So, is brisket beef or pork? Well, brisket is traditionally made using beef. However, are all brisket beef all the time? The answer is no. Brisket is made of pork as well. If you are a complete newbie to briskets, this article would be a good bet to get some valuable insights. Let’s get going.
Is Brisket Beef or Pork?
As we said earlier, usually, the briskets are made of beef, but there are brisket varieties made of other meats, such as pork. So, yes, brisket is beef or pork, but if you ask us what the most popular out of the two is, we would say it’s beef every day of the week. Also, the size of beef briskets is comparatively larger than their counterpart, and they taste better as well.
Is There Pork Brisket?
Is brisket always beef? You now know that briskets come from pork as well. Pork briskets are also from the same place as the pig, but they are slightly leaner than beef. This suggests that pork brisket is a bit less flavorful and less juicy. All in all, to answer the question, yes, there is pork brisket.
When differentiating these two brisket types, the biggest factor that decides everything would be the fat content of the two. Beef briskets are popular for their high-fat content, and this is one reason why beef briskets are rich in flavor.
Why is Brisket So Popular?
Obviously, one of the main reasons why people love briskets is their mouthwatering taste. It complements amazingly for BBQ purposes simply because of the tenderness of briskets. Researchers say this part of a cow’s body is responsible for holding more than 60% of its weight when standing, and this says that this muscle is regularly and well-used.
We know this might lead you to think, “then how could it be tender.” Yes, when a muscle is regularly used, it tends to become tough, not tender. It’s more to do with the way you marinate and smoke. The smoking process makes the tougher muscles tender and consequentially makes the meat juicier as well.
In addition, the tenderness of brisket, which, as far as we are concerned, is one of the main reasons why people love it, has a direct correlation with the type of wood you use to smoke.
Moreover, it’s way easier to cook briskets than one would think. We are not saying that it cooks quickly, but the effort you will have to put into the work is very minimal. Simply put, it doesn’t demand you to sit around and inspect the process while you smoke.
Is Brisket Expensive?
People used to call briskets “poor man’s cut,” but those days are gone, and the price of briskets has increased incredibly in the last few decades. Unfortunately, it’s really hard these days to label briskets as inexpensive or cheap.
If you are wondering why brisket beef cuts are expensive (especially brisket from beef), here are the main reasons why.
Hard to Find
You should understand by now that there are only two briskets available in a cow. Although the demand has increased over the years, the supply has yet to see a spike. In addition, not all briskets are the same in terms of quality. So, the supply of high-quality restaurants is not enough to meet the demand, which always leads to a price increase.
Also, people nowadays tend to buy the whole thing. This means butchers now have no chance to cut the brisket into smaller parts and sell, leading to limited heads to cater to. So, yes, the limited supply of brisket is one of the main reasons why briskets are so expensive.
The Overall Price of Beef
When the overall price of beef is increasing, there is no way for brisket to retain its “so-called” low price tag. We are not explaining why beef is becoming very expensive here, as there are tons of contributing factors to it. It’s evident that all the increased production costs are covered by the end customer.
More BBQ Lovers
BBQ and smoking have become overwhelmingly popular in the last few decades, and due to the contemporary machines and stuff, it is not a demanding task to become a rookie pitmaster overnight. This is again one of the factors that fuel the demand for briskets which obviously causes their prices to go up.
If you are truly enthusiast about pork tenderloin, I suggest you to read complete guide on reheating pork tenderloin.
Is Brisket Healthy?
As you now know what kind of meat is brisket, let’s focus on its health benefits.
Briskets Are High in Protein
Do you know 100g of brisket contains around 15g of protein? Yes, it does. You should know the importance of protein to the human body. If not, Google for it!
Helps Weight Loss
If your aim is to lose weight, brisket would be a good choice. Half a pound of brisket contains only 570 calories, which means you can consume brisket and lose weight without much fuss.
Low Carbs
Low carbs foods are not easy to find. However, brisket is one such food that you can include in your diet as a keto option. It might not be 100% keto, as briskets contain around 0.14, but you can definitely consider it a good alternative with fewer carbs. It helps you reduce weight at the end of the day.
Is Brisket Fatty?
Briskets have around 6g of fat, 2g of saturated fat and 80mg of cholesterol in a 3-ounce serving. So, this suggests that it is not THAT fatty, and when used in moderation, it can help you get great health benefits.
Best brisket meat cut for beef and pork
What animal meat is brisket? You know that both beef and pork produce brisket. Do you know exactly what the brisket body part is? Let’s figure it out.
Beef Brisket Cut of Meat
Beef briskets come from the lower part of the body of the cow, bust above their legs. It’s a pretty tough muscle, like we said, but so tender once it is cooked (smoked).
Pork Brisket Cut of Meat
Pork brisket also comes from the same part of a pig, and this muscle is well-exercised because of the lifestyle of the animal. However, the pork brisket smoked is less juicy and flavorful compared to beef.
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Is Brisket Halal?
Halal certification is granted if the animal is slaughtered under Islamic law. One of the main things the Halal certification carries is that the animal was alive and in good health when the slaughter happened.
Pork Brisket vs. Beef Brisket
Before we put a stop to our article on the topic of “is brisket pork or beef” let us provide you with a brief comparison between the two so that you decide which one to choose.
Fat Content
Beef briskets are well known for their high-fat content. On the other hand, pork brisket is leaner and has less fat.
Flavor
Out of two brisket variants, when it comes to flavor, beef brisket is the winner. We think everyone will agree with us on that. With proper seasoning, you can blend more flavor into brisket and make it juicier.
Smoking
Regardless of the type of brisket you smoke, the time has to be on your side to get the best results. Brisket is best when cooked slow, and especially beef brisket does demand extended periods of cooking time over low heat.
Conclusion
So, we have answered the question “is brisket beef or pork” in this article, and we think the info we brought up today is crystal clear. Brisket comes from both beef and pork, and beef brisket is more flavorful and tastier compared to pork brisket. If you need more insights from us, please leave a comment. Have a great day!
