Food - Drink
Why You Need To Shape Your Brisket While Trimming It
By HALDAN KIRSCH
Brisket comes from the deep and superficial pectoral muscles in a cow's back, and is one of the most popular cuts for barbecue. Whether you smoke, braise, or slow-cook a whole brisket, you need to trim off excess fat beforehand, and it's important to "shape" your cut of meat while trimming it in order to achieve the best results.
Pitmaster Aaron Franklin says that trimming a brisket is not only important because it gets rid of unwanted fat, but because you can turn the cut into an even, round shape that promotes even cooking. This means your brisket won't burn or dry up in certain areas, and smoking will form a crisp crust or "bark" around the meat.
Smoked BBQ Source adds that an even shape will allow smoke to smoothly flow over the meat, resulting in a more thorough smoking job. Remember that briskets have plenty of marbling, so getting rid of extra fat during the trimming process won't have any negative effect on the meat; in fact, it will have a positive effect.