Seasoning the fat cap side of a brisket flat
- Thread starter Rita Y
- Start date
Rita, I don't remove ANY of the fat cap on a flat. I will, however, very carefully score the fat in a diamond design just down to but not actually INTO the lean, and work my rub down into the scoring. Seems to help get the flavor down to the lean better that way. I picked that up in a brisket class at a comp in Colorado last year.
Keri C, still smokin' on Tulsa Time
Keri C, still smokin' on Tulsa Time
Steve Petrone
TVWBB Platinum Member
Ladies, I hate to be a contrarian...and you all have undoubtedly cooked many more briskets than I but I'll have a go at it. It seems the fat serves two purposes. One is to insulate from the heat below. Two is to keep the meat moist.
Wouldn't 1/8 up to maybe 1/4 do that? I guess it depends on use of water or not... On number two, I am beginning to wonder if the intrinsic fat and moisture and foiling has more to do with the moistness than the external fat. Maybe the food experts can weigh in. BBQ is both art and science and thats part of what makes it fun. I am looking forward to other comment cause sometimes mine are more moist than others... A thick layer of external fat certainly can't hurt tho. I find myself not trimming butts and it does not seem to change them. Last cook of a brisket I did trim fat and placed some of it on top... was the brisket more moist because of it -I am not sure.
As far as the rub penetrating the fat goes, I think it is difficult for most seasonings to flavor meat thru fat. Now scoring the fat to aid that process could only help.
Wouldn't 1/8 up to maybe 1/4 do that? I guess it depends on use of water or not... On number two, I am beginning to wonder if the intrinsic fat and moisture and foiling has more to do with the moistness than the external fat. Maybe the food experts can weigh in. BBQ is both art and science and thats part of what makes it fun. I am looking forward to other comment cause sometimes mine are more moist than others... A thick layer of external fat certainly can't hurt tho. I find myself not trimming butts and it does not seem to change them. Last cook of a brisket I did trim fat and placed some of it on top... was the brisket more moist because of it -I am not sure.
As far as the rub penetrating the fat goes, I think it is difficult for most seasonings to flavor meat thru fat. Now scoring the fat to aid that process could only help.
adam clyde
TVWBB Pro
steve... no need to be a contrarian - because you and keri are saying the same thing!
As to the scoring of the cap and getting rub into it - makes sense to improve taste, even if it doesn't penetrate to the meat. Since I eat the fat, scoring would improve the flavor for me, as it increases the surface area for the rub to be in contact with.
As to the scoring of the cap and getting rub into it - makes sense to improve taste, even if it doesn't penetrate to the meat. Since I eat the fat, scoring would improve the flavor for me, as it increases the surface area for the rub to be in contact with.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">score the fat in a diamond design just down to but not actually INTO the lean, and work my rub down into the scoring </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Actually, this works well on a full packer as well. Since I leave a lot of the fat cap on a packer after I remove the hard fat, I'm up for anything that gets some more of the rub flavor into the point.
kc
Actually, this works well on a full packer as well. Since I leave a lot of the fat cap on a packer after I remove the hard fat, I'm up for anything that gets some more of the rub flavor into the point.
kc
michael mc
TVWBB Member
In a perfect world, you would trim the fat to a thickness that would completely render during the cook, finally depositing your rub on the surface of the moistened meat. Never happened on my watch.
Save your rub and just season the lean side, cook fat down, and no one will be the wiser.
Save your rub and just season the lean side, cook fat down, and no one will be the wiser.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">
Save your rub and just season the lean side, cook fat down, and no one will be the wiser. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well if you don't eat the fat then that would apply. On the other hand if you do eat it then you would want to put rub on it.
Save your rub and just season the lean side, cook fat down, and no one will be the wiser. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well if you don't eat the fat then that would apply. On the other hand if you do eat it then you would want to put rub on it.