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?

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3 Comments

leelewis6mo 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.

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paul2516mo ago

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

6

alice_palmer206mo 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.

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