Untrimmed Briskets

I like to smoke whole briskets weighing between
twelve to fifteen pounds. I trim the fat cap down to about a 1\4" thickness all over. I also remove some excess fat between the point and flat. I then smoke it for around twelve to fifteen hours with the fat side up at 225. Most of the fat renders off while keeping the brisket moist. I've never run into a really aged brisket. My guess is that as you trim down the fat cap the fat will get lighter as the aged portion is cut off.

Good luck

Well,I'm no expert-but we do cook some briskets.

The "packer" is what the meat packer sends them in the cryovac,and contains the point and flat segments.

Depending on your usage for the meat,i.e. comps,vending,catering might determine what/how you trim-before you cook.

Some volume cooks will leave them untrimmed,until completely cooked.

Much of the fat will melt away and the remaining can be scraped off, easily.

If you have a specific need,ask and someone will jump in.

Hope this helps a little.

quote:

Originally posted by Nodrog:
My local butcher shop only sells peeled or "untrimmed" briskets - they have never heard of a packer cut brisket.

This is a regular butcher shop and they have never heard of a packer cut? I would look for another shop.

I'm with Axel. If the shop doesn't know what a packer cut is, then go somewhere else.

To really confuse them, ask him if he wants you to give him the IAMPS # (Internation Assoc Meat Packers). IF there is a cut of meat, they have a # for it.

That "brown" discoloration is actually where the brisket is attached to the sternum (and if you get real technical, you can get a Left and a Right brisket)

Just trim off about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, expose fresh meat. I also cut off any HARD fat.

Unfortunately they are the only butcher shop in town these days, and their quality of meats is very good - I guess better than their knowledge of meat cutting terms. Only other places to go are regular super-markets, Costco, or Wal-Mart.

Thanks for the info on whether or not to trim-off the brown colored fat before cooking. I don't do volume cooking, just for myself & family, and trying to make brisket as good as I can. So far, some are good - some are dry. Yes, I keep good notes.

Well,check the Walmart out.

Sometimes they get choice packers and sell them the same as select/cutter/no roll/ungraded..

Often,they put a case out and it doesn't sell,so they take big markdowns-around $0.99

I've heard that Costco has choice packers ,in some markets.

There are many comp cooks that trim little,if at all.

The feeling is that it will be more moist,and the cooked fat comes off almost instantly.

Also,in some brisket country restaurants,folks like the fat on ,and remove the excess themselves.

Hope this helps a little.

I have cooked flats on my 55 and they come out just fine. I have never foiled the brisket and it comes out juicy and moist. I always cook fat side up. Flats fit in the smaller cs's better then packers. I also find there is a better net per pound then packer because of the lesser fat content. People prefer the cuts of flats. They looks more like the traditional brisket pictures.

Tom, thanks for the info.
My original question of whether or not to cut off the brown colored fat was to wonder if it would leave a bad taste to the meat if left on. When I look at pictures in Smokin's Brisket 101 and other brisket posts, the fat cap on those seem to be white and "fresh" looking. The last one I got was fresh - not frozen, 10.08#, straight from the meat packer to butcher shop, still in the cryo pack. On the 'hide-side' of it, the fat and all the surface membrane stuff was brown colored. On the 'interior/chest-side' of it, the fat was nice & white and the meat nice & red. I trimmed-off all the brown stuff which left me then mostly red meat on that side of it. I was concerned this "low-fat" surface now might cause it to be dry, especially the flat end - it did however allow for the later mop sauce to be applied to meat itself rather than the usual ever softening fat cap. After smoking, wrapping in foil with a little au jus, and letting rest in cooler for 3 hours, we cut in and ate away. The point end was great, the flat end was a bit dry - especially the left-over portions the day after. Ya I know, save the end of the flat for soup or chili. For future times, I was just wondering whether or not to trim that brown stuff off?? After anticipating great food for the 15-20 hours or more hours it takes for the smoking & resting process, I would hate to have it be tainted by not prepping it properly.
Pictures from other brisket posts have really helped me - thanks to those that have done so. I now wish I had taken pictures of it "before" trimming so I could show what it really looked like. Ahhh, is not 20-20 hindsight just the best!

To give you a direct answer,I doubt any problem with taste,but when I'm only doing a couple,I go ahead and trim off places like that and the couple chunks that may be huge fat and probably won't be eaten anyway.

If I'm cooking a half dozen,I don't bother,as they trim easier when cooked.

Your instincts were correct. Cut off any "brown"

Depending on the cattle and how it was raised the fat can be slightly different shades.

My current supplier, provides me pure white brisket fat and it tastes different.

I wouldn't buy it next time if the fat is off color. I'd be worried as how some of the fat was white and some wasn't. On the same cow it should be the same color UNLESS during processing it wasn't good.

I find that "dry" briskets is hard to really pin down without know a lot of details. Sometimes it's a simple as the piece of meat was bad select and had little marbling. Other times it's just a thin piece of meat. Lots of variations. That's why I'm still trying to learn to cook brisket at 40 years of it...