Trimming my first brisket.. Help!

azbertman · Mar 22, 2016

So I am smoking my first brisket this weekend. I have been searching the forums for a few days and have read many techniques and methods so I (think) I have a plan for the smoke, and serve. I do have a couple questions in regards to the prep. First of all, did I get a decent deal on my brisket at $2.59/lb? This was the first I have bought so I didn't know what to expect.

Second is trimming. I know the fat cap should be 1/4" at least but how much of the surrounding fat do you trim off? All of it, most of it, or leave some? I read a post where someone removed 4lbs of fat. Is that normal? i searched the forums for brisket trimming and didn't find anything. If I missed it, I apologize.

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azbertman
Mar 22, 2016

3montes · Mar 22, 2016

$2.59 is a great deal! You only bought one!!

Cheapest I can get is $2.99 and thats rare. As far as trimming some do and some don't. I do. I trim to about 1/4" and trim off any hanging chunks or just plain nasty looking pieces.. Anything that looks discolored around the edge should be trimmed. !/4" of fat to me is plenty to keep the brisket basted during the cook plus it gives your rub a chance to get to the meat. Leaving a inch thick fat cap leaves a inch of rendered fat to clean out of your smoker.

bamafan · Mar 22, 2016

I trim most of it off. At the section where you can separate the point from the flat there will be a big section that looks like a V. I trim most of that out and it will be a lot of fat. Any big chunks around the point I trim down ti a 1/4" or less. Makes you feel bad cutting that much off but there will be plenty of fat left in there. Hope that help. Bought 4 today!

azbertman · Mar 22, 2016

3montes said:
$2.59 is a great deal! You only bought one!!:icon_eek: Cheapest I can get is $2.99 and thats rare.

That's the normal price, I think. They probably had 20 of them all the way up to 20lbs. All choice.

lemans · Mar 22, 2016

You got a great deal.. Trim the top of the flat and the bottom of the point. Inject with beef stock . Apply rub ( Jeffs rub or salt pepper garlic) all over. Let sit will you start you fire . Use cherry or Apple . When smoker gets to 250 put on the meat. 1/12 hour per lb
Take meat to 160-170 ( stall temp) wrap in foil or butchers paper till 205.
Let it sit in cooler a few hours them slice into 1/4?inch slices ...

azbertman · Mar 22, 2016

Thx Lemans. That's pretty much what I was going to do except I really like the look and sound of burnt ends tossed in bbq sauce. Not sure if that's a bit outta my league right now but I may take a stab at it.

lemans · Mar 22, 2016

At 205 as you wrap the brisket separate the point
Cut into 1 inch cubes put in aluminum pan and rub and sauce and back into the smoker until they becom littl cube o delishishness about 1 hour at 250

lemans · Mar 22, 2016

Let me know when it's done. I will be over!!!

azbertman · Mar 22, 2016

Sounds good! Is it hard to separate the point from the flat at 205?

lemans · Mar 22, 2016

No it's not there is a ban of fat That separates the two parts if you hand is on the the point you should see were it meets the flat

SmokinAl · Mar 23, 2016

When the brisket is done, you can separate the point from the flat with a spatula, don't even need a knife.

Slide it right into that fat layer & it will come right apart.

Al

jetsknicks1 · Mar 23, 2016

Sorry I don't mean to hijack the thread but I'm doing my first brisket Saturday too and I've got a question about letting it rest in the cooler. I watch a lot of the BBQ competitions on TV and I never see those guys resting briskets that long, do they just not show that part? I'm also going to try burnt ends but I'll need to separate the point before cooking. Hope I don't mess it up lol.

azbertman · Mar 30, 2016

I know its a little late but here are some pics of my first brisket as it turned out. It wasn't as moist as I'd had hoped but I know why. I did cube the point and make burnt ends which lasted about 45 seconds after I pulled them off the smoker. All in all I believe it was a success but there is def room for improvement.

All trimmed and ready for seasoning.

AllTrimmed.png

azbertman
Mar 30, 2016

Seasoned and ready for the smoker.

SeasonedReady.png

azbertman
Mar 30, 2016

Cubing the point for burnt ends.

PointBeingCubed.png

azbertman
Mar 30, 2016

Burnt ends goin back on.

BurntEnds.png

azbertman
Mar 30, 2016

Finished product.

AllDone.png

azbertman
Mar 30, 2016

azbertman · Mar 30, 2016

Thank you everyone for the advice. Couldn't have done it without y'all.

Trimming my first brisket.. Help!

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