I keep seeing people overtrimming brisket before they even cook it

Been doing competition BBQ for about 4 years now, and I swear every YouTube video I watch has folks taking a knife to their packer before it even hits the smoker. They cut off half the fat cap and trim it into some aerodynamic bullet shape. Last month at a local comp in Springfield, I saw a guy throw away almost 2 pounds of fat and silver skin from a single 14 pound brisket. The thing is, that fat renders down and keeps the meat moist during a long cook. If you trim it all off before cooking, you end up with dry flats and point ends that taste like shoe leather. I only take off the hard fat and any ragged edges, maybe 8 ounces total. The rest stays on, and I just score it a little so it renders better. Has anyone else noticed a trend with way too aggressive trimming, or am I just old school about this?

2 comments

2 Comments

leo10710d ago

Man I saw this exact thing on a BBQ stream last week and it drove me nuts. Some guy was shaving off nearly all the fat on the point like he was making a sculpture. He ended up with maybe a quarter inch of fat max. Then he acted surprised when his brisket came out dry. That fat cap is there for a reason, it's not just decoration. I trim the hard fat and that's it, maybe a quick pass on the silver skin near the flat. The rest of that fat is your insurance policy against a tough cook. Seems like people are worried about presentation over taste these days.

parkernelson9d ago

@leo107 nailed it with the insurance policy line. I used to be one of those guys who trimmed way too much off, thinking I was being precise and getting better results. Then I watched a buddy at a comp leave a good half inch on his packer and it came out way juicier than mine. That fat keeps the flat from drying out and adds flavor to the bark. Now I just take off the hard stuff and leave the rest alone.