TIL I've been trimming my brisket wrong for years

I was watching a video from a pitmaster in Kansas City and noticed he left way more fat on the flat than I usually do. I always trimmed mine down to almost nothing, thinking it would be better. Last weekend I tried leaving a quarter inch on one brisket and my usual trim on another, cooked them side by side. The one with more fat stayed way juicier and didn't dry out at all. Has anyone else made a simple change that gave you way better results?

3 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

3 Comments

ruby_fisher16mo ago

Oh man, I feel this. I used to trim mine down to basically NOTHING and wondered why it was always so dry. That fat cap is there for a reason, I guess!

1

abby_palmer6mo ago

My buddy did that exact thing with his last brisket. He trimmed off almost all the fat, said it looked cleaner. It cooked way too fast and came out like shoe leather. He was so mad at himself for not leaving that protective layer on.

-1

miller.jason5mo ago

Wasn't there a whole article about how the fat cap acts like a heat shield? Makes total sense why it would cook too fast without it.

3