I keep seeing people trim brisket like it's a steak

Was at a competition last month in Kansas City and watched three teams remove almost all the fat cap. They said it was for a better bark but those briskets came out dry as hell. I've been behind a pit for about 6 years now and you need at least a quarter inch of fat on there to keep it moist through the stall. Anybody else run into folks over trimming and having to explain why their meat turned out tough?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_lewis1mo ago

Wait, people are actually ditching the fat cap? That's WILD to me, sounds like they're sacrificing moisture just to win a looks contest with the bark. A buddy of mine fell for the same YouTube nonsense and his first "trimmed" brisket was the driest thing I've ever been handed. Fat is what does the heavy work through that long stall, take it off and you're just asking for trouble.

phoenix_lewis1mo ago

I had a buddy in Austin last spring who trimmed his brisket down to almost nothing because he saw it on YouTube. He was real proud of his bark but that thing stalled for hours and came out like shoe leather. Finally I walked him through keeping a quarter inch on the flat and half inch on the point, and his next one was juicy as hell with a perfect smoke ring. The fat cap isn't just for show, it's what keeps the meat from drying out while the collagen breaks down.

martin.riley1mo ago

Hold on though, I've gotten some of the best bark and crust by trimming almost everything off. All that fat just melts and steams the outside, you don't get that crunchy char. And if your stall is that long, maybe your temps are too low or your smoker's just leaky. A little shoe leather builds character.