I finally realized I was trimming brisket all wrong after 6 years

Was at a competition in Austin last month and a pitmaster named Dave pointed out I was cutting against the grain before the cook. He showed me his method of leaving a fat cap that keeps the flat from drying out. After trying it on a 14 pound prime packer it came out way juicier than anything I ever made before. Anyone else have a basic technique they messed up for way too long?

3 comments

3 Comments

david_jones3822d ago

Saw a YouTube video from that same Austin competition last year where a guy broke down three different packers and showed how leaving a quarter inch fat cap on the flat side really changes the moisture game. I tried it on my last brisket and it came out way better than my usual dry mess. The fat cap also helps with bark formation if you trim it right, but I still struggle with not trimming too much off the point. Have you noticed a difference in how the fat renders when you leave that extra layer on?

miles_burns22d agoTop Commenter

I actually read a really detailed breakdown on the Smoke Ring BBQ forum where a guy tested fat cap thickness with a digital caliper on eight different briskets. He found that at exactly 1/4 inch, the fat renders perfectly into the meat without pooling on top, but go thicker and it starts to steam the bark and make it soft. I tried it on my last brisket and got a really nice dark crust on the flat side that I usually miss out on. For the point though, I've had better luck just leaving whatever's naturally there and scoring it lightly, because trimming too much just exposes the meat to direct heat and it dries out before the collagen breaks down. Your mileage may vary depending on your smoker and how much airflow you get.

michael66922d ago

Thing is, that quarter inch rule depends a lot on your smoker's airflow and how stable your temps run.