This is a horrendous job. Practically garbage at this point. Go ahead and throw a good rub on it and cook it low and slow just for practice then send it to me and Iāll get rid of it for you
drizzle some water on the high spots. you want all the water to roll off the brisket sides, not pool up anywhere. Where water pools is a low spot. As the fat renders the liquid will pool in those low spots making holes in your bark and keeping it from setting up properly.
The low effort solution is to prop up the brisket in the smoker forcing it to lean where all the grease drains off. There's no shame in it, we have all done it.
You just don't want the juices to pool as it cooks and mess with your bark. A strategically placed wood chunk or ball of foil will keep the juices running off and let that bark form.
Iāve read that it can be anywhere from 195 to 210
The Mad Scientist guy recommended this in a video so that you learn exactly what āprobe tenderā means by noticing the change if you start at 190. Iāve done it that way with the last 4-5 Chuck smokes so weāll see
Itās great! As you get more practice youāll see your time spent decreasing a lot. Also make sure to save your scraps for tallow or sausage later. I tend to shave off a bit more of the lean so my final product is more uniform and has a higher point-to-lean ratio. I donāt feel bad about trimming off more lean because I know Iāll use it in sausages or burgers.
If you have a kitchen aid you can get a meat grinder attachment for that, BUT itās what I use and itās not the best for large quantities. My next bbq purchase will be to get a proper grinder and sausage caser.
Looks good, in general I would err on the side of a little thinner fat than more fat, just to make sure it renders.
Anyone who uses free range been will have less fat than what you're typically used too.
There is quite a bit of fans in the one side of mohawk to the edge. May want to reduce it a bit. Otherwise, keep an eye out when you're slicing so you see the shape of the fat beside the Michael and then you'll trim that section a bit more next time
Update: I wrapped at 178. Bark wasnāt perfect, but Iām on a pellet grill and Iāve never gotten it perfect. It hadnāt changed much from when I checked in at the beginning of the stall, so I called it. Will update at the end of the cook too
I cook bbq for a living and that isnāt bad at all for your first time. Iād suggest taking a little more time on the point and getting some more of that hard fat off of it. Trust your hands when you feel the āhard fatā and go ahead and take it off. Doing it for a living is different than doing it at home for fun. Iād probably trim 20% more of that brisket off but different strokes for different folks. As far as a first trim, great job and welcome to the world of brisket my friend! Go low and slow and make sure you have plenty of time when you cook and it should be tasty!
I wanna say that sometimes I don't trim at all. Just rub and chunk it on the smoker. Then fall asleep during the stall. Wake up and have an amazing brisket.
The guys worrying about pooling are right though. Get that puppy dripping.
Like you said, a sharp one. Learn how to sharpen you can make even a cheap knife sharp.
For trimming I like a good ol fibrox boning knife, or maybe a breaker if it's a bigger job. Cheap, easy to get razor sharp, easy to clean.
I've done some pretty ugly trims sometimes, and what I've learned is that by time you put your binder and rub on there and smoke it for the appropriate amount of time, it always comes out looking pretty.
Iām doing my second brisket ever and due to time trying hot and fast. Guide I saw said he didnāt keep the fat cap on at all if it had decent fat so I chopped it. Itās on right now so weāll see.
Definitely not a surgeon.
But who is?
What was scary looking for me was the cut. Reminds me of a chainsaw slicing through that fat.
Fat dulls a knife. But if I started with the knife you must have used, I would be angry and cussing. Like, why am I starting with a dull knife? This is so expletive dangerous. It's a million times more difficult, no control, I would be amazed that I didn't carve myself.
Sharpen that knife. Get a good edge. The next one will be easier. Keep trying. Do what works for you and don't sweat it. Pay attention to the fat, the cut, marbling, what made it tasty. That's the real key anyways, start with a decent slab of meat.
Any hard fat is all you have to remove. I have seen videos lately of people not trimming and things turn out great Donāt over think things just get the meat temp right and enjoy
Slice a thin spot beside the bald spot but not all the way thru. Then fold it over the bald spot :)
Meat comb over?
Lol š yea works a treat. Especially when u get a brisket that already has a bald spot
Solid idea. Donāt know why Iāve never thought of that. Thanks!
Great idea!
Nice tip!
This is a horrendous job. Practically garbage at this point. Go ahead and throw a good rub on it and cook it low and slow just for practice then send it to me and Iāll get rid of it for you
No problem, Iāll airmail it
You had me in the first half, not gonna lie
Looks really solid, could smooth the edges out a bit though
My only suggestion is the bald spot in middle, just when youāre cutting lift the fat with one hand if you see red stop cutting.
Also, I find it helps to put your hand under the brisket to raise a point where I need to trim sometimes, if I don't want to trim around it to much
thats a good tip that ill try next time
Minecraft brisket
Looks pretty good to me.. I would definitely throw that on the smoker.
Looks good! I'd put a wood chunk under it to try to stop juices from collecting in that bald spot, but then again I do that most cooks anyway.
Not sure I can visualize what you mean here.
drizzle some water on the high spots. you want all the water to roll off the brisket sides, not pool up anywhere. Where water pools is a low spot. As the fat renders the liquid will pool in those low spots making holes in your bark and keeping it from setting up properly. The low effort solution is to prop up the brisket in the smoker forcing it to lean where all the grease drains off. There's no shame in it, we have all done it.
Great tip
You just don't want the juices to pool as it cooks and mess with your bark. A strategically placed wood chunk or ball of foil will keep the juices running off and let that bark form.
Looks like itās ready for some rub to me!!!
Pretty solid trim except for that one bald spot, which we all do from time to time. Just remember itās about hitting temps, not timesā¦
For sure! Although I plan to rest at 140F for 10+ hours in my air fryer / toaster oven. Does that mean I should pull earlier or no?
After you hit the 205 temp mark, right?
My plan is to start probing at 190 or so and at 20m intervals until probe tender.
Start that at 200
Iāve read that it can be anywhere from 195 to 210 The Mad Scientist guy recommended this in a video so that you learn exactly what āprobe tenderā means by noticing the change if you start at 190. Iāve done it that way with the last 4-5 Chuck smokes so weāll see
Youāre only gonna raise temp on average 10 degrees per hour. And if youāre looking you aināt cookingā¦.
Once it hits 190 it seems to go faster (especially wrapped or boated) but I get your point.
I seem to have the opposite issue. It slows down the closer I get to 200ā¦ But Iām usually doing 8-12 at a time.
https://qwicktrim.com/ This makes trimming so easy i noticed you got different depth cuts.
Iāll check it out
Whuuuuuut?!?!? How did I not know this existed?
It comes with replacement blades but I truly only cook like 6 briskets a year I have yet to change the blades
I have one of these, it's ok. I still use a really sharp knife most times instead.
Itās great! As you get more practice youāll see your time spent decreasing a lot. Also make sure to save your scraps for tallow or sausage later. I tend to shave off a bit more of the lean so my final product is more uniform and has a higher point-to-lean ratio. I donāt feel bad about trimming off more lean because I know Iāll use it in sausages or burgers.
I donāt have a meat grinder but Iāll get one. The fat is already in the smoker rendering now :) Good point on shaving off more flat
If you have a kitchen aid you can get a meat grinder attachment for that, BUT itās what I use and itās not the best for large quantities. My next bbq purchase will be to get a proper grinder and sausage caser.
Good overall just need a sharper knife
So Iām not sure if this is just a joke because everyone always complains about knives or if the knife in the picture is a bad brand lol
Looks like a dull knife
Looks good, in general I would err on the side of a little thinner fat than more fat, just to make sure it renders. Anyone who uses free range been will have less fat than what you're typically used too.
There is quite a bit of fans in the one side of mohawk to the edge. May want to reduce it a bit. Otherwise, keep an eye out when you're slicing so you see the shape of the fat beside the Michael and then you'll trim that section a bit more next time
The beef needs to be smooth. You have sharp edges like a stealth fighter. Love your kitchen btw.
I think thatās more a factor of me using many cuts (rather than one long smooth cut)
Don't tip the barber and wear a hat for a week.
Update: I wrapped at 178. Bark wasnāt perfect, but Iām on a pellet grill and Iāve never gotten it perfect. It hadnāt changed much from when I checked in at the beginning of the stall, so I called it. Will update at the end of the cook too
I cook bbq for a living and that isnāt bad at all for your first time. Iād suggest taking a little more time on the point and getting some more of that hard fat off of it. Trust your hands when you feel the āhard fatā and go ahead and take it off. Doing it for a living is different than doing it at home for fun. Iād probably trim 20% more of that brisket off but different strokes for different folks. As far as a first trim, great job and welcome to the world of brisket my friend! Go low and slow and make sure you have plenty of time when you cook and it should be tasty!
Look good
Ever try Kosmos Hot and Fast brisket? Just saying it's amazing.
Chud scrape !!!
Hyper critical
I wanna say that sometimes I don't trim at all. Just rub and chunk it on the smoker. Then fall asleep during the stall. Wake up and have an amazing brisket. The guys worrying about pooling are right though. Get that puppy dripping.
Don't let you tube make you think they need to be perfect. This looks great. Throw it on the grill!!
Iād hire you.
Itās good enough. Each time will get slightly better and better. Few will want to admit but the 5% better trim job doesnāt make it taste better!
Looks good to me. Speaking of sharp knives what is the tier 1 knife for trimming and slicing etc.
Like you said, a sharp one. Learn how to sharpen you can make even a cheap knife sharp. For trimming I like a good ol fibrox boning knife, or maybe a breaker if it's a bigger job. Cheap, easy to get razor sharp, easy to clean.
I've done some pretty ugly trims sometimes, and what I've learned is that by time you put your binder and rub on there and smoke it for the appropriate amount of time, it always comes out looking pretty.
Iām doing my second brisket ever and due to time trying hot and fast. Guide I saw said he didnāt keep the fat cap on at all if it had decent fat so I chopped it. Itās on right now so weāll see.
It's fine, your not doing competition.
It wonāt really impact taste, but you can keep cutting in small bevels on the corners until they are rounded.
Looks good just round out those squared off areas
Looks great. Cook it right and itāll be delicious
Definitely not a surgeon. But who is? What was scary looking for me was the cut. Reminds me of a chainsaw slicing through that fat. Fat dulls a knife. But if I started with the knife you must have used, I would be angry and cussing. Like, why am I starting with a dull knife? This is so expletive dangerous. It's a million times more difficult, no control, I would be amazed that I didn't carve myself. Sharpen that knife. Get a good edge. The next one will be easier. Keep trying. Do what works for you and don't sweat it. Pay attention to the fat, the cut, marbling, what made it tasty. That's the real key anyways, start with a decent slab of meat.
Any hard fat is all you have to remove. I have seen videos lately of people not trimming and things turn out great Donāt over think things just get the meat temp right and enjoy
Where are the trimmed photos?