Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest ofbeef orveal. The beef brisket is one of the nine beefprimal cuts, though the definition of the cut differs internationally. The brisket muscles include thesuperficial anddeep pectorals. Ascattle do not havecollar bones, these muscles support about 60% of the body weight of standing or moving cattle. This requires a significant amount ofconnective tissue, so the resulting meat must be cooked correctly to tenderise it.According to theRandom House Dictionary of the English Language, Second Edition, the term derives from theMiddle Englishbrusket which comes from the earlierOld Norsebrjósk, meaningcartilage. The cut overlies the sternum, ribs, and connecting costal cartilages.

Briskets can be cooked in many ways, including baking, boiling and roasting.Basting of the meat is often done during the cooking. This normally tough cut of meat, due to thecollagen fibers that make up the significant connective tissue in the cut, is tenderized when the collagengelatinises, resulting in a more tender brisket. The fat cap, which is often left attached to the brisket, helps to keep the meat from drying during the prolonged cooking necessary to break down the connective tissue in the meat. Water is necessary for the conversion of collagen to gelatine, which is thehydrolysis product of collagen.

Popular methods in the United States include rubbing with aspice rub ormarinating the meat, and then cooking slowly over indirect heat fromcharcoal or wood. This is a form ofsmoking the meat. Ahardwood, such asoak,pecan,hickory ormesquite is sometimes added, alone or in combination with other hardwoods, to the main heat source. Sometimes, they make up all of the heat sources, with chefs often prizing characteristics of certain woods. The smoke from the woods and from burnt dripping juices further enhances the flavor. The finished meat is a variety ofbarbecue. Smoked brisket done this way is popular inTexas barbecue. Once finished, pieces of brisket can be returned to the smoker to makeburnt ends. Burnt ends are most popular inKansas City-style barbecue, where they are traditionally served open-faced on white bread. The traditionalNew England boiled dinner features brisket as a main-course option.

In the United States, the whole boneless brisket, based on theInstitutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS), as promulgated by theUnited States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has the meat-cutting classification IMPS 120. TheNorth American Meat Processors Association publishes a photographic version of IMPS called theMeat Buyer's Guide.^[1] The brisket muscles are sometimes separated for retail cutting: the lean "first cut" or "flat cut" is the deep pectoral, while the fattier "second cut", "point", "fat end", or "triangular cut" is the superficial pectoral. For food service use, they are IMPS 120A and 120B, respectively.

Brisket has a long history in the United States.^[2] Brisket is the meat of choice for slow smoking barbecue in Texas, and is often considered the "National Dish of Texas".^[3]

InBritain, it can be smoked, but is also roast in the oven very slowly in a liddedcasserole dish with gravy. The dish commonly known asbraised or stewed beef in Britain, is often accompanied by root and tuber vegetables; for example, boiled beef and carrots (as mentioned inthe song of the same name) is a well-known traditional dish emblematic ofworking classcockney culture. Good results may also be achieved in aslow cooker. Cooked brisket, being boneless, carves well after refrigeration, and is a versatile, cheaper cut.

InGermany, brisket is braised in darkbeer and cooked with celery, carrots, onions,bay leaves and a small bundle ofthyme.

In traditionalJewish cooking,brisket is most often braised as a pot roast, especially as a holiday main course, usually served atRosh Hashanah,Passover and on theSabbath. For reasons of economics andkashrut, it was historically one of the more popular cuts of beef amongAshkenazi Jews. Brisket is also the most popular cut forcorned beef, which can be further spiced and smoked to makepastrami. TheJewish community inMontreal also makesMontreal-style smoked meat, a close relative of pastrami, from brisket.^[4]

InCantonese cuisine, a common method is to cook it with spices over low heat until tender, and is commonly served withnoodles in soup or curry.^[5]

InKorean cuisine, traditionally it is first boiled at low temperature with aromatic vegetables, then pressed with a heavy object in a container full of a soy sauce-based marinade. The ensuing preserved meat is served in match-length strips as an accompaniment (banchan) to a meal. This is calledjang jorim. Brisket is also the main ingredient in a spicy soup calledyuk ke jang, part of the class of soups that are complete meals in Korean cuisine. Nowadays, it is also popular to cook thin slices of it quickly over a hot plate.^{[citation needed]}

InThai cuisine, it is used to preparesuea rong hai, a popular grilled dish originally fromIsan in northeastern Thailand.^[6]

InNew Zealand cuisine, it is used in a boil-up. Boiled in seasoned water with green vegetables and potatoes, it is popular amongstMāori people.^{[citation needed]}

It is a common cut of meat used in Vietnamesephở soup.^[7]

InItalian cuisine, brisket is used to preparebollito misto, a typicalNorthern Italy recipe.^{[citation needed]}

On theIndian subcontinent, it is used innihari, a popular dish.^{[citation needed]}

• List of steak dishes

• Moskin, Julia (August 19, 2014)."Brisket Is Worth the Wait".The New York Times. RetrievedMarch 17, 2015.
• Green, Aliza (2005).Field Guide to Meat. Philadelphia: Quirk Books.ISBN 1-931686-79-3.

•   Media related toBrisket of beef at Wikimedia Commons
•   The dictionary definition ofbrisket at Wiktionary