Saw a pro pitmaster trim a brisket last weekend and realized I've been doing it wrong for 3 years

3 comments

3 Comments

That's gotta sting a little... realizing you've been messing up for 3 years. I had a similar thing happen with pork butts, thought they were supposed to be sliced not pulled at first. What was the main thing you were doing wrong? I'm curious if it was the trim shape or the fat cap thickness.

blair_butler4717d ago

That sting is real for sure. My buddy Dave had the exact same moment but with trimming lamb shoulders. He'd been leaving a massive fat cap on because he thought it needed all that for moisture during a slow cook. Turns out he was basically braising the thing in its own grease and getting a soggy bark every time. He watched one video from a comp cook and his jaw hit the floor when he saw how much they actually take off. Now he trims it down like a pro and swears his lamb has never tasted better.

stella_shah8917d agoTop Commenter

Three years man, that's rough. I once spent a whole summer cooking chicken wings with the skin going all rubbery and gross because I was steaming them in a covered pan on the grill. I thought I was being smart keeping the moisture in, but nah I was just making sad, soggy chicken. It took my uncle yelling at me from across the yard to finally get it through my thick skull. Now I trim fat and cook uncovered and it's like night and day difference, bark actually forms and everything. So I feel your buddy Dave's pain, that sting of wasted years is real.