What is better brisket or round?

When you choose the cuts of beef you want to sell to your customers, it’s important to know the difference. After all, being able to advise your customers on the best cut for a gorgeous medium-rare roast beef or a tender stew can improve your reputation and help your business thrive. Here’s what you need to know about the most popular cuts and the differences between them.

Tenderloin

Beef tenderloin is by far the most tender and most flavorful cut of beef. It’s found on the top of the cow just behind the rib, and because there isn’t much marbling, it’s incredibly lean and naturally tender. It is easy to overcook, however, so it’s important to cook loin quickly for the best results. In fact, because it contains very little in the way of fat or connective tissue, it’s one of the most expensive cuts, too. The loan can be divided into short loin and sirloin, and while short loin is more tender, both are considered top cuts.

Chuck

Chuck is both flavorful and cost-effective. This cut comes from the shoulder of the cattle, which is another highly-used set of muscles. It contains a lot of connective tissue, which makes it quite tough when cooked quickly. Chuck can be sold whole, as a roast, or it can be ground, which offers a leaner, more flavorful option than traditional ground beef. Chuck is perfect for hamburgers and roasts designed to be cooked low and slow, such as pot roasts and stews.

Brisket

Brisket is typically sold whole, and it comes from the top of the cow’s front legs. Because these muscles are used more than any other, these cuts can be tougher than most. Brisket does very well when it is brined since the salt tends to help break down the fat and connective tissues, and the best way to improve a brisket’s tenderness is to slow cook it. Although it can be tough when it isn’t cooked properly, brisket is incredibly flavorful, which makes it a great choice for either roasts or stews. Brisket is also fantastic for smoking at low temperatures.

Round

Round is another inexpensive cut that is perfect for many different types of meals. It’s found on the back part of the cow, including the rump and hind leg. It’s a leaner meat that is slightly tough, but not as tough as the chuck or the brisket. Round is often sold ground, but you can also cut it into eye of round, sirloin tip, and butterfly top round steaks. When cooked slowly over low heat, the meat can become very tender and fall apart at the touch of a fork, which makes it a great choice for things like stew or shredded beef.

Flank

Finally, the flank is incredibly flavorful thanks to gorgeous marbling. This cut comes from the “belly” area of the cow, and while it’s one of the tougher cuts, it can also feed many people. Flank steak is one of the most popular cuts of beef, and it benefits from a marinade to help tenderize it. Most people choose to grill, broil, or pan-sear the flank, but it can also be braised if it’ll be served roast style.

These cuts represent the most popular found in supermarkets across the country today. Some are incredibly tender and flavorful, and others are a little tougher and require more patient cooking. Regardless, when you offer (and know the difference between) these cuts, you’ll provide your customers with the best possible selection.  

My mother-in-law was visiting this weekend and I decided to make our St. Patrick’s day feast a bit early. She is Irish and I thought it would be fun to have the traditional Corned Beef, potatoes, carrots and cabbage while she was here. While shopping for the corned beef it became apparent that I had not done my research. There are two cuts of corned beef;  point and flat cut. The point cut is cheaper. Not knowing what to get, I purchased both! We needed two anyways with the crowd we had.

I made the point cut in the crockpot. I just added the seasoning packet and let it cook all day. About half way through cooking, I added the cabbage. The flat cut was placed in a roaster pan with potato chunks, carrots, the seasoning packet and water. I roasted it at 300 degrees for 6 hours.

What is the Right Beef Brisket Cut to Buy?

The Taste Test

Out of five adults the winner was the point cut! It turns out that the point cut has more fat which makes it more flavorful and juicy. Both cuts of meat were tasty, but the point cut was the clear winner in our home.

Point Cut VS Flat Cut Corned Beef

Point Cut Brisket

Point cut corned beef are rounder and has pointy end. It’s the thicker part of the brisket which generally have more marbling or fat and connective tissue. This is the reason why a lot of people find them to be more flavorful, tender and more juicy. This cut is great

Flat Cut Brisket

Flat cut corned beef or also called round cut on the other hand are lean and with fat cap. Because it’s leaner, it is easier to slice and it looks better for presentation. This cut is easier to find and cheaper, which is why it’s most used for home corned beef recipes. When well-cooked, flat cuts also offers good flavor. Just make sure to trim the fat cup before cooking or curing when you buy this cut.

How to choose the right corned beef?

For the record, corned beef is made from the brisket. If you’re going to buy the entire brisket, it has both the flat cut and point cut.

To make the corned beef, it is placed in a brine of grains and salt to cure the meat. When selecting your corned beef at the store, feel the meat. The meat should be firm. If it is soft or mushy, it contains too much fat. I thought you would all like to know that the cheaper cut of corned beef nets the best results!

Here’s a great tip from my reader Cathy. When cutting meat, make sure to cut across the grain. This would make the meat more tender and easier to chew.

Don’t forget to check out our Pressure Cooker Corned Beef Recipe

Here are more St. Patrick’s Day recipes to try:

Easy Irish Stew Recipe

Shamrock Shake Recipe 

Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe 

Irish Soda Bread Recipe – a St. Patrick’s Day Tradition 

Irish Dublin Coddle Crock Pot Version – St. Patrick’s Day Recipe

Guinness Stew Pot Pies Recipe

Pot of Gold Cupcakes – Chocolate Cupcakes with Lemon Mousse Filling

Here’s also a super easy 3 ingredients corned beef recipe

Rhode Island Novelty ST. Patricks Day Costume Green Leprechaun Top Hat and Beard

IRISH TREATS – 30 Dessert Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day or Whenever You Want to Celebrate Like the Irish

The Man Cave St. Patrick’s Day Cookbook: More Than 50 Awesome St. Patrick’s Day Recipes For Partying In The Man Cave

What is the difference between brisket and round?

What is better than a brisket?

Is brisket a high quality cut of meat?

Is brisket the most expensive cut on a beef?