Is Brisket Really That Good or Are We Chasing the Challenge?

kwdickert

I want to genuinely know. 

I never really just fell in love with brisket. It's good but why is everyone acting like it is the best thing on the planet?

Everyone I know with a grill is scrambling to make one and knocking down Aaron Franklin's bank account buying his book.

I get that it's finicky and takes a long time. 

My question: Is it popular because it's difficult moreso than because it's amazing?

I just don't get it. 

Am I just in the dark on something?

Bring the pitchforks!

Edit:
I am not just referring to ME cooking brisket. I mean restaurant brisket too.

JRWhitee

Mine are good!

DoubleEgger

This is gonna get sideways quickly. 

Biggreenpharmacist

I LOVE brisket point!  That said, if all we had were flat-cut, nope, wouldn't cook it. 

lousubcap

Yes on both for me.  I was wrestling with brisket (mostly flats) for a few years on a water-gasser smoker with marginal success.  Finally the local Costco started stocking packers on a frequent basis and I had better outcomes.  Transitioned to the BGE and haven't looked back.  The challenge of the "friggin cow driving every cook" is what makes it such fun.  No two cooks are ever the same.  The variance is across the board.  Practice is was gets you there.  That and the quality of the packer going in is a major factor in nailing the outcome.  The taste and texture of a well-cooked brisket is worth the challenges and fun of the journey, every time.  

DoubleEgger

Let's all cook a prime rib! 

bigegger

it was amazing cooking a brisket --back-in-the-day--  because it was barely available in any grocery or butcher shops and when it was available it was about  barely a buck per pound and then to cook it to mouth watering tenderness was money in the bank compared to being ripped off by roasts and steaks.
but alas society and capitalism has made this an art, a science, a trade and you name it people have set their retirement nest eggs because of brisket.

DFW

@DoubleEgger - Prime Rib is my wife's favorite, so (of course) we've had that many times on the Egg (got my XL last November - best birthday present ever!).  Just did my first brisket recently, and was so excited when I bought it (Sam's Club), didn't even realize it was 'Select' until I got home.  It wasn't my favorite dish off the egg, but it also wasn't that bad.

I've been eyeing the 'Prime' briskets at Costco, but seems like many here seem to think the Costco Prime isn't as good as the name implies....so I've been 'trigger-shy'.  

Just pulled some stupid awesome pork butts though...so life continues!

Back to your original question: For me, I'm all about the challenge - so I'll continue to cook until it's the best damn thing I've ever eaten.  

JB
Arlington, TX

tarheelmatt

DoubleEgger said:

Let's all cook a prime rib! 

Too difficult for brisket here.  I'll do the prime rib and try to perfect the double nutting phenomenon I hear about.  

ColtsFan

TBH, I am more "meh" when it comes to good brisket. To each their own i guess

DFW

What's the double nutting phenomenon?  

ColtsFan

DFW said:

What's the double nutting phenomenon?  

It's a real shame if you've never experienced that 

Joshnkeri

Having only cooked one I liked the challenge  and the taste if I had to lean one way or the other it was a lot of fun to prep and cook!

SciAggie

For me a well executed brisket is a real treat that isn't matched by any other cook. When I am hungry for good brisket nothing else will satisfy my craving. 

etherdome

Very brave post and I will say that I 100% agree with you in this and have had the exact same thoughts. I've had bad, good , and great brisket from myself and others  but none of it has been worth the time, stress and tender loving care it takes to make one. Furthermore , the best one I ever had wasn't even close to great ribs or a tri tip. Just my personal opinion. To each their own . I recognize that many really love them and / or the challenge. Don't get me wrong , I'll eat and like it. Just not worth my time, trouble, and money. 

DFW

@ColtsFan - please elaborate...

Carolina Q

I cooked brisket three times One was actually not inedible, but still not very good. I'm out. If I'm ever in Austin, I'll probably try some (if I don't have to wait in line), but otherwise, I'll pass. Rather have a good burger. 

XC242

Brisket is good but I'd rather eat beef ribs. 

DFW

I should probably self-disclose...my wife is out-of-town, and I was done with work @ 2:30...getting after it harder than normal today!  Thanks, Bourbon!!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Most brisket is not good. Even here in the Mecca of meat (beef anyway). Even now, some of mine are certainly better than others. When you nail one, it still feels special. Most of mine are pretty good now but I've done so many I don't love eating it the way I used too. Thrill of the chase I guess. I have come to better understand the ways of the pig but there is still something about that elusive perfect slice of brisket that sets it above for me. 

HeavyG

Brisket is not my favorite thing (not even sure it's in my top 5 grilled/bbq'ed meats) and I had never cooked one until a few weeks ago. Cooking that one was a fun experience and I plan to do the other SRF brisket in my freezer in a few weeks when the weather cools down. 

There's been a resurgence of interest in bbq in the last few years and I think the popularity of Aaron Franklin contributes to the notion that brisket is the culinary peak of bbq.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I'll also add that I had never had real pulled pork until I ate Rodney Scott's whole Hog at Southern Smoke in Houston last year. If you don't know what you are chasing, it's hard to know where to aim. that changed my world  on pig bbq. 

Eggcelsior

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

I'll also add that I had never had real pulled pork until I ate Rodney Scott's whole Hog at Southern Smoke in Houston last year. If you don't know what you are chasing, it's hard to know where to aim. that changed my world  on pig bbq. 

This is my exact thought with beef. Pork is still king for me, but that first Franklin brisket was "oh, that's what people mean". Even now, most brisket is "ehhh" for me.

buzd504

A great brisket is still pretty marginal, but a perfect brisket is amazing.  They're few and far between, but when you hit the jiggle just right, there's nothing like it.

Also, the leftovers are extremely versatile.  We can eat a brisket for days and days.

20stone

I've got to believe it's the challenge.  There is something about a grear cook on a pretty crappy, very finicky piece of meat. There is also something great about serving your friends a dish they are meh about, and blowing them away. 

It is very, very hard, in my experience, to buy really good brisket at a restaurant, unless it is from just a couple spots (and most of them in Austin). 

As for the flat, I'm not into the "flat only" end.  As a result, I now cut that off, and smoke the flat/point end (which is tasty).  Flat only makes great chili, pastrami, curry, burgers and sausage. 

GrateEggspectations

Brisket is like sex.......

When it's good, it's REALLY good.

When it's bad, it's still pretty damn good. 

(Tuesday is the new Friday.)

HellrodKC

I think part of the attraction is how difficult it is to turn out great brisket.

Thinking in terms of going to a restaurant... anyone can turn out consistently good "simple" food like grilled chicken. Sure, some grilled chicken tastes better than others, but as long as it is not over or under cooked, it's going to be fine. Brisket on the other hand, takes a lot of time, patience, and a better "eye" for what is happening with the cook. When a restaurant can turn out consistently good brisket, it is a more impressive feat. 

It's all just a barometer we use to judge the food. Brisket just happens to be the current trend. 

GrateEggspectations

HeavyG said:

Brisket is not my favorite thing (not even sure it's in my top 5 grilled/bbq'ed meats) and I had never cooked one until a few weeks ago. Cooking that one was a fun experience and I plan to do the other SRF brisket in my freezer in a few weeks when the weather cools down. 

There's been a resurgence of interest in bbq in the last few years and I think the popularity of Aaron Franklin contributes to the notion that brisket is the culinary peak of bbq.

How you went 2.5 years on this forum without smokin' some beef pectoral (despite being a very prolific poster and it being an exceptionally popular post subject) is beyond me.

You must have great restraint!

  

HeavyG

GrateEggspectations said:

HeavyG said:

Brisket is not my favorite thing (not even sure it's in my top 5 grilled/bbq'ed meats) and I had never cooked one until a few weeks ago. Cooking that one was a fun experience and I plan to do the other SRF brisket in my freezer in a few weeks when the weather cools down. 

There's been a resurgence of interest in bbq in the last few years and I think the popularity of Aaron Franklin contributes to the notion that brisket is the culinary peak of bbq.

How you went 2.5 years on this forum without smokin' some beef pectoral (despite being a very prolific poster and it being an exceptionally popular post subject) is beyond me.

You must have great restraint!

  

I think it is more a combo of my preferring "oink" & "cluck" over "moo" and my ADD.

Maintaining focus on a 10+ hour cook ain't easy!

Hans61

for me when a brisket is just right it far exceeds pulled pork, now, for the most part my pork butts are much more consistent then my briskets so its a bit of a trade off.

I second @DoubleEgger we should all just cook prime ribs all the time 

pgprescott

I remember mentioning on an earlier thread that I believed there were others that were not overwhelmed with brisket but didn't want to be ridiculed by the likes of some of the earlier posters on this thread. Well, I got a couple disagree tags from a couple of the very culprits. I will except this thread and the corresponding responses as proof positive of my hypothesis. I will expect no apologies.

 I like the point best personally, but only cook a few packers each year.