If you’ve lived in Texas for any length of time, you’ve probably cooked or eaten beef brisket, and tomorrow, May 28, is National Brisket Day. (Yes, there is such a holiday.)
The Meat
Brisket is one of nine primal cuts of beef, meaning it’s one of those first cuts removed when butchering the cow. It comes from the cow’s lower chest. People have been enjoying brisket since they first began slaughtering cattle for food, but just like the way you talk, what you commonly eat differs depending on where you live. And not everyone has eaten brisket.
One of my nephews lives in upper New York State. One day, his co-workers shocked him by admitting they’d never eaten brisket. He loves to cook, so he prepared one and shared it with them. They loved it. Of course, you have to have a brisket to cook it. Although Tennessee is more of a beef state than New York, when I first moved there, I had problems finding brisket in the grocery stores.
I’ll never forget the day a co-worker, also a transplanted Texan, told me about his brisket “find.” He’d been shopping in his local grocery superstore and found a large supply of briskets for a relatively cheap price. (Needless to say, I stopped by my local store that evening and bought some.) What had us both shocked and laughing was his experience when checking out his cart full of briskets. The young woman at the cash register looked at the meat, then said, “You must have a lot of dogs.” No, the dogs only wished they were lucky enough to eat it.
Did You Know…
- Cattle don’t have collarbones. Approximately 60% of their body weight when standing or moving is supported by the brisket muscles.
- In 2017 only about 15% of New York’s Beef and Dairy cattle were for beef.
- Today the top beef-producing state is Texas. Tennessee is #13 and New York is #38. (For those of you with inquiring minds, Rhode Island is #50.)
The Cooking
Because of all the connective muscle tissue, brisket is tough if not cooked correctly. Low and slow is the key, as another of my co-workers found out. He’d heard me talking about brisket to my fellow Texan and decided to try it. Unfortunately, he didn’t know the key and it proved to be a disaster. His family hated it. It took a lot of talking on our part to convince him to give brisket another try. Following our directions, he found what we said was true, brisket is excellent—if cooked correctly.
Did You Know…
- There are many ways to cook brisket, but one of the most popular is Texas BBQ Brisket.
- While beef brisket barbeque has increased in popularity in Tennessee (thanks to all the Texas transplants), pork is still the king.
Let’s Eat
Today, knowing how to cook beef brisket is only the beginning. There are hundreds of ways to prepare and serve it. Which seasonings to use? Whether or not to marinate it? Which hardwoods to use in the grilling process? And what type of sauce, if any, should be paired with it? The answers to these questions depend strictly on your personal taste preferences. Whatever you decide, though, if prepared and cooked properly, there’s nothing tastier than beef brisket.