Just realized something about brisket after talking to a guy in Lockhart

I was at Smitty's Market last month and this older guy next to me at the counter saw me struggling to cut my slice. He leaned over and said, 'You're fighting the grain, son. Turn it 90 degrees.' I'd been cutting brisket wrong for years and never knew. Anyone else have a simple tip that totally changed how you do something basic?

4 comments

4 Comments

davidkim2mo agoTop Commenter

Right there with @brianreed, total facepalm moment. That grain trick is everything. Makes you wonder what other basic stuff we're all getting wrong. Like, I only learned last year you're supposed to let the knife do the work, not press down hard. Changed my whole kitchen game.

park.miles1mo ago

Honestly I just cut it however and it tastes fine.

brianreed2mo ago

Man, that grain thing is a game changer. I used to just hack at it and wonder why it was so tough to chew. Now I always look for those lines before I make the first cut. It makes such a difference, the meat just falls apart.

nelson.vera2mo ago

Exactly, it's one of those simple tricks that feels obvious once you know it. I ruined a few good steaks before a butcher pointed out the grain to me. Now checking for it is just part of the routine, like seasoning.