A lot more people are enjoying brisket these days.
Here’s what to know about this flavorful meat.
While southeastern states tend to favor pork in theirBBQ dishes, Texas-style BBQ is all about brisket.
Photo: Phoebe_Lapine/Getty Images
(This is partly why this traditionally budget-friendly meat is no longer quite so affordable.)
What Is Brisket?
Brisket is cut from those muscles, and it generally weighs 12 to 20 pounds.
Victor Protasio
Most grocery stores carry the first cut, also called the flat.
It’s leaner and slices neatly.
But your butcher may have the second cut, also known as the deckle point.
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner
It’s marbled with fat and falls apart when you cook it.
The Cut Matters
Two familiar ways to cook brisketsmoking and braisingresult in very different tastes.
Braised brisket is ordinarily made from only the first cut, which helps the leaner meat hold moisture.
If your braised brisket tends to be dry, try using the deckle point instead.
It may fall apart when you slice it, but it’ll be moist and succulent.
However, in this braised brisket recipe, the instructions recommend letting the meat rest overnight.
Fat Is a Good Thing
When it comes to brisket, fat is your friend.
Brisket Has Jewish Origins
Brisket roots back to 18th-century Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern and Central Europe.
Rabbi James L. Kessler.
Texas State Historical Association.
Published 1976. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/jews
