Beef Brisket Fat Cap

bobrien314 · Joined: 10 Oct 2013 Posts: 2 Location: Pittsburgh

Hi All,

I have been using this site as a resource, but this is my first post, so hopefully you guys can help.

I have smoked a beef brisket once before on my 18.5 WSM, and it turn out great, except when we removed the fat cap it lost most of the rub, and the bark. I've read a lot of forum posts, and everyone says to trim the fat cap to 1/4" which is what I did last time.

This time I am debating remove most if not all of the fat cap, and putting the brisket directly over a disposable chafing dish with beef stock in it (I have a cooking rack that fits perfectly on top of a half chafing dish). I feel like as long as the brisket is marbled well, this should keep the brisket just as moist as leaving it fat cap side down.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I do not want to try removing the fat cap and ruin my smoke.

SoEzzy · Posted: Oct 10 2013 Post subject:

Packer brisket or just a flat?

Most flats come trimmed too much IMO, Packers can come with up to 3/4" of fat.

I trim down to between 1/8" and 1/4" I season all over, when the flat part of a packer is nearly done, I remove the point and any of the fat left on the flat, then reseason both the flat and the point, the point goes back on the cooker in a pan, for another couple of hours to render out other fat from the point, and the flat gets an extra 30 - 40 minutes to settle the bark.
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bobrien314 · Joined: 10 Oct 2013 Posts: 2 Location: Pittsburgh

Sorry, forgot to mention this is just a Flat.

SoEzzy · Posted: Oct 10 2013 Post subject:

On flats, I pick the side I want to sacrifice and that is the side that goes face down on the foil, 9 times out of 10, you loose the bark on that side.
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AndrewT · Newbie Joined: 08 Jan 2013 Posts: 60

Try not removing the fat cap. Trim to 1/4" or so and cook with that side down till you wrap or foil. Near the end of the cook, unwrap as the bear said, and let the bark "settle" for another hour. Slice and serve with what should now be a 1/8" or layer of barky smoked and rendered fat in place.

BRam03 · Posted: Oct 28 2013 Post subject:

Here is a nice guide on how to trim a brisket:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmTzdMHu5KU

Doing this, when I am serving I don't have to trim off any of the fat/bark, as it has rendered out necely.
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