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[Jon515]

I was just watching to brisket cooking videos and ran across Dan's Seasoning video where he trimmed no fat. Has anyone tried this and do you recommend it?  (I'm not a brisket lover, but my family likes it) I have one sitting ready to defrost and go so I'm curious about this technique.

[urnmor]

I was just watching to brisket cooking videos and ran across Dan's Seasoning video where he trimmed no fat. Has anyone tried this and do you recommend it?  (I'm not a brisket lover, but my family likes it) I have one sitting ready to defrost and go so I'm curious about this technique.

I am not familiar with the video however when you say he did not trim the fat was it because there was not a lot of fat to trim?   I personally am a believer in having fat on butts and briskets as they not only add flavor it helps in keeping them moist during the long cook.  If needed the fat could be emoted before slicing.  Again this is just my opinion as I am sure others will also chime in.

[Canadian John]

  In my book: too little or no fat can result with a dry result whereas too much fat generates an mess, sometimes to the point of a fire risk - depending on the cooking

 method.

  Leaving ~ 1/4" of fat has always been my goal.

[Brushpopper]

I very seldom trim any fat off and anything that is left after cooking we trim off for the outside dog.  She loves it.  On a packer I'll trim that real hard strip of stuff but that's about it.

[pmillen]

I personally am a believer in having fat on butts and briskets as they not only add flavor it helps in keeping them moist during the long cook.

I could never understand how this could be true. 

• There's a lot of water in raw meat and a lot of it is cooked out during smoking and baking.  So water is coming out of the brisket as fat is rendering.  Water and rendered fat don't mix so I think that the outgoing water vapor will just flush the rendered fat away.  Fat does add flavor to cooked meat, but it's the intramuscular fat that is trapped in the piece of meat as it cooks or it's a bit of unrendered exterior fat contained in the bite.
• The muscle protein cell walls will block rendered fat from entering.  That's what holds rendered intramuscular in place.
• There's an impenetrable wall between the meat protein and the exterior fat.  It's the protein cell walls and, often, water based connective tissue that packages muscle groups.

So basting may produce some effect on the meat's surface, like browning fowl skin, but it won't affect the interior.  (Chicken skin is waterproof.)

I don't have data to prove the preceding.  And I understand that I'm just another guy with an opinion if I don't have data.  So—that's my opinion.

[Jon515]

  In my book: too little or no fat can result with a dry result whereas too much fat generates an mess, sometimes to the point of a fire risk - depending on the cooking

 method.

  Leaving ~ 1/4" of fat has always been my goal.

It was a standard brisket, so plenty of fat.  I've always trimmed so I was just curious.

[Bentley]

Unless I need fat for ground beef mix, I never trim till after cook!

[BigDave83]

I personally am a believer in having fat on butts and briskets as they not only add flavor it helps in keeping them moist during the long cook.

I could never understand how this could be true. 

• There's a lot of water in raw meat and a lot of it is cooked out during smoking and baking.  So water is coming out of the brisket as fat is rendering.  Water and rendered fat don't mix so I think that the outgoing water vapor will just flush the rendered fat away.  Fat does add flavor to cooked meat, but it's the intramuscular fat that is trapped in the piece of meat as it cooks or it's a bit of unrendered exterior fat contained in the bite.
• The muscle protein cell walls will block rendered fat from entering.  That's what holds rendered intramuscular in place.
• There's an impenetrable wall between the meat protein and the exterior fat.  It's the protein cell walls and, often, water based connective tissue that packages muscle groups.

So basting may produce some effect on the meat's surface, like browning fowl skin, but it won't affect the interior.  (Chicken skin is waterproof.)

I don't have data to prove the preceding.  And I understand that I'm just another guy with an opinion if I don't have data.  So—that's my opinion.

I think part of it would come from if one trimmed to much they would or may remove that silver skin or barrier between the fat and meat and now the water and juice has an easier escape route. I am the same way the fat  isn't getting in at best it may help self baste.

I guess it is just one of those things that some swear by and other scratch their heads and say Hmm?

My other one is when people tell me they use a vacuum sealer to get the marinade in to the meat deeper, and my mind say it you vacuum something you are pulling out not pushing in.

[Bentley]

It does work, but I believe you need a chamber marinade(r), like Larry had.  Big cylinder, put in marinade and meat.  Suck out air, meat expands (think marshmallows in a vac chamber), marinade goes into expanded meat fibers.  I think it was $900, I was just not that into winning to spend that kind of money!

My other one is when people tell me they use a vacuum sealer to get the marinade in to the meat deeper, and my mind say it you vacuum something you are pulling out not pushing in.

Marshmallows in a vac chamber

[BigDave83]

It does work, but I believe you need a chamber marinade(r), like Larry had.  Big cylinder, put in marinade and meat.  Suck out air, meat expands (think marshmallows in a vac chamber), marinade goes into expanded meat fibers.  I think it was $900, I was just not that into winning to spend that kind of money!

My other one is when people tell me they use a vacuum sealer to get the marinade in to the meat deeper, and my mind say it you vacuum something you are pulling out not pushing in.

Marshmallows in a vac chamber

That kind of makes sense, but I have seen people tumble in the vacuum tumblers for hours. To me that would be a waste of time. If one were to just put the meat in some sort of marinading container pull the vacuum and give it 30 seconds and release, maybe do this 2 or 3 times I would think it would work better than the hours of tumbling.

I do remember the marshmallow in the jar back when the vacuum machines were just coming out, or maybe it was on an infomercial.

[jdmessner]

From my experience I have had good luck trimming fat and good luck when I have not. So, I do not believe one way is any better than the other. For me it just depends on the circumstances.

I do believe there is enough fat inside the brisket so it shouldn’t dry out if trimmed. I do not believe the fat cap provides any self-basting benefit. So that does not figure in the equation either way.

The pros for trimming:
•   I don’t like to trim away fat while the brisket is hot. It usually is slipperier and messier (even though it is easier to cut away). When it gets to that point, I usually just want to let the meat rest, slice it, and serve.
•   It gives more surface area for the rub and the smoke to reach.

Pros for not trimming:
•   It takes me a long time to trim, and I don’t want to mess with it.
•   It takes me a long time and I don’t want to mess with it.
•   I don’t want to mess with it.

If I do not trim, I will smoke it fat side down, so more meat will get the smoke. If I were to cook it fat side up, it might as well be in the oven and not the smoker (and that has been known to work in a pinch). The bottom line is, it all boils down to how I am feeling when I get started. If I have time and energy I will trim. If not, no problem!

[hughver]

It does work, but I believe you need a chamber marinade(r), like Larry had.  Big cylinder, put in marinade and meat.  Suck out air, meat expands (think marshmallows in a vac chamber), marinade goes into expanded meat fibers.  I think it was $900, I was just not that into winning to spend that kind of money!

My other one is when people tell me they use a vacuum sealer to get the marinade in to the meat deeper, and my mind say it you vacuum something you are pulling out not pushing in.

Marshmallows in a vac chamber

I have one of those chamber rotating vacuum marinators. I have not used it for years but when I did my impression was that it helped. BTW, mine was not $900, more like $300-$400.

As for fat trimming on brisket, I always have separated the point from the flat and removed all visible fat. My thinking is that the more exposed meat the more smoke and spice flavor retention. My briskets are always flavorful, moist and tender.

[pmillen]

As for fat trimming on brisket, I always have separated the point from the flat and removed all visible fat. My thinking is that the more exposed meat the more smoke and spice flavor retention. My briskets are always flavorful, moist and tender.

+1  Exactly my thoughts and process.

[Bentley]

Don't cook many Brisket any more, but I got a roll of butchers paper at the H.E.B. in College Station.  So may try one next month.  Be curious what all the fuss was about!  What was that craze about 8-10 years ago?  That is about right for my timing!

[Brushpopper]

Don't cook many Brisket any more, but I got a roll of butchers paper at the H.E.B. in College Station.  So may try one next month.  Be curious what all the fuss was about!  What was that craze about 8-10 years ago?  That is about right for my timing!

It works just as good as foil in my opinion.  I never can get it wrapped the way I want it though.  It's always loose fitting.