A Tale of Two Beef Roasts . . .

A few of the fellas from church go on an annual "retreat" to enjoy some fellowship time. It also kicks off the Men's Bible study season. They fish, canoe, enjoy bathroom humor, and generally relax. Being men the food is very important. Well, it's important that there are large quantities of it at least. I prowl the grocery stores for months trying to get good deals on food for them and I always try to find some steaks that fit a church budget.

I was absolutely delighted to find them a giant strip loin for $4.29 a lb! Delicious I thought! How wonderful! big juicy strip steaks for all the men! We're from the Kansas City area and strip steaks are beloved.

I was going to be popular! I was going to be admired!
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Dear One came home from the trip.

The first question out of my mouth. "How was the food?!"

Dear One "That was NOT strip steak." There was a deep look of consternation on his face. He continued . . .

"It was a brisket . . ."

I ran screaming to the freezer.

After unloading all 13 cubic feet of it. I found two roasts . . .

Dear One tried to comfort me . . . "The label had fallen off, remember? It was sort of funny since you know we had the guy who manages meat packers and of course Bob who BBQ brisket all the time."

This was not funny! This made it worse! They don't even look alike . . . the guys or the roasts!

I know there are a few delicate few of you out there who are saying. Beef is beef? Two great big hulking pieces of meat, right?

No, no, no, sadly, no.

That strip steak is a marvelous meaty wonder. Tender, delicately marbled with fat that melts beautifully at low temperatures. A strip steak is delicious from well done to medium rare.

Not so much a brisket.

Brisket is full of large layers of heavy tough fat. Fat that doesn't melt until it's hit 212 F for an hour or more. Oh and you better reach that 212 F nice and slow or else.

OR ELSE!

You'd rather have jerky for a meal.  Jerky would be easier on your teeth. The brisket is full of long, strong, muscle fibers that while flavorful are tough as nails unless cooked properly.

Cooking brisket is the crown jewel of professional BBQers with years of experience and thousands of dollars of equipment. It's really not possible to cook a whole brisket properly over a campfire with a few hours notice.

Dear One said it was okay--they made do.

I suspect the peanut butter and jelly was put to good use.