BBQ Beef Brisket is one of the most cherished and sought-after meals when it comes to backyard BBQ. Brisket takes a tremendous amount of time to prepare and cook: From trimming down the fat to finishing with a juicy, tender piece of meat that makes all of Instagram’s mouth water. Knowing how to smoke a brisket is about 95 percent of the battle. Slicing brisket is final step to pure beef brisket perfection.
You have labored so long, and you want the perfect outcome like you have seen on so many brisket how-to videos. You are educated on how to smoke a brisket. So, why not finish strong with the right tool for the job?
The Best Brisket Knife
In my opinion, the best brisket slicing knife is a 14-inch slicing knife. If you don’t have one today, you better get one before you smoke your next brisket. While not a complete necessity in the BBQ toolbox, I find that a great slicing knife kicks up one’s ability to create perfect, thin slices of smoked beef brisket. You could slice your brisket with any standard kitchen knife as long as it is sharp, but here’s where you will run into issues.
When you get to the center of the brisket, the width of the meat is generally broader than a standard length kitchen culinary knife. The set of knives I received as a wedding gift are top quality but, their blades are only 10 inches long and do not slice through the middle of a beef brisket flat. Slicing brisket requires the right tool! Enter the 14-inch culinary knife.
Best Knife for Cutting Meat
I remember going to the buffet restaurants as a kid, and I would see a station with a huge beef roast. Behind the buffet station, there was always a guy with a tall chef hat on, wielding a huge slicing knife. I distinctly remember the blunt, round tip of the knife and thought, that is a funny shape. The carver would thinly slice one-to-two pieces for each patron and put it on your plate. I never realize how handy this knife would be until I started preparing my own backyard BBQ.
The extra-long length of the blade is perfect because it allows you to slice completely through in a continuous motion. An excellent slicing knife should feature what is known as a “Granton Edge“; or a series of dimples along the blade. These dimples create tiny air pockets when slicing any meat and provide a cleaner cut, preventing tearing and shredding; a key element when cutting slices of brisket. You want a neat, thin slice for presentation and consumption. That is why I believe it is the best knife for brisket.
What are your thoughts about slicing knives? Do you have a preferred brand of slicing blade you use at home? Leave a comment below to let me know.
P.S.
If you haven’t tried our sauce, grab yourself a bottle or more here.
Jason
Co-owner of Old Smokey Beard’s Barbecue Sauce