Let’s talk brisket. Most barbecue lovers are familiar with this cut of meat that comes from the breast and chest area of the cow. Brisket isn’t the cut of meat you’re going to whip up for dinner on a random weekday. Brisket is like a slow race that’s won by the tortoise: It’s cooked on low heat, sometimes in the oven, but more frequently on the grill or in the smoker. Texans have perfected the smoked brisket and often claim it as their own within the realm of Texas barbecue. Thanks to the Lone Star state, beef brisket has become popular everywhere there’s barbecue, but there seems to be a new sheriff in town: pork brisket.
We asked an expert for some clarification regarding the ins and outs of this uncommon cut. “Pork Brisket is the cut of meat taken from the lower chest area of the hog. It usually includes a part of the pork picnic shoulder and a portion of the belly,” says Matt Abdoo, executive chef and co-founder of Pig Beach BBQ.
The pork belly (which is great in a stir fry), is where the fat is, and the fat equals flavor. Chef Abdoo is a fan, explaining, “It’s absolutely a cut worth trying, it’s just a shame that it’s not a more mainstream item. It has all that incredible texture of beef brisket with the amazing flavor and juiciness of pork!” Pig brisket has, along with the fat, a significant amount of muscle and needs to be cooked slowly.
How to prepare pork brisket
Despite pork brisket being cut with a portion of the pig’s belly, you’re still looking at breaking down all of the lean muscle. But pork brisket is a smaller cut than beef brisket and, because of this, it’s an excellent cut of meat for the average cook to work with. “It is very similar to [the] texture of a beef brisket when cooked low and slow, it is just significantly smaller due to the size of the animal being smaller than that of a cow, and it has the beautiful flavor of pork instead of beef,” Abdoo says.
The best way to obtain pork brisket is to ask your butcher in advance. While it’s usually sold as ham, more butchers are cutting it as a smaller brisket, and here’s the great part: Pork brisket is a lot cheaper than beef brisket. Smoking this brisket (or slow roasting or braising) is the optimal way to prepare it. According to Chef Abdoo, “The best way to cook pork brisket is low and slow. Either smoking between 225-250 degrees [Fahrenheit] or braising. It will essentially cook up exactly the same as a beef brisket, but you can expect it to take about half the amount of time since it is smaller, which makes it great for a home cook, not having to have it cook overnight.” Once your brisket is done (and depending how long you’ve cooked it), you have the option of slicing it or serving it pulled (and here are our best pulled pork recipes for inspiration).
