would be in the 15+ pound range.

This is one of the est brisket posts ever posted here:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...ood-sliced-brisket-defies-conventional-wisdom
That makes a lot of sense. Yes, it is highly marbled.

Does that mean I'm going to be doing something entirely different from what's been posted here as this thread... ok I see n the thread you've posted around page 5 they start talking about separating the flat from the point.
 
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