14 replies to this topic

[kangarool]

I'm heading to the footy on Saturday with a few mates, and thought that I'd introduce them all to a bit of my favourite Americana, slow-smoked beef brisket sandwiches and beer at my house afterward.

But I've already hit an unanticipated snag in my plan: I can't find the cut of beef that I know in the US as "beef brisket" at several butchers that I've visited. Most look at me with a bit of puzzled look. Other responses included: "I have some brisket bones, if you want them, but there's no meat on them" (Andrew's Meat, Yarraville) ... "We don't sell it, you'd be better off with a better cut of meat" (Jonathons, collingwood) ... "Yes this is it" (pointing to Flank Steak, which I think looked pretty close, but there was 0 fat on it, so I shied away... (Footscray market) ... and "We can get it, but you have to order it in a week ahead of time" (another local butcher in Yarraville). So, I'm a tad confused, but I'm certain that it must be around.

A cow's a cow, right? It must be a naming-convention thing, yeah? (I've looked on the web, but no luck.) But if so, then what? Or is "brisket" really so unpopular that it's simply not bothered to be sold to butchers?

[lamington]

Hi Kangarool. I think most brisket in Oz is probably corned, which might explain why you can't get any -- it looks like a question of popularity, more than terminology. What you are looking for is, I think, "point cut" brisket, though given the responses from butchers, I guess that won't get you any closer to your goal.

I'm not an expert on meat cuts by any means, so maybe someone else can confirm? A useful website for an idea of Australian cuts is Australian Beef, and if you click on Product Guide>Primal Cuts you'll find the variety of cuts and diagrams.

[spoonbread]

I'm not in Australia, but I would think they would have chuck beef ( which is what you want).

BRISKET
Has the breast bones and the 5 rib bones.
22# average weight.

Here's a site that might help ( the one posted before didn't work).

http://www.cmcchef.c...abrication.html

Just keep scrolling down until you hit brisket. It does have a diagram and shows what you should ask for.
Hope this helps......

[kangarool]

I think most brisket in Oz is probably corned, which might explain why you can't get any

Funny you should mention that: I was almost tempted to purchase a piece of Silverside (another term I've learned since moving here, I don't remember hearing this name in the States) and see what happened, but then I saw it had been wrapped and 'corned' already, so I'm pretty sure I simply would have ended up with Smoked Corned Beef. Not a bad thing, probably, but not what I've promised a bunch of blokes.

Spoonbread, I forgot to mention that I remember hearing a butcher I spoke to mention 'chuck' as well, which fits with your suggestion. And looking at the chart on the link, they sit next to one another on the cow, so it's looking like that could be the right direction to head for the next investigation.

thanks for the beef tips!

[spoonbread]

thanks for the beef tips!

Rofl!! Glad I could help!

[Adam Balic]

It has been a couple of years but I can't remember any problem with getting brisket. But given the trouble you have had their is definately an issue here. I wonder if it is the preparation of the cut? If avalible 'off the shelf' in Melbourne it was most common to see it trimmed of most fat and rolled. You could try an Asian butcher in Victoria St?

Silverside is the most common brining cut (called corned beef in Australia). Silverside is pretty much the top round cut, sometimes called "London broil" although this is actually the finished dish?

[PCL]

Victoria St Richmond... can't remember the name of the butcher, but it's vietnamese, and it's next to a restaurant called Minh Xuong where they make some of the best crispy skinned roast pork in town.

they always have brisket for pho.

and they are cheap.

i can't stand those pussy-livered butchers these days that trim everything and then snub their noses when you ask for skanky cuts for tasty stews... a big bunch of them work at the queen vic these days and they look like burnt out lawyers trying to cash in on the organic health craze, bunch of wankers i say.

[Shinboners]

For some (well, read that as non-Asian) butchers, beef brisket is the beef flank cut. Your best bet is to go to a Vietnamese butcher - the ones in Richmond or Box Hill are probably best as they seem to have cuts with that lovely layer of fat on it. I have bought the cut from the Victoria market which I got for $4/kg (still in the freezer though - I haven't had time to braise it).

[kangarool]

For some (well, read that as non-Asian) butchers, beef brisket is the beef flank cut.  Your best bet is to go to a Vietnamese butcher...

Thanks for the advice, i'll have another look in Footscray Market today... someone had mentioned flank to me, but when I had a look there was no apparent fat whatsoever, so I feared for how well a long smoking would turn out. I'll have another look today, but barring that, do you happen to know which Vic Market butcher you bought from? I make a regular Saturday morning pilgrimage, so will track down any promising leads.

[Suzanne F]

I got the link lamington posted to work by deleting the hypen: http://www.australianbeef.com.au

Clicking on How To . . . and then on Know Your Meat Cuts
gets you to a couple of good charts. And on the beef chart, what we in the US call brisket is labelled . . . brisket. Silverside is from the opposite end of the cow.

Thanks, lamington!!!!

[Shinboners]

I'll have another look today, but barring that, do you happen to know which Vic Market butcher you bought from? I make a regular Saturday morning pilgrimage, so will track down any promising leads.

The butcher I bought mine from has a corner stall next to a door at the Queen Vic. Everyone that works there is Vietnamese. Ah, opposite their stall (on the other side of the door) is that butcher who is forever selling trays of meat for discounted prices - I hope that helps you to track down the stall I'm talking about. I'll probably be at the Queen Vic on Friday, so I'll try to remember to take down the stall number and I'll post it here for you.

[Aussie_Gusto]

Kangarool, good luck with finding an unpickled piece of brisket, but can I give you a warning? Have something else on the menu as well, as there are many Aussies, including myself who do not like the taste of brisket unless it is pickled. I think its an either you love it hate it dish. Many also do not like the heavy sweet rubs and sauces on meats as is done in the USA. This is one dish that many avoid.
Best to check with them ahead of time and explain the food you are cooking. Good luck with finding the right cut. Have fun at the Footy!

Edited by Aussie_Gusto, 28 July 2004 - 11:42 PM.

[Fi Fi La More]

Hi Kangarool

I just wanted to give you some support on your beef brisket idea. I am an Aussie who lived in North America for a couple of years and one of the things I miss more than anything else and still fantasise about is brisket in any of its glorious forms. I have now started to notice brisket appearing on a number of restaurant menus in Sydney. In fact on the weekends I like to travel to a beachside suburb called Avalon where one of the cafes does a wagyu beef brisket which has been slow cooked for ten hours with loads of herbs and spices. It is one of the best things I have eaten in years.

[kangarool]

Kangarool, good luck with finding an unpickled piece of brisket, but can I give you a warning? Have something else on the menu as well, as there are many Aussies, including myself who do not like the taste of brisket unless it is pickled. I think its an either you love it hate it dish. Many also do not like the heavy sweet rubs and sauces on meats as is done in the USA. This is one dish that many avoid.
  Best to check with them ahead of time and explain the food you are cooking.  Good luck with finding the right cut. Have fun at the Footy!

Thanks for the warning Gusto; the dish in question was cleared and given the go ahead by the attendees, several years ago when they visited me in New York. I introduced them to some fantastic southern, texan and midwestern dishes and specialties ... restaurants serving them were fairly rife in Greenwich village and the East Village and West village, back then.

So we did the tour of Great Jones Cafe (gumbo), Cottonwood Cafe (brisket), and southern pulled pork sandwiches and barbequed pork ribs (Brother's BBQ). they've been converts ever since, and have been pleading for me to attempt a recreation. The sauces and rubs we had then and that I'm most fond of are the less-sweet ones that get more flavour from good spices and long smoking, so I'm with you on that one.

And Fi Fi La More, thanks for the show of support... I've found a couple butchers that seem to be able to help me out, so I'll let you know how we go. Too bad you're not in Melbourne, or I'd invite you around for the brisket extravaganza! /kanga

[lamington]

I got the link lamington posted to work by deleting the hypen: http://www.australianbeef.com.au

Believe it or not, my typo was a different one! It should have been (for the one I intended) www.australian-beef.com (ie, with hyphen, without .au)... but y'know, I think Suzanne found the better one!