My brisket came out tough last Saturday and it changed how I trim fat

I've been doing brisket for about 5 years now, always trimming down to a quarter inch of fat like most folks say. Last weekend I cooked a 14 pound prime packer from Costco and it came out dry and tough on the flat. I was pretty frustrated so I called up my buddy who competes in KCBS competitions and he asked how thick I left the fat cap. When I told him a quarter inch he laughed and said that's probably why it failed, he leaves closer to a half inch on his cooks. I tried his method this past Thursday with a smaller 10 pounder and the difference was night and day, way more moist and tender. Anyone else had luck leaving more fat on? I'm second guessing all those trimming videos now.

2 comments

2 Comments

parkerb7511d ago

Bro same exact thing happened to me a few months ago and I never looked back. That half inch cap is a game changer, I swear the videos are just wrong for home cooks.

mary83610d agoMost Upvoted

You know what, Parker, I used to be one of those people who followed the videos to the letter. I'd measure exactly what they said and wonder why my stuff never came out right. But after reading your post a while back, I tried that half inch cap and honestly it fixed everything. My breads and biscuits finally have that proper rise and texture. The videos must be made in some commercial kitchen with different equipment. Have you noticed a difference with baked goods too, or is it more for stovetop cooking?