How To Select The Best Brisket At The Store, According To A Pro

Like so many things, even the best-laid cooking plans can still benefit from a little expert advice. Something like brisket (which, for most people, is reserved for special occasions if they're preparing it at home) needs even more attention. Unlike, say, an everyday butterflied chicken breast or a simple sizzle steak, a big, beautiful brisket requires precious care and studious attention before it even hits your shopping cart.

On this front (incidentally also the part of the cow from which brisket is taken), Chowhound reached out to Derek Piva, executive chef of The Restaurant at Tu Tu' Tun Lodge, for some exclusive tips on how to pick a peak brisket. "When choosing a brisket, look for one with a good amount of marbling," Piva said. "The fat throughout the meat is essential for flavor and moisture during the long cooking process. A brisket with a uniform thickness is ideal, as it will cook evenly."

Derek Piva's procedure is easy to follow in a standard supermarket meat department: Max the fat and seek an even gauge. And, if you're visiting a bovine professional, you can get an even deeper cut, so to speak. "If buying from a butcher," Piva said, "request a brisket that hasn't been overly trimmed. Ask for the 'packer cut,' which includes both the flat and the point for a balance of lean and fatty meat."

Also sourced from the breast of the cow, a packer cut differs from a regular old brisket in its fat content and distribution. Instead of just the brisket's flat, which is leaner, or just its point, which is fattier, you're acquiring both halves to make a perfect whole. This larger portion is not only necessary for serving those big, festive groups, but it provides a little more variety for any picky eaters in the bunch. One you've got that baby home and prepped with its fat cap intact, expect to smoke it for most of the day.