Tough Love

     Last Friday I was at a wonderful pot luck dinner party. The hosts prepared the meat entree and served up a tasty and tender cut of brisket.  It was literally a melt in your mouth flavorful cut of meat that made my Istrian potato casserole pair well.

     But what exactly is brisket?  And what is the secret to preparing it?

     Brisket can be either beef or pork and is typically sold as a boneless cut, removed from under the first 5 ribs of the animal.  It is a tough cut of meat since those muscles are used to support 60% of the animal's body weight.  It is loaded with connective tissue.  

     Specifically, beef brisket is located between the fore shank and the plate of the steer.  A full size brisket can weigh between 8 and 12 pounds so is usually marketed in halves.  The first half or flat cut is known to butchers as "brisket-deckel-off" and is a leaner cut since most of the exterior fat has been removed.  This is the cut used in the preparation of corned beef.  The second half, called the point cut or thick cut, has more internal fat and connective tissue marbled throughout the meat and is not as commonly available.

     Both cuts are best suited for braising and slow cooking to dissolve all the connective tissue.  Low and slow brings out the flavor in this less expensive cut of meat.