Review: The Brisket Chronicles: How to Barbecue, Braise, Smoke, and Cure the World’s Most Versatile Cut of Meat


The Brisket Chronicles: How to Barbecue, Braise, Smoke, and Cure the World's Most Versatile Cut of MeatThe Brisket Chronicles: How to Barbecue, Braise, Smoke, and Cure the World’s Most Versatile Cut of Meat by Steven Raichlen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I first heard about this book, I was slightly skeptical. An entire book on brisket? Really? Isn’t it just (maybe) two ways? Dalmation rub and spicy rub. Maybe 4 ways if you count low and slow and Texas Crutch style. But no, Raichlen presents nearly every way to make brisket from around Planet BBQ; from Texas smoked to Jewish braises to sandwiches from all nationalities – it’s all here. The result is a book that takes you from the practical to the impractical (brisket chocolate chip cookies? really?) and gives a little history throughout to explain the history behind various dishes. I put lots of recipes on my list of dishes to try; I’m especially excited to try the German bierfleishe. He’s also got a bunch of recipes to use up leftover brisket including breakfast hashes, ramen, and salads.

Brisket is one of those cuts of meat that requires times to bring out its deliciousness and still remains one of the cheaper cuts (although it has slowly risen in price as more folks have discovered how delicious it could be). You should definitely check out this book to gain some new brisket recipes and discover how versatile it could be.

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