Brisket: What if you don't trim the fat?

[sonnyseattle]

Okay, let's say you buy one of those Costco or Sam's Club packers. You bring it home and see several inches of WWII battleship armor on one side. Many posts I've seen here say to trim it down to around 1/4 inch before submitting it to the smoke.

But what if, hear me out, what if you don't trim off even a single millimeter? Does that dinosaur tongue get extra juicy? How many of you here trim the fat only after smoking?

Right now, I am 5 IT degrees away from taking an excessively fat-trimmed flat from my Masterbuilt gasser. Thought this was a good time to ask a question I should have asked two years ago.

 

[sonnyseattle]

Here's the flat, sans fat cap, in the foil for the rest. Looks like it is barking up the right tree.

 

[mike243]

I have done it and the fat with bark on it is really good when hot and fresh, I prefer to trim it down some but not all the way off, cooked 1 and piled all the trimmed fat was placed on the rack over the brisket , it worked great, kept the meat lubed as it cooked. I prefer to use fat from my brisket rather than paying for unknown fat ymmv.

 

[thirdeye]

I don't think I've ever gone from package-to-pit without some trimming, but in my early years of brisket I trimmed a lot less than I do these days. For me, trimming out the large wedge around the point, and leveling out the outside face was just as important when cooking as it was to keep the pit cleaning a little easier.

 

[jcam222]

I trim very little. Iay take off some of the cap if it's thick. I don't even try to take fat from between the flat and point. To me it's far easier to remove what I want post cook when slicing.

 

[normanaj]

I'm definitely a minimalist when it comes to trimming the fat cap.