Learn how to cut brisket like a pro with this easy to follow guide. Discover the best techniques for cutting brisket, and get tips on how to make your next barbecue the best ever.
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Introduction
brisket is a large, tough cut of meat that benefits from being cooked slowly over low heat. The tough connective tissue in the meat breaks down, making the meat more tender. Brisket is often sold as two separate cuts: the flat cut and the point cut. The flat cut is a long, thin rectangle of meat, while the point cut is a smaller, thicker triangle. Both cuts come from the same general area of the cow (the chest), but they have different textures and flavors.
In order to get the most out of your brisket, it’s important to know how to properly cut it. This guide will teach you how to cut brisket into individual servings, as well as how to slice it thinly for sandwiches.
The Best Way to Cut Brisket
Step One: Trim the Fat
When it comes to barbecue, brisket is king. This flavorful, tough cut of meat is perfect for slow cooking, and when done right, can be absolutely delicious. But if you don’t know how to properly trim and cut brisket, you’ll end up with a dry, tough final product.
Here’s how to trim and cut brisket the right way:
Step One: Trim the Fat
The first step is to trim away any excess fat from the outside of the brisket. You want to leave a layer of fat on the outside of the meat – about ¼-inch – as this will help protect the meat from drying out during cooking. But any more than that is excessive and will just end up making your brisket greasy. Use a sharp knife to trim away any excess fat.
Step Two: Cut Against the Grain
Once you’ve trimmed the fat, it’s time to start cutting the brisket into smaller pieces. The key here is to cut against the grain – that is, perpendicular to the lines of muscle fiber running through the meat. If you cut with the grain, your final product will be tougher and less tender. But if you cut against the grain, you’ll end up with nice, tender pieces of meat that are easy to chew. So take your time and make sure you’re cutting in the right direction!
Step Three: Slice or Cube the Meat
Once you’ve cut against the grain into smaller pieces, you can either slice those pieces thinly (for sandwiches or tacos) or cube them (for stews or stir-fries). If you’re not sure what you want to do with your brisket yet, just slice it thinly – that way it’ll be more versatile later on.
Step Two: Slice Against the Grain
Now that you have your beautifully cooked brisket, it’s time to slice it. Slicing brisket is not like slicing most other meats. You want to slice against the grain, or in other words, perpendicular to the muscle fibers. This will result in much more tender slices of meat that are easy to chew.
If you were to slice with the grain (parallel to the muscle fibers), your slices would be very tough and chewy. So be sure to take your time and slice carefully against the grain. You’ll be rewarded with deliciously tender brisket slices that are sure to please everyone at your table!
Step Three: Serve with Your Favorite Sauce
Once you have cut your brisket, you can either serve it immediately or store it in the fridge for up to four days. To reheat, simply place the brisket in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 300 degrees for about an hour, or until the brisket is heated through.
If you want to make a gravy or sauce, you can use the drippings from the bottom of the baking dish. Simply whisk together some flour and water to make a slurry, then add it to the dish and stir until thickened.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to cut brisket, you can enjoy this delicious and versatile meat any way you like. Whether you’re slicing it thin for sandwiches or enjoying it thick and juicy off the bone, brisket is a great option for any meal.
