I keep seeing folks overtrim their briskets before smoking

They're taking off way too much fat, sometimes leaving less than a quarter inch. That fat cap is crucial for keeping the meat moist during a long cook. How do you all decide how much to leave on?

3 comments

3 Comments

leelewis13d ago

My neighbor did that last summer, ended up with a brisket dry as sawdust. He was following some online tutorial that said to trim it like a competition cut. For my backyard smoker, I leave a good half inch of fat on the fat cap. It just seems to work better for the longer cook time.

paul25113d ago

My first brisket was too lean, but that fat cap tip saved the next one.

alice_palmer2017h ago

Totally agree about leaving more fat for a home cook. Did the same thing last time, just kept it simple and didn't trim too much. Made a huge difference in keeping it moist.