Finally nailed a clean brisket trim after 3 months of trying

I've been watching Franklin's videos and practicing on cheaper cuts, but last week it just clicked. Trimmed a 14 lb brisket from Costco down to about 10 lbs with a nice rounded shape and thin fat cap. Cooked it on my 22 inch WSM for 9 hours at 275 and it came out juicy, not dry like my first two attempts. The point was a little overdone on the flat side, but the bark was perfect and my wife said it beat the local BBQ spot. Anyone else had that moment where trimming suddenly makes sense, or did I just get lucky?

2 comments

2 Comments

lindag331mo agoMost Upvoted

The real breakthrough for me was when I stopped treating the fat cap like something to make perfect and started using my fingers to feel the meat underneath for the natural seams. That whole "poke and peel" method changed everything, because trimming is less about looks and more about finding where the muscle already wants to separate. Once you follow that line, the shape just works itself out and you end up with less waste. Also, letting the brisket sit in the fridge uncovered overnight before trimming makes the fat firmer and way easier to slice clean, nobody ever mentions that part.

ellioth371mo ago

Man, I gotta say I tried that dry fridge trick and it just made the fat stiff and brittle on me. Felt like I was fighting it with the knife instead of getting those clean slices everyone talks about. I actually like trimming it right after it comes out of the cryovac, still a little tacky, so the knife glides through the soft spots and you can really feel where the deckle rolls over. But hey, whatever works for your cook, right?