Andrew Zimmern Swears By This Brisket Tip For More Flavor

Andrew Zimmern may be known for his adventurous appetite in the TV show "Bizarre Foods," (which was never the same after filming), but this food personality has a lot of love for old-school comfort dishes as well. In an interview with Parade magazine, he waxes lyrical about the various tips and tricks he has learned and practiced over the years when preparing one of his grandmother's signature recipes: brisket. And now that barbecue season is almost upon us, we highly recommend that brisket be on your menu, especially if you are looking to level up your barbecuing skills by smoking meats. Zimmern's tip for preparing the best brisket? Do not trim the fat off beforehand.

Why, according to Zimmern, is it a good idea to keep the fat cap on a joint of brisket? In short, because it provides valuable flavor. While he will remove the larger chunks of fat from the brisket, he will keep most of it on as it will eventually render into the meat over the long and slow cook. And if it happens to still be fatty after it is done cooking? Simply trim off the fat afterward, as the fat has already done all that it can to flavor the meat.

Research done by Purdue University has confirmed what we all instinctually knew all along: Fat is indeed flavor. And while too much of it can still contribute to a greasy mouthfeel, there are flavor compounds and nutrients that are primarily fat-soluble, and without it meals would lack not just taste but also nutritional value. By keeping fat on the brisket while it cooks, it encourages an almost internal basting, making the meat as moist as it can be. But what if you are braising the brisket in the oven instead? Would you still need the fat then? Yes, and he explains why by laying out what would happen if you hacked the fat off beforehand. Zimmern notes that you might still overcook the brisket. "After a while, the absorption of liquid has tapped out. The fat is gone from the meat itself... it's getting drier and drier, even though it's sitting in liquid." So, in a sense, if you left the fat on, it'd help to insulate the meat from drying out.

So what do we serve with a moist, perfectly cooked cut of brisket? Make like Zimmern and prepare some crispy spuds. Latkes are ideal for this, and we have tips to make sure you know everything you need to make the perfect latkes. For some roughage, make sure you have a salad recipe with a citrus dressing to counter the fatty brisket.