I buy my brisket wholesale therefore get a 'Packer Cut' After trimming I loose probably 30% and after smoking (prior to wrapping) I sometimes loose up to another 10%-20%. I buy choice or higher, what should I be looking for so I don't loose sooo much, especially during my initial trim?
Hi, my name is Darrell. I'm an OTR truck driver for over 25 years. During my off time I love doing backyard cooks. I have a 48" Lang Deluxe smoker, Rec-Tec pellet smoker,1 Weber Genesis 330, 1 Weber Performer (blue), 2 Weber kettles (1 black and 1 Copper), 1 26" Weber kettle, a WSM, 8 Maverick Redi Chek thermometers, a PartyQ, 2 SnS, Grill Grates, Cast Iron grates, 1 ThermoPop (orange) and 2 ThermoPens (pink and orange) and planning on adding more cooking accessories. Now I have an Anova sous vide, the Dragon blower and 2 Chef alarms from Thermoworks.
That is how brisket rolls. I was talking with a fellow worker today who bought 40 pounds of brisket last week at $2.89/lb, only to trim most of that off. And he knows brisket, he trimmed it off the cow for years working in a beef plant.
I once had a 19.95 pounder that was 10 pounds exactly after trimming down the fat.
I get about 42% yield, and that is chopping the whole brisket up. Aaron Franklin claime 35-40% yield.
Cookers:
SnS 22” Kettle and rotisserie.
Weber Genesis SA-E-330 LP INDIGO with SS Grates, Weber Crafted frame kit, baking stone, griddle (2/3), all from Ace Hardware.
Everything Else:
SnS #3 with certificate. I was their first customer.
Sous Vide equipment.
SnS and Thermoworks iInstant read and leave-in thermometers.
Grill Grates.
Kingsford Blue Bag, Weber lighter cubes, Weber charcoal chimneys.
Rubs with salt: Meat Church Holy Cow, Meathead's Red Meat.
Rubs without salt: Home-mixed versions of previously sold SnS Grills Rocky's Rub and Not Just for Beef using their recipe.
Spices: Lots of 'em.
Atalanta make "beef love" for painting your steaks with. Mix into your lean ground beef to get a good hamburger mix. Two top uses for brisket fat in my book .... Or you could make soap, I guess.
What to do with brisket fat is an excellent topic for discussion!
I had a Certified Angus Beef brisket I cooked a week ago and it was 12.4 pound in the packaging, after trimming, I had 5 pounds, 12 oz that made it onto the smoker. I was a bit disappointed at that (4.50/lb!). Have a SRF Wagyu arriving this week taking advantage of their sale pricing. They trim the fat cap to 1/4" or less, but no trimming of the fat vein between the flat and point sections. I intend to fully separate and trim of nearly all fat and will see what the price breakdown is. It is nearly impossible to find a fully intact packer brisket where I live. I only cook maybe one or two a year, usually including a big superbowl party. One year I had over 80 guests and still had leftovers with a humongous brisket and a pork shoulder. I'd have been embarrassed with that last brisket if it had been a superbowl event with lots of guests. I guess that is how the brisket lottery is though. Sometimes you hit the jackpot and sometimes you don't
Lots of previous postings on what to do with trimmed brisket fat.
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