Brisket Information

Spring Chicken

I figure a lot of briskets will be cooked over the upcoming holiday and I thought I would pass this along for those who are still trying to figure out how to cook the perfect brisket. I found the information at (of all places) www.britishbarbeque.co.uk. There is plenty of additional reading but this part was most interesting to me.[p]
"Choosing the Better Brisket [p]The brisket comes from the chest/breast area of a cow. It is two alternating layers of muscle and fat. The two layers of meat are separate, but not equal: one is thicker and wider. Observed with the fat layer on the bottom, the upper layer of meat is interspersed with strings of fat which do not render out during cooking. In restaurants, this layer is normally chopped with a little of the trimmings of the lower layer for chopped sandwiches. The lower layer, although less fatty, also has streaks of fat - the size and shape of which offer some indication of how it will cook. Thick, ropy strands of marbling will probably yield a tougher product from a cut already fabled for toughness. Choose instead, briskets with more slender, consistent streaks of marbling fat."[p]Enjoy the holiday and remember all those who can't.[p]Spring Chicken
Spring Texas USA [p]