Cooking good meat comes from picking the best type of meat while shopping. To select the best meat, one has to consider grade, cholesterol, juiciness, and more. In this article, you will find answer to your question How do you pick a good brisket?
Picking a good brisket is quite simple. All that is needed is to understand what to look out for in the beef. The prime and choice are the best grades when picking a brisket. Some other things to consider are; the cut, color, fat, cap, and the store.
Brisket
Before exploring the ways to pick a brisket, it is necessary to understand what a brisket is and why it is significant to go for a good one when shopping.
Brisket is a lump of boneless meat gotten from the breast section of a cow or veal. Due to the toughness of brisket, it usually requires slow and long cooking to become tender. It can be smoked, roasted, or braised. Apart from the juicy taste it gives, it also contains essential nutrients such as; protein, vitamins, minerals, and fat.
Things to look out for when choosing a Brisket
Here are some things to watch out for when choosing a good brisket.
Grade
The essence of choosing meat with a good grade is that it Cooks well and contains healthy cholesterol. The best grade to go for when it comes to brisket is the prime or choice. Prime and choice beef is graded the best by the USDA because they have low-fat quality compared to other quality beef.
Cut
What good is a brisket when you cannot have it cut into the desired size or type you want? Thus it is also necessary to look out for the cut when choosing a brisket. There are two types of cuts that make up a whole brisket; the flat and the point. The flat-cut makes it easier to cut the brisket into many slices and the point-cut makes it easier to get the brisket shredded. So, the type of meal you want to cook with the brisket will determine the kind of cut you should get.
Fat
A good brisket should not contain too much fat. When selecting your brisket, you need to check for the fat. Too much fat on a brisket does not only add to the weight, making it cost more, but it also affects the health when consumed. Remember that consuming a high level of cholesterol is bad for your health. Make sure the brisket you pick does not have too much fat cap. The fat on the brisket should be glossy when touched and clear white.
Cap
When the brisket is prepared for cooking, the excess will be trimmed off and this process will result in reducing the size of the meat. To avoid having a little quantity of meat left after trimming, you should consider going for meat that is highly marbled and has a fat cap. The cap should not be thicker than one inch.
Color
A brisket with a deep red and purplish color is considered a good one. Remember to look out for this when shopping for your brisket.
Location
The first factor that determines where you’ll get a good brisket is your location. If you happen to reside in a city where there is a high rate of beef consumption you can get a brisket at any local store or butcher around you. In states like North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, New York, Virginia, South Carolina, and Missouri beef is highly consumed.
When shopping for a good brisket, you can check either Walmart, Sam’s, or Costco. The three stores are known to have good brisket at affordable rates. Costco is rated to have fresher briskets than Sam’s and Walmart but the rates are a bit higher than the other stores. If you are considering going for a budget, then you can shop at Walmart or Sam’s. If you are not bothered about the price, then you can go for Costco.
Conclusion
Choosing a good brisket is quite a simple task when you know what to look for. In this article, we have been able to pick out the significant things to consider when shopping for a good brisket. Remember, the grade, color, cut, and store are essential factors to look out for when choosing a brisket.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long should I cook a brisket?
There is no particular time to decide how long I will take to cook a brisket. Do not be in haste. When preparing a brisket, ensure you use low heat because it often requires a long time. The best way to decide whether the brisket is cooked or not is by feeling the meat with your hands or a toothpick.
2. Should I go for prime or choice grade brisket?
The two grades are a good choice when choosing a brisket. However, unlike choice grade, the prime grade is quite scarce. So it is advisable to go for the choice grade during the absence of the prime grade.