Let’s face it, no matter how high your grocery budget is, good quality beef can make you rethink your menu at times. What used to be a less popular cut, saved for the butcher or sold at a bargain price, brisket is now commanding wallet-bending prices thanks to its growing notoriety on the barbecue circuit — and, of course, its meaty, delicious flavor. The good news is there is a great alternative for many brisket recipes that’s readily available for a lower price at nearly every grocer: the chuck roast. Naturally, there are important differences between chuck and brisket, but these meats are a bit more similar than one might think.
Brisket has a beefy flavor and meltingly tender texture when it’s cooked slow and low in a smoker or braised in the oven. That’s mostly thanks to the large percentage of connective tissue and tendon that developed as the cattle walked around grazing. When cooked properly, the tougher tissues melt into gelatin and give the cut its distinctive texture. Chuck comes from the area just above the brisket, near the shoulder part of the animal, where there are also plenty of tendons and good marbling as well. So, with similar characteristics, a chuck roast can be a very satisfying substitute for brisket, and usually at a fraction of the price.
Choosing and cooking your chuck roast
Chuck meat can come in many shapes and sizes at the store, from cubes meant for stews, flat-sliced chuck steaks, and larger pieces for roasting whole. If you want to swap brisket for chuck roast, buy the larger cuts to get the same results from your recipe. To perfectly smoke your chuck roast, replicate the style of brisket found at your favorite barbecue joint by smoking it over low heat until the interior hits 190 degrees Fahrenheit. This will give you those tender slices of beef. Although it may take several hours, don’t be tempted to crank the smoker’s heat up — it’s that extended time at low heat that makes the roast a clever brisket substitute.
You can also substitute with chuck roast for your favorite braised brisket recipe by simply treating the chuck exactly as you would the brisket. The main difference you will note when using chuck rather than brisket is in the serving of the meat. Because the chuck region has a variety of muscle groupings, it may not slice as evenly as brisket does, which is a more uniform muscle shape. However, don’t let that deter you from this economical option. No doubt, you will be pleased that you found the “poor man’s” alternative to pricey brisket.
