Can you use a top round roast to make beef brisket? ask Lori. Because brisket is a particular cut of beef, and not a dish, I assume you want to know if you can cook a top roast using a recipe for a brisket. The answer to this question is probably yes. Brisket is typically prepared using a moist cooking method, for instance by placing the brisket in a dutch oven with broth or beer and then cooking it for 3 hours or so over low heat. Your top round roast will do very well when cooked this way. However, if you’re thinking about barbecuing the brisket the answer is no.

Linda’s son is throwing a surprise 30th birthday party for his wife and planning to serve smoked brisket and roasted pork loin. Linda says he’s looking for side-dish suggestions and tricks to prevent the brisket from turning into shoe leather.

Taking on the toughest problem first, how do you keep the brisket from drying out? The key is low and slow. The brisket should be cooked at about 225 degrees for at least 8 and as long as 10 hours. Hotter and faster will make the meat draw up as the proteins denature and that will squeeze out the juices. A couple of other tricks help. First, I would smoke the briskets for about four hours, then wrap them in a couple of layers heavy aluminum foil to keep them from drying out. The final 4 to 6 hours (depending on the size of the roast) of cooking can take place in an oven set to 225. Second, cook the briskets with the fat side up and don’t trim any fat off prior to cooking. Third, add a source of moisture to cooking area, the barrel-style smokers come with pans for liquid, if you’re using a different kind of smoker add a cheap aluminum pan filled with water.

Cy from Palm Dessert struggles with his brisket, like so many, in that it’s often overcooked. He asks if a 1 inch brisket will cook more quickly than a 3 inch brisket of the same weight. Great question!

Listen now to Chef Kevin’s advice on getting the brisket done for dinner in time. Don’t worry Amy, dinner’s going to be wonderful. Happy Holiday!

Muriel wants to know when cooking a brisket, “do I cook it fat side up or fat side down?” Well, Muriel has stumbled upon one of the many cooking techniques that our chefs, as any chefs, will debate. Truth be told, it is a matter of personal preference and you will have a good result with both fat side up and fat side down. I prefer to cook mine fat side down, as it will render off some of the excess fat and make what remains quite crisp. But from a strictly culinary standpoint, either choice is fine. I hope you have a great Holiday! ~ Chef Erika

Here are some of our tips on browning a smaller brisket and links to our recipes -

http://www.chefsline.com/blog/articles/beef-brisket-cooking-time/