Fat side up or down on Pellet grill

[bbqLuv]

On my Traeger, fat side down when going on the grill. Fat cap towards the heat.
If I use a pan, would it be better to go fat cap up?

[RiverJeff]

I think so not going to dry out soon other way

[fzxdoc]

When I do fat cap up, usually when using a pan, I score the fat to get more rub in and to hopefully to encourage the fat to get a bit crispy.

Kathryn

[Jerod Broussard]

Brisket either way. Butts always fat up to prevent said fat from sticking profusely to grate.

[bbqLuv]

I will try this on the next butt. Tx

[rmeugene]

This…I don’t care about ANY science involved. JUST this!

[Michael_in_TX]

The two primary arguments I've heard run like this. For those that say fat-down, it is so the fat will "protect" the meat from the nearby concentrated heat source.

For those that say fat-up, it usually is some variant of the fat "basting the meat."

I do fat-down as, in my mind, the basting the meat premise has several flaws. First, the fat that will render from the fat cap is going to render on fairly early in the cook. Also, we know from MeatHead's work that while it may coat the meat, it isn't really basting it as fat and water don't fix, and meat is mostly water.

All in all, I wonder if it really makes that much difference. Sometimes I feel like doing fat-up simply because that is what Matt Pittman / Meat Church does, and well, I wanna be like him when I grow up.

[RonB]

Hmmm - maybe I'll do my next one on the rotisserie...

[Smoker_Boy]

I've been thinking this too.

[bbqLuv]

That puts a spin on it.

[randy.56]

I've done them both ways, don't see any benefit of fat cap up. If you want the most smoke on your meat, fat cap down.

[Draznnl]

How about fat cap trimmed off? If it doesn’t protect the meat or baste it. What purpose does it serve? Would we be better off removing pre-cook and getting that much more bark on our briskets? Can we get DaveD to run a triple brisket experiment and solve the issue once and for all?

[DaveD]

Yeah, that would be a hassle for sure. And why would there need to be three pieces? One with fat cap and one without would do the trick... dividing a flat in 2 pieces sounds pretty reasonable, assuming a convenient shape to the cut. I'd be totally up for doing it!

[bbqLuv]

I would watch the video of the triple experiment.
Draznnl after you post it on YouTube copy us the link.
Thank you in advance.

[Draznnl]

That’s why you’re in implementation and I’m only in concepts, DaveD Can’t wait to follow along on this one.

[Smoker_Boy]

Tuffy says trim it off.

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/pork-recipes/competition-pork-butt-recipe-cool-smoke-style/

[bbqLuv]

Smoker_Boy thanks it is now on my to-watch list.

The video in Diva Q's comp pork butt.

[Smoker_Boy]

Diva Q can definitely talk some smack.

[bbqLuv]

Talk smack, you are correct.

[DavidNorcross]

I see zero difference.

[captainlee]

Fat cap down. I spray the grate with canola oil and don't have a problem with sticking.

[texastweeter]

After 1/2 a bottle of bourbon will you remember? Does it matter at that point? Honestly though, I am fat cap towards heat, so in a pellet pooper I would suspect that would be fat down.

[frailinryan]

I like cap side up. I do the foil boat method, so the fat side gets a crispy, delicious bark.

[bbqLuv]

That is for brisket, correct? Have you tried the foil boat method on Pork butt?

[frailinryan]

bbqLuv Yes for brisket. I have not tried it for pork butt. I usually wrap my pork butts in foil.

[glitchy]

Toss it on from 8 feet away with backspin and the the cards play themselves.

[JeffJ]

For brisket I trim as much fat as I can. But then I only cook prime briskets from Costco and do about one per year. It’s usually more meat than I need so when I want smoked beef chuck roast is usually my go-to.