brisket question

BajaTom

I always buy choice brisket. The question is that there is always a layer of fat about 1/2 inch wide which doesn't render out. It seems to be in middle of the point section. Is this the norm or can I find a better quality of choice brisket? I buy most of my briskets at Sams.

thirdeye

BajaTom,[p]I'm guessing that you talking about the vein of hard fat running between the point and the flat sections. Some are really thick. You can cut a V-shaped chunk of fat from this vein, leaving about a 1/4" thickness. If you were to try to remove it all, you would wind up separating the point from the flat.[p]FYI, white hard fat indicates that the steer was grain fed at the end of his stay in the finishing lot. Yellower fat indicates grass fed (and maybe less finishing time).[p]~thirdeye~[p]

Unknown

thirdeye,
Thanks for the info.

jaymer

BajaTom,
my Sams here in Tampa never gets packer cuts, even though they are in their computer. all they ever have is flats and the main butcher says he's never seen one. i tried a Select last weekend from a SuperWalMart... it was 15lbs and i was mighty surprised to see it sitting there at 10pm on a friday night (actually suprised to see a packer cut there period!).[p]i cut heavily into that hard fat section... a 'v' cut is about right as someone stated. there's plenty more of it between the fat & point, so i don't think getting that big chunk out will hurt.
of course, i rough trim all that fat out anyway after i seperate the point from the flat - it just scrapes off.
And that same fat is there on my prior 2 Certified Angus Beef briskets as well.

[ul][li]SuperWalMart 20hr brisket - very dark cause this rub was with Brown Sugar[/ul]