There are so many questions that follow "what is brisket?". Where does it come from? Are the two kinds of brisket? How to cook brisket?, and once you’ve got that down, how do you slice a brisket? Let’s start at the very beginning, and then highlight how to cook brisket in an oven, in a slow cooker and on a grill. In the end, you'll know how to make brisket for any occasion. Show
1328330886Cow, beef. Scheme, diagram, chart beef, butcher guide. Vintage retro print, art typography. Black-white chalk graphic design on chalkboard. Poster cow for Butchery meat shop. Vector Illustration Photo by: FoxysGraphic/Getty Images FoxysGraphic/Getty Images
A full brisket is a single cut of beef, and each cow has two: one on each side, just above the front shanks and below the chuck. The confusion comes from when you’re standing in front of the meat case, and see three different-looking pieces of meat, and they all say beef brisket. A full beef brisket is two pieces of meat that make up the whole. The butcher takes the brisket apart and trims it so that you have the choice between the leaner piece, usually called the flat brisket or first cut, and the more marbled piece with the most fat, often called the brisket point or second cut. The flat brisket is traditionally prepared on Jewish holidays, turned into corned beef or sometimes used in pho. The point brisket is the classic cut that's cooked in barbecue. All brisket, no matter which cut you choose, is a tough cut of meat that needs to be cooked low and slow: think oven, slow cooker or indirect heat on a grill. 1202116580Seasoning a beef brisket with salt and pepper before barbequing on a smoker Photo by: connerscott1/Getty Images connerscott1/Getty Images
Brisket is a cut of meat that needs to be cooked at a low temperature for a long time, so we’re talking about a braise. Here are some general tips and tricks. If you’re cooking a brisket flat or a brisket point on its own, it will cook in 3 to 3 1/2 hours. A whole brisket may take an extra hour. Be sure to check 30 minutes before the time is up: the brisket should be fork-tender and still juicy. Over cooking will dry it out. Your best bet is to cook your brisket the day before you’ll be slicing and serving it. Let it cool in the sauce that is in the pot, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day it will be really easy to remove all of the solidified fat from the top and discard it. Slicing the brisket cold is your best option for nice, even slices.
If you have a Dutch oven, this is the time to use it, but if you don’t, no worries. A shallow roasting pan covered with aluminum foil will work. It’s actually possible to perfectly cook a brisket double wrapped in aluminum foil with some veggies and sauce over night in an oven set to 225 degrees F.
One of the reasons so many cooks love using a slow cooker for brisket is because you put the ingredients in, set it and forget it. But no matter what the recipe says, if you take the time to add a step and sear the brisket before it goes in the slow cooker, you’ll end up with a more flavorful brisket.
Cooking a brisket in an Instant Pot is similar to cooking a brisket in a slow cooker. It’s a bit more convenient because you can sear and cook in the same pot. Then the pressure setting makes it faster, and who can complain about that?
Braising a brisket is a low temperature, slow process. Smoking a brisket takes a lot longer. 478037138Homemade Smoked Barbecue Beef Brisket with Sauce Photo by: bhofack2/Getty Images bhofack2/Getty Images
No matter what method you use to cook your brisket, if you don’t slice it correctly when it’s done cooking, eating it won’t be an enjoyable eating experience. For starters, slicing across the grain is key. For more tips on slicing brisket, head over to How to Slice Brisket by Food Network writer Samantha Lande. She interviewed chefs and butchers and got great tips.
0310_OOTB_Brisket_146.tifSliced brisket topped with gravy on a green plate with carrots Braised Orange Brisket Orange beef is a classic at Asian restaurants, and this brisket recipe captures those flavors in a braise. Orange, ginger, five-spice powder and Asian chili sauce bring sweet-spicy deliciousness to this dish. entwine, May 2011 Photo by: Yunhee Kim ©2011, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved. Yunhee Kim, 2011, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved. Braised Brisket with Parsley Braising in beer brings a subtle earthiness to this brisket. The parsley sauce that accompanies it is a classic green sauce with parsley, anchovies and garlic. Don’t be afraid of the anchovies: they bring all the umami to the plate. Texas BBQ Braised Beef Brisket This brisket marinates overnight with Texas spice and sauce. And in true Texas style, it really is BBQ: long and slow over coals and wet wood chips to give it some smoke, too. entwine, May 2011 Photo by: Yunhee Kim ©2011, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved. Yunhee Kim, 2011, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved. Barbecue-Braised Brisket Sandwiches Our Barbecue-Braised Brisket Sandwiches recipe will give you everything you want in a BBQ sandwich. Succulent brisket and sticky-sweet sauce in a potato roll. If you want to serve it Texas style, skip the rolls and open a package of white bread. |