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

The Cen-Tex Smoker

buzzvol said:

@DoubleEgger, I am not sure, but I think it was from the flat.

That would be flat. It's cut really thick too. Would normally be about half that down here. Makes a quite a diffference. That's what I was referring to when I was talking about being in the epicenter of it all. I'm sure it was cooked well, and it looks great but that would not pass as a standard cut of brisket down here. Much like what we call pulled pork. It's not even close to what the guys in the true south do with pork. If you liked that, you will flip out when and if you ever get a bite of the real thing.

lousubcap

Not from the brisket epicenter but when ordering in Austin you can choose between "lean" and "moist" so you can easily compare the taste/texture differences.  Regardless, if it tasted great then next stop is Austin

Focker

Foghorn said:

Shineristhewiser said:

Wow!?!? I'm not sure I'm in the correct group. Nothing better than moist fatty beef surrounded by crispy peppery bark. Brisket was king in South and central Texas way before Aaron Franklin. It has always been a way of life here.

@Shineristhewiser, you're in the right group. Many of us agree with you. Most of the rest are just ignorant. 

LOL
Pics speak volumes my friend.....VOLUMES!!!!

westernbbq

From all the picts I've seen on this thread, I can honestly say that the answer to this thread's title is YES! Brisket is worth it, all day every day

nolaegghead

???

Foghorn

Focker said:

Foghorn said:

Shineristhewiser said:

Wow!?!? I'm not sure I'm in the correct group. Nothing better than moist fatty beef surrounded by crispy peppery bark. Brisket was king in South and central Texas way before Aaron Franklin. It has always been a way of life here.

@Shineristhewiser, you're in the right group. Many of us agree with you. Most of the rest are just ignorant. 

LOL
Pics speak volumes my friend.....VOLUMES!!!!

@Focker, yest they do.  As I said earlier, I'm not going to argue that a great brisket is better than a great prime rib.  But it's every bit as good when you get it right.  

gabriegger

I cook brisket only for special occasions.  Love the challenge and results especially when tasted by someone for the first time.  In fact, cooking one right now.

DoubleEgger

gabriegger said:

I cook brisket only for special occasions.  Love the challenge and results especially when tasted by someone for the first time.  In fact, cooking one right now.

What's the special occasion? 

gabriegger

Family reunion

KiterTodd

DoubleEgger said:

gabriegger said:

I cook brisket only for special occasions.  Love the challenge and results especially when tasted by someone for the first time.  In fact, cooking one right now.

What's the special occasion? 

It's Friday.

Focker

Foghorn said:

Focker said:

Foghorn said:

Shineristhewiser said:

Wow!?!? I'm not sure I'm in the correct group. Nothing better than moist fatty beef surrounded by crispy peppery bark. Brisket was king in South and central Texas way before Aaron Franklin. It has always been a way of life here.

@Shineristhewiser, you're in the right group. Many of us agree with you. Most of the rest are just ignorant. 

LOL
Pics speak volumes my friend.....VOLUMES!!!!

@Focker, yest they do.  As I said earlier, I'm not going to argue that a great brisket is better than a great prime rib.  But it's every bit as good when you get it right.  

Nice lookin' brisket.

For me, brisket was a point on my culinary journey.  I don't regret doing them.  Once I focused on the cuts of the animal, it's quality, cooking techniques, preparations, that are best suited for them, not being limited to eggnocentric thinking...Mexican cuisine specifically, I took that next step.  Have you trimmed a brisket? Lol
Pastrami is good, I give the cut that.

Whitetail is similar, knowing your limitations.  I learned this quickly, saving a headache, beating my head on the whitetail wall.  My family and friends who have been around a few hanging deer, save the backstraps, inner loins, and a few the hidden loins.  The rest gets run through the grinder and used in various ways.  And this is corn, bean fed deer, some of the best meat roaming this continent.
There are only a few cuts on a steer to keep intact, save the rest for the grinder.  A hog is a completely different, and better IMO, animal.

Hey, if you like a tough venison roast, knock yourself out.  

Reliability in cut, consistency, repeatability, rank high in my cookbook.  This one dimensional brisket whispering "holy grail" many speak of, chase, is laughable to me.  And even moreso, the forum groupthink of dropping $200 on a unicorn packer to try and get to the "promised" land.  Come on man, who really is ignorant here? 

Foghorn

Interestingly, I feel roughly the same way about prime rib.  I've had a number of foodie friends tell me that the best prime ribs they've ever had came off one of my grills.  At this point it has been over 2 years since I've cooked one.  It's not that I don't like it, I just haven't felt like going to the expense of it for the given occasion for which I was cooking.  I've never spend more than $4 a pound on a brisket and I like having leftovers around more than I like prime rib (primarily or as a leftover).

It's good that there are different views expressed here.  It's all good.

And I'm glad there's some ignorance around so I can appreciate how enlightened I am.  

HeavyG

Focker said:

Foghorn said:

Focker said:

Foghorn said:

Shineristhewiser said:

Wow!?!? I'm not sure I'm in the correct group. Nothing better than moist fatty beef surrounded by crispy peppery bark. Brisket was king in South and central Texas way before Aaron Franklin. It has always been a way of life here.

@Shineristhewiser, you're in the right group. Many of us agree with you. Most of the rest are just ignorant. 

LOL
Pics speak volumes my friend.....VOLUMES!!!!

@Focker, yest they do.  As I said earlier, I'm not going to argue that a great brisket is better than a great prime rib.  But it's every bit as good when you get it right.  

...Pastrami is good, I give the cut that.

IMHO pastrami is the highest and best use for a brisket.

nolaegghead

Focker said:

Foghorn said:

Focker said:

Foghorn said:

Shineristhewiser said:

Wow!?!? I'm not sure I'm in the correct group. Nothing better than moist fatty beef surrounded by crispy peppery bark. Brisket was king in South and central Texas way before Aaron Franklin. It has always been a way of life here.

@Shineristhewiser, you're in the right group. Many of us agree with you. Most of the rest are just ignorant. 

LOL
Pics speak volumes my friend.....VOLUMES!!!!

@Focker, yest they do.  As I said earlier, I'm not going to argue that a great brisket is better than a great prime rib.  But it's every bit as good when you get it right.  

Nice lookin' brisket.

For me, brisket was a point on my culinary journey.  I don't regret doing them.  Once I focused on the cuts of the animal, it's quality, cooking techniques, preparations, that are best suited for them, not being limited to eggnocentric thinking...Mexican cuisine specifically, I took that next step.  Have you trimmed a brisket? Lol
Pastrami is good, I give the cut that.

Whitetail is similar, knowing your limitations.  I learned this quickly, saving a headache, beating my head on the whitetail wall.  My family and friends who have been around a few hanging deer, save the backstraps, inner loins, and a few the hidden loins.  The rest gets run through the grinder and used in various ways.  And this is corn, bean fed deer, some of the best meat roaming this continent.
There are only a few cuts on a steer to keep intact, save the rest for the grinder.  A hog is a completely different, and better IMO, animal.

Hey, if you like a tough venison roast, knock yourself out.  

Reliability in cut, consistency, repeatability, rank high in my cookbook.  This one dimensional brisket whispering "holy grail" many speak of, chase, is laughable to me.  And even moreso, the forum groupthink of dropping $200 on a unicorn packer to try and get to the "promised" land.  Come on man, who really is ignorant here? 

Brisket is not a big deal to cook if you learn how to tell when it's done and pay attention to it.  Despite the price increasing 400% over the last 20 years, it's still relatively cheap for beef.   Also, it makes for some tasty burgers when ground.