Trimming Fat On Briskets

[oldnndway]

Do y'all trim the fat off briskets before you cook them ?

Nobody in my family likes the fat so they aren't a lot of help on whether I should continue trimming or leave it.
Guess I could cut it all off after I cook it but it's hot and it burns my lil fingers.

Does it make the meat moister if left on ?

There is always a solid clod of fat between the edge of the point and the flat that I take out plus I trim all of the fat I can from the exterior and my brisket has been coming out real good.
Just wondering if I should leave it for flavor or moistness.

[Papa Tom]

You say they turn out good, then why change? There'll be lots of opinions on this. I trim fat to about 1/4" including the big chunk between the point and flat. Yes fat adds flavor but it gets past the point of diminishing returns in a hurry. After you cook it you can remove the fat just by scraping it off with the edge of your knife in the direction of the grain. Some say to poke it when cool and if the fat is hard trim it if soft leave it.

[HoosierTrooper]

I trim off every scrap of fat I can.

[oldnndway]

" You say they turn out good, then why change? "

Your right Papa Tom, ain't no reason to go messin with a good thing (unless you can make it better)

I don't know how I would stack up in a competition but I know I like mine as does my family.

[Bowhnter2]

only depends on if I'm lazy or not...

[bigwheel]

I try to do em about like Gordo taught me and similar to Old. Comes out about like whut would pass for a "trimmed brisket" at the store. Now I got a chum who skins his plumb nekked afore cooking and he makes some mighty fine brisket.

bigwheel



only depends on if I'm lazy or not...

[ibornagain]

If everyone is happy why change? I am a big fan of seperating the point from the flat & giving it an heavy trim...It seems to me it added more bark, flavor & shorter cook time. The rub isn't removed when the fat is scraped off...

Brisket is still very moist....IMHO....

[Freedbaby]

I dont trim a drop off.....I know that Gordo trims em up pretty good and he does very well, but it didnt work for me for whatever reason.

I go with the crowd on this one, if it aint broke dont fix it.

Freedbaby

[serialgriller]

the way you've been trimming them is just fine - especially if the finished product is to everyone's liking.

[Buckeye]

I never trimmed my briskets before.....but goin' on a tip from a friend:wink: .....I trimmed mine down ta bout a 1/4" an ended up wif a 3rd place brisket a coupla weeks ago. 8) Now, I don't noe if tha trimmin' had anythin ta do wif it place'n 3rd, or if in fact there wuzn't any difference by trimmin' it.........maybe I jus cooked a damn good brisket. :sarcastic: :P

.....but I think I'll be trimmin briskets from now on....or at leest until I git a 2nd or 1st place from a untrimmed one in my next comp.

[HFD26]

After many years of cooking briskets,this weekend for the first time I trimmed the heck out of two choice briskets and they came out excellent. By the way, I love that Texas Wild.

[bearbonez]

I go the same way as Buckeye. I trim everything more than 1/4". Don't wanna be serving up hunks of lard, but need some fat on there for the flavor.

[Woodman]

I trim them when they are done.

[Michiana Mark]

Here's how some do there trimming.http://www.azbbqa.com/articles/brisket-trim.htm To each there own.:)

[TexLaw]

I usually cut out a chunk of that fat between the point and flat, so that it's easier to separate the two after cooking. I might trim down the fat cap, if it's very thick. I don't do much more than that, though.

Don't worry about moisture or flavor, though. The fat on the outside doesn't do much in either department. If anything, the fat cap shields the meat from too much heat, but that's about it.


TL

[Papa Tom]

If anything, the fat cap shields the meat from too much heat, but that's about it.


TL

Did I hear you say "Fat cap down"? Here we go!! :D

[Zeeman]

1-2-3, flat side down.
z

[Hankerin Bar-B-Q]

I usually cut out a chunk of that fat between the point and flat, so that it's easier to separate the two after cooking. I might trim down the fat cap, if it's very thick. I don't do much more than that, though.

Don't worry about moisture or flavor, though. The fat on the outside doesn't do much in either department. If anything, the fat cap shields the meat from too much heat, but that's about it.


TL

TL, have you been peeking in my kitchen window, again? This isn't the first time our great minds have thunk alike. :idea:

[TexLaw]

TL, have you been peeking in my kitchen window, again? This isn't the first time our great minds have thunk alike. :idea:

Hank, I learned a long time ago that I shouldn't peek in windows. :twisted: No doubt, though, that genius shares much in common. :D


TL

[Paul Taylor]

Oh hell, here we go again, just lemme add my $.02 by adding that I don't trim nuttin' until after the cook. Then I trim it up pretty good. I usually leave just a touch of fat on there. Besides I have PPL that will eat the hell outta the fat anyways, damn the meat. Besides I figure that if I wanted one trimmed up before the cook. I would spend the extra $$ & buy one already trimmed up to begin with.I think that it's an avg. of about a dollar a lb. anyways, so why not?

Paul Taylor

[Oli]

Trimmed

UN-Trimmed = longer cook times = more fuel cost = less sleep.

[gordo]

Amen brother Oli.... you hit the nail on the head....
Ps...forgot to add you get the seasoning to the meat...

[Papa Tom]

Let me interject something here that is like "One man's pretty another man's poison".
I did a catering for 200 in Arkansas and trimmed the briskets like I always do down to 1/4" and I'm careful not to take lean with the fat. There was a Filipino lady there doing other chores and she says " What you do with that?" I said " It's yours what are you going to do with it?" She says "Cook it with vegetables it really, really good I make you some." I said "No Thanks" :shock: Hell she musta had 10 pounds of fat there.

[Bad Santa]

I trim mine....As stated before, it decreases the cook time, allows more sleep at a cookoff and lets the rub get deeper into the meat, thus adding more flavor. There's still plenty of fat on/in it to keep it moist and not dry it out.
You'll remove the fat after you cook it before you serve, so why waste your rub on the out lying fat, let the flavor get to the meat where you want it to be in the first place.

[Paul Taylor]

Ya know, come to think of it now, I may just have to try that & see what happens. I might be in for a shock, ya never know.

Paul Taylor