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Has anyone tried this? I'm looking for alternatives to brisket as I'm finding British brisket just doesn't have enough fat content in comparison to the grain fed foreign stuff. I understand chuck (clod etc) can be fattier than brisket so wondered how well it would fare as an alternative. Not to mention that it's also cheaper!

I use chuck all the time on my stall but i get it from my butchers which if you go to yours you'll find it's cheaper

I've done chuck and it was fine. Defo worth a go. Try your local butcher and ask them to make it a nice even piece. Mine had a lumpy bit that I knew wouldn't cook so well.

What cut is chuck?

BraaiMeesterWannabe wrote:What cut is chuck?

The shoulder. Coming down from the head you've got the clod and then the chuck

Like taking said. Like a boston butt of beef. Lol.

TakingtheBrisket wrote:I use chuck all the time on my stall but i get it from my butchers which if you go to yours you'll find it's cheaper

You've clearly never been to Buckwell's of Southsea!

I picked up a lump of chuck today from Tiny's local, Shepherd's butchers in Drayton. 6kg was £52 (compared to £34 from Tom Hixson) so the price isn't that different to brisket. I took half of it and will cook it over the weekend. Interested to see how it will come out, it's quite well marbled but he did have to tie it to keep it together.

Ah yes Buckwells in Southsea, renorgage required to shop there. The chaps at Sheperds are v helpful, they will do you a fantastic boston butt but you have to ask for a collar joint minus skin. Fascinated to see how this chuck experiment goes, I have had whole briskets off them in the past but have been too lean really.

Cheers
tiny

Tiny wrote:Fascinated to see how this chuck experiment goes, I have had whole briskets off them in the past but have been too lean really.

Did the chuck yesterday. Cooked it for 12 hours (last five in the oven to save on pellets) and took it to 90. I wrapped half way through. It was on the dry side but the addition of sauce improved it. Certainly ok to put in a bun with slaw and pickles but still not near the beefy, juicy nirvana of the brisket I had in Texas. My most successful beef smokes have been with ribs from Booker however they don't come cheap.

Was chatting to the chaps in Sheperds today, have a gammon off them for tomorrow. Did you wrap it? My approach would be to give it a few hours in the smoke and then wrap it tightly with a heavy beef stock.

Cheers
Tiny