I'm very aggressive when I trim briskets, they've always turned out great. Trimming between the muscles allows for more bark, (bark good), and makes it easier to do burnt ends. Cook temps don't really affect the finished product, the only real difference is cook time. I've cooked from 225°-300°, it really depends on how long I want the cook to take. Yours is looking great, I think you're gonna be pleased. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk