Today is National Brisket Day!
There is something synonymous about summer and barbeque. An often overlooked meat to conquer is the brisket.
Brisket is a cut from the front of the animal that is between the shank and chuck. If cows had armpits, this is where the cut would be. Because of this location, brisket contains quite a bit of connective tissue which can be tough, so it is recommended to cook it low and slow, usually around four hours. This will help break down the connective tissue making for a tender piece of meat.
A whole brisket has two sections. Each section has a different texture. According to Tom Fitzmorris at www.nomenu.com, the flat end would be best for barbecue and smoking, while the butt end is better for boiling because the grain twists and changes direction, which could be a problem when cutting into anything other than chunks.
When you purchase a brisket, you can ask for one that has the fat cap still in-tact. This layer of fat over the top of one side of the meat can help to prevent the brisket from drying out while cooking. You will want to have the fat be between 1/8th inch and 1/4th inch thick. Trim away any thicker areas of fat, as having it any thicker could lengthen the cooking time and make it more difficult for any marinades or spices you apply to penetrate the meat.
A fully cooked brisket is fork tender. The internal temperature should be between 185 degrees F and 190 degrees F. When you slice the brisket, carve perpendicular to the grain.
There are a few ways in which you can prepare a brisket. Some people like to use a rub, while some would rather marinate or brine it. The rubs are a spice blend that are “rubbed” into the meat before cooking. Most rubs will contain any combination of black pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt, but you can mix your own rub at home to your liking. A marinade is usually acidic and will help in tenderizing the meat. Liquid smoke, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce are common brisket marinades.
Briskets can be cooked in a smoker, as well as in the oven or on the grill. When cooking this way be sure to baste. Basting will help create a caramelized exterior over a tender brisket. Brisket can also be boiled and cut into cubes as part of a beef soup. Another popular way brisket is cooked is as corned beef, most popular around St. Patrick’s Day.
Beef brisket can be purchased from local farmers such as Arizona Legacy Beef in Humboldt and Carlink Ranch in Benson. To locate a producer closer to you visit our home page and click “find a farm product” then select beef and a list of providers will come up. Although we do not have a brisket recipe, you can find many other beef related selections in our recipe section. In the meantime you can enjoy this brisket recipe from allrecipes.com.
Oklahoma Brisket 8 servings
Ingredients:
- ½ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- seasoned salt to taste
- 1 (5 pound) beef brisket
- 1 cup apple cider
- seasoned salt to taste
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- seasoned salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Season the brisket all over with seasoned salt, and place in a roasting pan. Pour the apple cider over it, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Roast the brisket for 3 hours in the preheated oven. Don’t peek.
- Prepare a grill for low heat. In a small bowl, stir together the honey and soy sauce, and season with seasoned salt.
- When the roast comes out of the oven, place it on the preheated grill. Grill for 30 minutes, turning frequently and basting with the honey sauce.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan over low heat, make a barbeque sauce by combining the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Cook and stir over low heat for 15 minutes without allowing the sauce to boil. If you boil the sauce, it becomes very vinegary.
- Let the brisket rest for about 10 minutes after it comes off the grill. Slice and serve with the barbeque sauce.
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