Shoutout to the pitmaster at Franklin's who set me straight on brisket trimming

I was at a competition last Saturday in Lockhart and got to talking with this old school pitmaster who used to work at Franklin BBQ. I was bragging about how I trim my briskets real lean to save on fat cap. He laughed and said 'son you're throwing away all the flavor insurance.' Then he showed me how he leaves a quarter inch on the point and just cleans up the hard stuff. Made me realize I've been over trimming for like 2 years now and drying out my flats. Next brisket I did his way came out way juicier even with the same temp and wrap time. Anyone else get humbled by a conversation with someone who's been doing it longer?

2 comments

2 Comments

jesse_craig261d ago

Wait, so you're telling me two years of trimming every speck of fat off my briskets was basically me turning them into expensive beef jerky? I guess that explains why my last few cooks felt more like a science experiment on "how dry can brisket get" than a meal. Good thing that pitmaster saved you before you started trimming the fat off butter too.

lilycraig1d ago

Funny you mention that. I had a similar wake up call from an old butcher in Austin about pork shoulder. I was trimming mine down real close because I thought less fat meant less greasy mess. He watched me do it and said "you're making a pork chop, not a shoulder." Told me to leave a solid fat cap and just score it so the rub gets in. Changed everything. Next time I cooked a shoulder for my family they actually asked if I bought it from a restaurant instead of my usual dry mess. Sometimes you just need someone to smack the bad habits out of you with 30 years of experience.

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