Whether you’re smoking brisket for your next backyard barbecue or serving this five-spice braised seder brisket for Passover celebrations, you’ll know that brisket is a large cut of beef with a price tag to match. While prices vary depending on the cut and grade of the meat, you can make any purchase more affordable by opting for untrimmed brisket.
Despite it being a lean and fairly tough cut of beef, brisket contains a large layer of fat that is often trimmed before being packaged. The labor required to trim the fat comes at a price which can be nearly twice as much as untrimmed brisket per pound; the average cost of a trimmed cut is around $9.50 per pound whereas untrimmed averages between $4 and $5. Of course, this means that you will have to trim the fat off the brisket yourself. But doing your own trimming has its advantages, starting with more control over flavor.
Since fat is a key source of flavor, you can choose to remove less of the fat cap for especially rich and smoky brisket. An extra bit of fat will also render into the tougher, lean meat as the home-trimmed brisket cooks, resulting in an irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Tips on trimming a brisket yourself
If you’re ready to save money on untrimmed brisket, we have plenty of tips on how to trim it. One of the most important trimming tips to keep in mind for the best tasting brisket is to not remove the fat completely. Brisket needs a minimum of a quarter-inch of fat layer to successfully cook. That said, too much fat will result in a gristly, chewy and all-around unpalatable bark. Another useful tip is that fat isn’t the only component that needs trimming; you’ll also need to remove any connective tissue known as silver skin.
You can, and should, use the trimming process to shape the brisket into a symmetrically oblong cut. An evenly shaved and trimmed brisket equates to even cooking and prevents burnt or dried-out patches. Lastly, you should always trim brisket while it’s cold for the most accurate and easy execution. Don’t trim warm brisket because increased temperatures will make the fat sticky and harder to handle. It’s best to trim the meat when it’s fresh out of the fridge. If you’ve brought it straight from the butcher or grocery store, you can always put the brisket in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm it up.
