Rant: 10 years of trimming briskets wrong and I just figured it out

I was over at a buddy's shop in Portland last month watching him work and he asked why I cut so much fat off the point. I told him it was standard trim. He showed me his method and I realized I'd been taking off way too much of the deckle fat the whole time. Now my briskets actually hold moisture through the stall. Anyone else get taught wrong by an old timer and never question it?

2 comments

2 Comments

david_henderson61mo ago

Hold up man I gotta disagree with this one. Keeping all that deckle fat on makes the point turn out greasy and flabby instead of that nice clean bite. Ive been trimming briskets for competitions and backyard cooks for years and the standard trim works because you want that fat cap thin and uniform not a big chunk of unrendered fat on the point. The moisture through the stall is more about your temp management and wrapping at the right time not the fat you leave on. If anything Ive seen too many people leave too much fat on and end up with a soggy point that nobody wants to eat.

simonmoore1mo ago

Ha! Sounds like you just described every brisket I've ever made before I learned my lesson. @david_henderson6 you're probably right though, maybe I just like my point a little greasy so it doesn't remind me how dry my flat always turns out.