Prepping a Brisket With Aaron Franklin

Prepping a Brisket With Aaron Franklin

In this video, Aaron Franklin, a Texas barbecue legend, will show you how to choose a good brisket and then trim and season it for the smoker.

I enjoyed this video and am sharing a few of the highlights for you here:

How to Choose a Good Brisket

  • Brisket is a tough, potentially unsavory cut of meat. Look for a brisket with a lot of marbling in the point, and a thick flat.

How to Trim a Brisket

  • Use a narrow, curved boning knife for trimming the brisket. (We carry these in our store.)
  • If you trim too much fat off, the brisket will be dry. If you don't trim enough, it will be too fatty. A 1/4" fat cap is usually about right, but it depends on your smoker and how hot you cook it.
  • A brisket is a lot easier and safer to trim when it's cold.
  • Trim down the fat cap, remove the deckle and the small membrane next to the deckle. Square up the thinnest part of the flat to shape it nicely. Cut off some of the thick vein of fat between the point and the flat muscles.
  • Remove the silver skin if you are only doing one or two briskets; don't spend too much time with this.

How to Season a Brisket

  • A lot of people use complex rubs for brisket, but Aaron uses equal parts of kosher salt and black ground pepper. The grains of salt sink to the bottom, so you might need to keep mixing it as you're dispensing it.
  • "If you had a shaker, it'd be pretty neat." —Aaron Franklin
  • Sprinkle an even layer over the entire surface of the brisket on both sides. Aaron says you don't want to overpower the flavor of the meat; be conservative with the rub.
  • Let it warm up for about an hour before you put it on the smoker. Aaron thinks it helps the brisket cook more evenly.

"The biggest mistake people make is putting too much rub on this stuff... you want the flavor of the meat to shine through." —Aaron Franklin

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Hungry for more of Aaron Franklin? Check out this 20+ minute video of him cooking brisket on an offset smoker: https://video.klru.tv/video/bbq-franklin-episode-1-brisket/

Now go cook a great brisket!

Did you know we carry Wagyu briskets, smokers, accessories, and everything else you need to cook outdoors? Call us at (717) 355-0779 or visit us at 140 W Main Street in New Holland, PA to check out our full line of barbecue equipment and supplies or for help planning a successful barbecue party.

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Meadow Creek Barbecue Supply is a specialty BBQ equipment and supply store in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

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140 W Main St in New Holland
Phone: 717-355-0779

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