Made from the breast or lower chest of the cow, brisket is a tough beef cut that is prepared by braising or slow smoking. It is also commonly cured and made into pastrami or corned beef.
As it’s a part of the animal that has worked the hardest during its life, this is one of the tougher cuts, so it’s less expensive and has lots of flavour but needs long, gentle cooking.
The cut you need is flank or chuck. Flank is from the lower half of the hind quarter and is actually quite lean. Thin flank - a cut from the belly - is more gristly, but perfectly suitable for ...