How soon should I trim a brisket?

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adjwis

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Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Greetings to my Smoking Brethren!

I'm cooking a brisket for a company lunch this coming Monday and I'm wondering how far ahead I should trim and rub it. I know there are varying philosophies relating to prepping and smoking meat so I'll take all the advice anyone is kind enough to offer. Thanks in advance!

God Bless!

ADJ
 
I am a Day Before Guy, wrap and rest overnight...JJ
 
I do the overnight thing or longer too.

Lately I have also been putting them in vac bags & then into the fridge.

Al
 
I'll take care of the trimming and rub early evening the night before, wrap it up and leave it in the fridge over night. It takes me about an hour to get the smoker ready, lit and up to temperature, so I take the brisket out and let it warm up a little while I get the smoker going.

Good luck!
 
Reviving this very old thread to ask a trimming technique question. Do y'all trim the silver skin of the bottom? On some St. Louis ribs I did, I just scored the silver skin and that worked great.

That said, I bought a Wild Fork brisket, and for all I know, since it is still thawing, they may trim that off.

Just curious what y'all do.
 
Reviving this very old thread to ask a trimming technique question. Do y'all trim the silver skin of the bottom? On some St. Louis ribs I did, I just scored the silver skin and that worked great.

That said, I bought a Wild Fork brisket, and for all I know, since it is still thawing, they may trim that off.

Just curious what y'all do.
I do not mess with the bottom/meat side of the brisket. I cook my briskets naked the entire time and that stuff just disappears or becomes bark that is no different than any other bark on that side.

I prefer to save the time not messing with it since I have never seen any gain from removing it when versus when I haven't.

Also I don't worry too much about the fat on top unless it is over 1/2 or so thick then I will trim some of that.

The bit areas of trim I'm concerned with are removing the deckel fat and then butting the thin side of the Flat so what is left is about uniform thickness in the rest of the flat and making a round shape of it so the air flow doesn't dry out square edges/corners.

FYI, I pull mine out of the bag, trim, season, smoke 98% of the time.
If I know I'm pressed for time I'll do it all the day before and cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out. Salt wants to pull liquid out of the meat the longer it sits like that so plastic wrap at least keeps that moisture from evaporating way.
 
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