Brisket is one of the best cuts of meat to grill. With a deep and intense flavor, it is made for low and slow grilling. Here’s everything you need about brisket.
What is brisket?
The breast is a tough, unforgiving piece of flesh that grows along the animal’s chest. While it’s one of the most difficult cuts to cook well, it’s also one of the most rewarding and a staple at barbecues across the country. What exactly is brisket?
Two large muscles form a complete piece of skirt. The thickest muscle is called the point while the thinnest part is called the flat. The tip has a heavy grain and lots of fat, while the flat has less fat. In restaurants, the tip is sometimes referred to as “fat brisket” while the flat is known as “lean”.
Both cuts are delicious, with a meaty flavor that absorbs the wood smoke exceptionally well. Many barbecue lovers prefer the melt-in-the-mouth juiciness of a piece from the top. Of course, you will find many people who prefer the lower fat content and firmer texture of flat brisket. It’s all a matter of preference.
You can find small brisket under five pounds at the grocery store that have had most of the fat removed before packaging. This cut from the supermarket is almost always the flat part of the chest.
There are many ways to prepare a smaller, lean brisket, but IF YOU’RE looking for the full barbecue brisket experience, YOU’ll head to your local butcher to purchase a bagger brisket, which is typically in the 10-15 pound range.
What part of the cow is breast?
The brisket is the cow’s pectoral muscle and runs across the animal’s chest. Cows rely on these muscles for virtually all physical activity. These muscles are used for walking, running, standing, and anything else that involves movement.
Because the cow uses these muscles so frequently, the meat is particularly tough and also full of phase connective tissue. If I cut up the breast and cooked it like a steak, it would be like eating shoe leather. But the cut is specifically for slow, slow cooking in your smoker.
The low temperature and smoke tenderize the meat, breaking down the stringy tissue and preserving the unmistakably rich, meaty flavor that brisket is so prized for.
Before you grill for the first time, you will understand the different parts of the breast.
Even
Sometimes referred to as the “first cut,” the flat chest is the leaner of the two muscles that make up a chest. The floor is connected to the cow by a layer of fat and tissue known as the cowl. Once the deck is removed, the bottom can be, well, flat, which explains its name.
The flat side is firm in texture with less marbling and isn’t as moist or tender as the meat on the breast tip. Towards the top, the flat is much larger and thinner, and its cuts are held together perfectly, making the flat ideal for a brisket dish.
Stella
The point is the second muscle of the chest and is very different from the flat part. The point is the smaller of the two cuts, but significantly creepier. This cut is characterized by a thick layer of fat on the meat and fat marbling throughout.
Compared to the flat, the tip is much juicier, with more fat. Because the meat is so well-marbled and the fat melts as it cooks, the point breast doesn’t have the nice uniformity of a flat slice. Remember, you’re choosing a piece of meat, not a prom date. While it doesn’t look as pretty, most BBQ lovers will tell you they prefer the point.
Lid
In some circles, the hammer is just another name for the point. That’s a bit inappropriate.
The hammer is a large piece of hard fat and muscle tissue that connects the cow’s pectoral muscles to her rib cage. Unlike the soft fat, which flakes off during cooking and adds richness and flavor to the breast over time, the coating is tougher and won’t flake off during cooking, so it’s best to remove it.
The hammer is immediately recognizable as a thick piece of fat attached to the end of the breast. Using a small knife, cut through the shell and begin separating it from the breast underneath. There is usually a small membrane that you follow with the knife to remove.
Once you’ve removed this membrane, cut off the cover and begin peeling it away from the breast. Carefully follow it with your knife as you remove the casing from the meat. Once YOU see the bright red meat below, follow the underside of the platform with your knife to completely remove it.
If you’re having trouble finding the deck on your lap, it could be because it’s not there at all. Some butchers remove the casing before wrapping the brisket, although it usually remains in a wrapped brisket. If you see a deep cut in the peak area of the breast, this is a clear indication that the cover has already been removed.
Fat cap
The fat cap is a thick layer of fat that surrounds the tip of the breast and is the key to a tasty, juicy cut of meat. Before cooking, you should remove most of the fat cap, leaving a thin layer of fat that will keep the brisket moist and protect it during cooking.
To remove the layer of fat, start with a frozen brisket. Removing the fat is much easier and safer when the breast is cold. Start by carefully slicing off the layer of fat with a sharp knife, making sure to leave at least ⅛ inch of fat on the meat intact.
How much fat to leave is a matter of taste. Most grill cooks choose to leave ⅛ to ¼ inch of fat on their chest for this. Some choose to score the remaining fat on the breast, while others leave strategic “flesh windows” where they remove the fat entirely. These windows allow the brisket to hold condiments and be tied up while cooking.
How do i buy rock
Brisket continues to grow in popularity and is easier than ever to find. However, that doesn’t mean that every meat supplier sells the type of brisket you need for your cook.
You can easily find a flat at any convenient supermarket, but if you’re interested in smoking a whole chest, use a chest packer. Warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club, Costco, or BJ’s usually have a solid selection of scoop skirts. But the best thing to do is to contact your customer butcher.
Your butcher can give you tips, show you the basics, and send you home with the perfect cut of meat. Local butchers also tend to take a little more pride in the preparation and packaging than a national store.
For a Bagger brisket, expect to be in the 10-15 pound range. Depending on where you are, the seasons, and the class, you can expect to pay anywhere from $3 to $8 a pound for brisket.
The best ways to grill brisket
You’ll hear all sorts of different answers about the best way to grill a brisket. While the best advice is to grill it the way you plan to eat it, there are a few touches that make the end product even better!
Most BBQ fans like to smoke the whole breast, as it produces the richest, moistest, and most flavorful meat.
Due to time constraints, many people prefer to cook an entire dish, which takes about half the time to cook and produce nicer, more even slices.
Another popular preparation favored by Kansas City-style barbecue enthusiasts is charred ends . Opened around burned ends, starts with the entire end of one breast. Once the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees, the meat is diced, placed in a large skillet or tray, and sautéed before returning to the smoker for another hour or two to allow the meat to absorb more smoke and sauce.
Time and temperature
Most grill cooks like to smoke brisket at 225 degrees, which seems to be the sweet spot for producing nice-looking, flavorful brisket. At 225 degrees, the general rule of thumb is to cook the breast for 1 1/2 hours per pound. Depending on the size of the brisket, SHE can expect the brisket to cook between 10 and 14 hours.
You should smoke your brisket until it reaches an internal temperature of 195-200 degrees. The temperature of a brisket can rise up to ten degrees after being removed from the smoker, so it is best to remove the meat a few minutes beforehand.
How to store brisket
Once you bring your brisket home, it will last in your freezer for three to five days after purchase. Do not remove from the original packaging until you are ready to cook. If you choose to freeze your brisket, it will keep for 6-12 months or more. You can maximize freezer shelf life by wrapping the pack in foil or plastic wrap and then placing it in a freezer bag.
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
