Caught myself trimming the fat cap off a brisket for 8 years before a old timer at a competition in Kansas City pulled me aside and asked why I was throwing away the best part.

He said 'that fat is your insurance, son' and I had to remake my whole understanding of Texas style after seeing his entry take reserve grand champion with a half inch cap left on... anybody else grow up thinking leaner was better?

2 comments

2 Comments

ben_shah935h ago

Man I felt that one in my SOUL. I spent way too many years trimming briskets like they were a bad cut of sirloin, just hacking off all that beautiful fat because I thought it was wasteful or unhealthy. Then I watched a guy who's been cooking since before I was born put a brisket on the smoker with a THICK cap and take home all the ribbons. It's a HARD habit to break too because everything in grocery stores and cooking shows tells you lean is better. But once you get that first bite of a properly rendered fat cap that just melts in your mouth, you realize you've been missing out for YEARS.

the_patricia1h ago

Yeah the only thing I'd push back on a little is that it's not really about leaving a thick cap on. At least with Texas style you want about a quarter inch, maybe a little more. Half inch is pushing it unless you're cooking really low and slow for a super long time. I've seen too many folks leave it too thick thinking more fat = more flavor but it just ends up as a big greasy layer that never renders right, lol. Ben's right though that trimming too lean is way more common of a mistake.

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