Beef brisket is one of the most versatile cuts of meats that you can buy.
Cut from the cow’s chest, a beef brisket contains no bones. It is tough enough to withstand long cooking periods without drying out – whether roasting, smoking or braising it.
Beef brisket is an easy meat to work with, perfect for busy holiday gatherings or long summer days when you want just to shove something in the oven and let the heat work its magic.
Fresh beef brisket is the best but can be hard to find in everyday supermarkets. So, what easier-to-find substitutes can you use instead?
Our 3 Substitutes for Beef Brisket
No matter how you cook beef brisket, the tough cow muscle will soften and tenderize to create a juicy piece of meat.
Though this tenderness can only be achieved if cooked on low heat for hours at a time. The longer the cooking time, the tenderer the meat will be.
Like most beef cuts, beef brisket has a distinct beefy taste but can change depending on how it is cooked. Smoked brisket can be infused with sweet or fragrant flavours, while roast beef brisket is more savoury.
Here are our top 3 substitutes for beef brisket:
1) Short Ribs
Despite coming from the cow’s rib (as the name suggests), short ribs have the same texture and flavour impact as beef brisket.
Compared to most beef brisket cuts, short ribs have a more marbled effect with a mix of fat and muscle. When given time to cook, this fat creates perfectly tender meat.
However, if your short ribs have too much fat, the meat will be springier than tender. That is why some people avoid short ribs as they take more work to prepare for longer cooks.
When the ribs are well prepared and cooked, they can create a delicious meal similar to that of brisket.
Should You Remove the Bone When Cooking?
The bone of short ribs helps provide extra flavour during the cooking process. So only remove the bone just before serving.
2) Beef Shanks
One of the more common cuts of beef, beef shanks are not everyone’s go-to choice for tender meat as they are usually the chewy star in hearty soups and casseroles.
But beef shanks can become just as tender as brisket when treated and cooked correctly.
Beef shanks are naturally dryer than beef brisket, so you must ensure to tend to the meat more regularly as it cooks. Marinating the shanks beforehand will also help to give the meat some extra moisture and flavour.
To retain this moisture, cook beef shanks at a very low temperature and for longer than you would beef brisket.
What Is the Best Way to Cook Beef Shanks?
Beef shank is best barbecued or roasted in some type of liquid to allow enough moisture to keep the meat tender.
3) Pork Brisket
If you are not a fan of the distinct flavour of beef, pork is a great alternative that is easier to palate. Pork brisket, in particular, will make the best direct beef brisket substitute.
Pork brisket can be harder to find in some places and more expensive than beef brisket. But if you are looking for a new holiday centrepiece, it can be just as delicious as beef brisket.
As it is noticeably tougher than beef, pork brisket needs to be cooked longer than beef brisket to achieve the same tenderness. When cooked long enough, fatty parts of the meat will melt and make the muscle very juicy.
Pork as a meat is not as flavourful as beef, so it is best to smoke your pork brisket for maximum flavour. Alternatively, you can barbecue it with enough marinade and rub.
How Do You Stop Pork Brisket From Drying Out
With such long cooking times, it can be easy for pork brisket to become dry. You will need to spray the meat with water or sauce to ensure the meat remains moist.
Other Substitutes for Beef Brisket
It may not be the most expensive meat, but beef can become costly, especially for rarer cuts like beef brisket. For those with a tight budget, here are a few more affordable beef brisket substitutes:
- Chicken Thighs – One of the fattier parts of the chicken, chicken thighs can be cooked for a few hours at a time and will not dry out because of the fat. They take very well to seasoning, too.
- Jackfruit – A vegan alternative, jackfruit skin is tough and the insides tender, much like smokey brisket. Treat it with the same flavourings and jackfruit will taste just like beef brisket.
- Lamb – If you happen to find a cut of lamb on sale, the savoury gameness of the meat can be an excellent beef brisket substitute. Lamb will not need as long to cook as beef because it can become very dry.
Summary
Beef brisket is not a very easy to find cut of beef but is a desirable one simply because of how beautifully it tenderizes.
Several other cuts of beef can work in place of the brisket that are just as flavourful – the best being short rib beef – but they do not all soften and tenderize as well as beef brisket.