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With brisket prices rising ever higher, you want to be on the lookout at the grocery store for the best deals if possible. You want to make sure you know what you are getting.
What cut of beef is similar to brisket?
The closest cut of beef to the brisket is the chuck, both in similarity and proximity. Brisket is a unique cut on the cow due to how much work it does, bearing weight and helping move the cow.
The chuck has similar connective tissue and taste, which allows for the closest approximation to brisket. A chuck roast can be used as a substitute for brisket for a smaller crowd.
What is second cut brisket called?
If you overhear a butcher discussing a second cut brisket, the butcher is talking about the point. If you want the fatty portion of the brisket at a barbecue joint, you’re getting the second cut. The first cut of the brisket is the flat. If you ask for lean at the same barbecue place, that’s the first cut.
Is chuck roast the same as brisket?
The chuck roast comes from the shoulder and neck of the cow, while the brisket is from the chest. The chuck roast is more marbled than the brisket, but it offers a great beef flavor for a more manageable price. It can be smoked like brisket but to a lower internal temperature.
If you smoked chuck roast to the same temperature range as brisket, you would end up with pulled or shredded chuck roast. You can also make burnt ends out of chuck roast.
What is brisket called at the grocery store?
If you are looking for the point and the flat together, you will find it called a packer brisket at the grocery store. If you find a smaller package of brisket at the store, it is likely the flat cut.
Is there another name for beef brisket?
Flank Steak
Flank steak is a lean, thin cut of meat best cooked quickly and at high temperatures. It works well for stir-fries and tacos. If you cook flank steak past medium-rare, it quickly becomes tough. It takes well to marinades for adding flavor before being seared. The flank steak comes from the hindquarter rather than the forequarter like the brisket.
Is brisket the same as sirloin?
The brisket is from the forequarter of the cow, while the sirloin comes from the hindquarter. The bottom sirloin is where the tri-tip comes from. Sirloin cuts are typically used for steaks. However, a tri-tip can be prepared similarly to a brisket if you know how to do so.
Another name for brisket in Australia
If you want a packer brisket in Australia, you want to ask a butcher for a Brisket Point End – Deckle Off.
What are the different types of brisket?
There are two muscles in the brisket known as the point and the flat. The point is the more marbled, thicker portion of the brisket. The flat is leaner and more uniform in shape.
What cut of meat can you substitute for beef brisket?
The most logical cut of meat to use if you can’t find brisket is a chuck roast. You can smoke it to slice like brisket, just not to as high an internal temperature. People will also use chuck roast to make poor man’s burnt ends.
If you are feeling creative and sure of your knife skills, you can prepare a tri-tip brisket-style as well. Susie Bulloch of Hey Grill, Hey worked up a recipe at her website. You need to keep your smoker around 225 to keep the tri-tip from drying out throughout the process. You also need to be aware of how the direction of the grain changes throughout the tri-tip. It will have a bit more of a steak flavor, but it will have that juicy tenderness of a brisket.
Final Thoughts
Brisket is a unique cut on the cow that can be hard to replicate. You are likely to find a packer brisket or the flat at the store, but if you need a substitute, a chuck roast will be the closest cut of meat. Avoid flank steak as a substitute unless you were planning on tacos, at which point marinate and sear.
You can make a tri-tip brisket style if you are adventurous enough, though. If you find yourself in Australia looking for a packer brisket, ask for a Brisket Point End – Deckle Off.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.