Why Wagyu?
In December, the meat departments of Hill Country supermarkets are high-quality meats cornucopia. Or at least that’s how they are in my local HEB, Central Market, and Whole Foods. A few years ago, during the Steaks 101 cooking class, I emphasized that certain beef cuts can never be labeled Prime, and brisket is one of them. Well, that time has gone. Now we see Prime brisket every holiday season in Texas. And every year, we see more and more various Wagyu meat cuts. I bet most Texans and Texas residents know what Wagyu beef is by now, but just in case — a link to the info What is Wagyu?
Why Brisket?
For those who live in Texas or visit Texas, Texas barbecue is a must-try food. If, for some reason, you don’t know anything about Texas BBQ, please read this article — A Guide to Texas Barbecue: 4 Styles of Texas BBQ. Since beef brisket is one of Texas BBQ specialty, it was very tempting to try Wagyu. Especially taking into account, it’s not available in any local BBQ joints yet.
Why Cut It?
Beef brisket is a large cut (mine was 15 pounds) taken from the cow’s breast section. It is rich in connective tissue collagen and very tough — that’s why it tastes so good when cooked low and slow! This cut is long, and its thickness can be times as different on the opposite ends. As a result, it is often cut into two or even three portions because each must be cooked for a different time period for better results. Also, the thinner part is usually leaner and less moist.
