How much fat is too much Fat? Prime Brisket from Costco.

[G man]

Not really sure if I'm happy I did this or not.  After trimming, I decided to weigh the fat.  OMFG....it was exactly 5 pounds of fat and trimmings.  Five pounds!!!   Package weight was 12.67 pounds....@$2.99 pound =  $37.88.  Actual price per pound after trimming is $4.93 per pound.  40% is fat! DAMN!  4 pounds of the 5 was total fat.  One pound was trimmings and fat... at least the dogs will be diggin' it.   So, wondering did I trim too much?  Is this common?  I didn't bother to weigh my trimmings last time.  From what I've read, 40% is rather common. 

Also, Costco sells the flat already trimmed, for $4.99 pound.  However, it is Choice.

So, bottom line.  By trimming yourself, you get the prime for the same cost as the choice...with the added benefit of having the point for the delicious burnt ends. 

Pictures show before, during, and after....and a whole lotta fat.

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[Pork Belly]

So, wondering did I trim too much?

Yes you did, very much so...

[DivotMaker]

Ya' skin't it alive!    Please watch this:

Aaron Franklin Brisket

If you have a sous vide setup, I'd use it on that brisket.  Might even consider cubing it for stew meat.  It will most likely be very dry, after smoking.  ...Sorry.

[G man]

That is the top of the brisket...plenty of fat on the underside..

[DivotMaker]

Still way too much.  You shouldn't be able to clearly see that junction where the point and flat meet.  As you see in the Franklin video, there are definitely some areas where you take off quite a bit, but more is better than too little.  It's like yummy, juicy, insulation!    I'd smoke it fat-side-down, and use some of that cut fat on the top to help keep it moist (if you haven't already pitched it).

[G man]

Pitched the fat or the meat?   

I have the full bag of it.  Was planning on letting it rot for about a week then putting it in a friends mailbox!

I'll lay a couple chunks on top and let you know the results...

Thanks.

[G man]

For the brisket came out excellent. Put in the smoker at 6 a.m. at 225 degrees. Had to leave the house for a couple hours and at 10:30 the temperature was 161. When I returned home about 1 o'clock the temperature was also 161. I decided I was going to do the crutch so I want to head and wrapped and within two and a half hours the temperature was at 203. Since it was already double wrapped in foil it was a quick wrapping towels and into the cooler and an hour and a half later this is what I had.

[SconnieQ]

Glad it turned out for you. Probably helpful to use the foil crutch in this case. When I have weighed my trimmed fat, from a starting weight of 14 pounds (Costco Prime brisket), I trimmed off 2 pounds of fat. I leave about a 1/2" fat cap though. The 1/2" fat cap gets nice and soft, and I figure if people don't want to eat it, they can remove it from their individual slices. (Everybody loves it though.) Most folks on the forum trim their briskets to about 1/4" fat cap, so that would probably be more like 3 pounds of fat from a 14 pound brisket. I think a lot of people get carried away and trim too much fat. You just want to shave down the really thick areas.

[DivotMaker]

Way to go, Gordo!  That looks absolutely fantastic!  I agree that the foil wrap was the way to go, on this one.  Next time, trim less and let that fat do the work of the foil!

[es1025]

Any fat that feels hard i cut it off. Thats my rule of thumb.

[DivotMaker]

Any fat that feels hard i cut it off. Thats my rule of thumb.

Not a bad rule, at all, Ed!

[Limey]

That is my rule too.