How To Properly Trim A Brisket

Brisket, which comes from the lower pectoral area of the cow, is known for its toughness due to the high amounts of connective tissue it contains. It's made up of two cuts — the flat cut and the point cut. These two cuts differ mainly in terms of the fat content. The flat cut is leaner, while the point cut is more marbled. The flat cut is often used to make corned beef, but if you're aiming for a tender, flavorful barbeque, the point cut is the way to go.

When preparing brisket for cooking, regardless of whether you're braising, roasting, or smoking, proper trimming is crucial. If the brisket isn't trimmed properly, chewy, inedible fat can remain and won't render down during cooking. While your butcher may help slightly when you order your cut, you'll need to do the finer trimming at home to ensure optimal texture and flavor. So, if you're wondering how to trim a brisket, the key is to start by removing excess hard fat from the surface of the meat. A horizontal cut works best here to slice away the fat in strips, ensuring that you leave a small layer behind to keep some moisture in the meat as it cooks. If you plan on braising your brisket, aim to leave around a quarter-inch layer of fat on the surface. 

When preparing a brisket, the goal is to trim away tough connective tissue or large fatty areas from the meat surface, as too much excess fat will lead to an overly greasy meal and a chewy texture. Hold the meat steady as you trim and slice away from your body. While you may lose some meat in the process, you should try to give the brisket a flat surface for even cooking. You can also slice off any areas of meat that are too thin and that may curl up under heat. If you've taken off any larger chunks of meat, you could use these for ground beef to smoke later. 

Make sure you use a sharp knife and keep the brisket cold in the refrigerator before trimming. This makes the meat firmer and easier to work with. When you're trimming the surface fat on the other side of the brisket, you should also cut horizontally, trying to leave behind a thin, unbroken layer that doesn't expose the meat underneath. While this is known as a backyard trim, many restaurants may trim brisket more aggressively to ensure a leaner product, so you're free to work to your preference. While you may not replicate the perfection of Buc-Ee's brisket, as long as you focus on proper trimming and don't allow your brisket to overcook and dry out, you'll be well on your way to a delicious result.