First Brisket Question

I am smoking a 7 1/2 lbs brisket on a New Braunfels (Bandera) smoker...I plan to cook it at 225 for about 10-12 hours...my question is..would you recommend that I cook it fat side up without flipping? I was thinking about flipping every 2 hours, but I don't like all the juices running out when I do that. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

Thanks for all the great responses...I guess I will try it fat side up this time and see what happens. I'll post the results.

Seavs said:

I am smoking a 7 1/2 lbs brisket on a New Braunfels (Bandera) smoker...I plan to cook it at 225 for about 10-12 hours...my question is..would you recommend that I cook it fat side up without flipping? I was thinking about flipping every 2 hours, but I don't like all the juices running out when I do that. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

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On a New Bransfels smoker you will beat beating your head against the wall trying to keep the temp down and really, if you let it flow naturally... you are going to have a great brisket.

remember at 225, the odds that your meat is going to cook in an envelope of 225 heat is minuscule even if a therm right next to it reads 225. In addition, 225 is damn close to NOTHING land... the zone where nothing but taking on smoke and drying occurs (about 212).

The primary reason briskets take forever to cook and dry out at this temp is because they basically spend a ,lot of time just sitting there.

forget what you have heard and let that smoker cook at its natural temp (depending on the fire) at about 250 - 300 away from the fire inlet and enjoy.

moonpie said:

I say fat side up...all the way through, letting the melting fat travel down through the meat. 185-225 degrees for 10-12 hours has always worked for me. I know my temp zone looks a little loose, but I don't like constantly messing with my air trying to get the perfect temp.

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fat up is good in some circumstances and frankly the smoker he is using could probably be one of those instances. However, due to a brisket's structure, most of the fat does not travel down through. It travels in between the sinew and out the sides.

It DOES when it melts form a barrier that helps with moistness. Which is why, yes, doing a brisket upside down also forms a bowl of sorts that keeps the liquids in a bit.

Either way up or down would be great for a NBS

and where is this 185 - stuff coming from. Is someone playing a huge joke on us?