The Great Brisket Debate

I was planning to keep chipping away at my post about turkey this week. But you know what? Turkey can wait. This Tuesday was Election Day, so I took my boys on a road trip to the Big Apple. With K-Town just outside of DC, I figured this was the perfect chance to dodge the political buzz and zero in on what really matters: family. But somewhere between the pizza slices and subway stops, an internal debate sparked in my head—not about politics (relax), but something far more vital to our nation’s spirit: Brisket.

Yes, brisket. In the world of BBQ, we’ve got our fair share of debates. Do you wrap or not wrap your ribs? Scrape the fat off your chicken skin or leave it be? Cook your brisket fat side up or down? These, my friends, are the real issues of our day. But there’s one debate that seems to fly under the radar and deserves some attention: which brisket truly reigns supreme?

Let’s break down the contenders:

1. My Mom’s Brisket – Okay, maybe not my mom specifically, but everybody’s mom (or grandma, or dad, or grandpa, no discrimination here). This is the brisket that goes low and slow in the oven, lovingly nestled among carrots, onions, and maybe potatoes, all simmering in a sort of sweet-tomatoey sauce. If your family did it right, it’s cooked, cooled, then reheated the next day because “it’s always better the next day.” You know, science. When I think of this brisket, I picture loud conversations, too much wine, and a warm, happy house. It's brisket with a side of nostalgia.

2. Corned Beef – Let’s be real: corned beef has been typecast. It’s either that hyper-processed stuff from the deli slapped on rye with mustard, or it’s trotted out in March with cabbage so we can all feel vaguely Irish for a day. Fun fact: it’s not even an Irish dish! So, there’s poor corned beef, relegated to either the deli counter or the green-beer holiday. It’s a shame because homemade corned beef is a masterpiece. Sure, it takes time (corned beef needs, well, corning), but once you’ve got it ready, it’s a few hours of steaming to brisket bliss. Are you sensing a theme? Brisket is all about breaking down connective tissue and transforming it into something delicious.

3. Pastrami – Now we’re talkin’. Pastrami is corned beef’s spicy, smoky cousin. Most of us think it’s only a deli-counter option, but who says pastrami has to be store-bought? It’s just corned beef, blanketed in spices and kissed by smoke. It’s the crossroads of the brisket journey: ethnic tradition meets American BBQ flair. And while I’m not a historian (don’t @ me with Ottoman Empire history), I do know that Americans added the smoke—and boy, are we grateful for that.

4. Texas Style Low and Slow – Ah, Texas brisket. It’s like the BBQ Holy Grail. As a pitmaster, you fire up the smoker, crack a cold beer (or twelve), and babysit that brisket through the infamous stall. Just when you’re tipsy enough to give up and throw a Hot Pocket in the microwave, you hit that magical 211°F internal temp, let it rest, and prepare for the glory of slicing into pure BBQ heaven. Whether you like it lean, fatty, sauced, or dry, Texas brisket is big enough for everyone and, most importantly, brings people together. That’s the brisket dream.

So, why am I waxing poetic about brisket now? Well, we’re finally free from the election cycle—no more ads, no more debates, no more texts asking for just $1 to save the country. And if there’s one thing we can all agree on—whether you’re a deli aficionado from New York or a rancher from Texas, red state or blue state—it’s this: Brisket is king.

Special thanks to my 8-year-old sidekick, Micah, and the legendary 2nd Ave Deli in NYC for this perfect photo moment. Remember, BBQ isn’t just about smoky meats; it’s about family, community, and memories made over shared bites. And Micah’s face in that photo? It says it all—brisket bliss!

Its Getting Close to Turkey Time!!

As I sit here lounging casually on my porch, it is a balmy 80+ degrees on this delightful Halloween evening, and the children are practically buzzing with excitement over all the candy they’re collecting. (Okay, I have to admit it — I’m just as giddy, especially since my all-time favorite candy is Almond Joy. No need to judge me, please!) Before we know it, we’ll be inundated with oodles of videos showcasing how to whip up the world’s most tantalizingly juicy turkey. It's also that season of the year when we start hearing about the most unfortunate Thanksgiving mishaps and accidents that keep happening, despite our best intentions. Here are some of the most common and tragic blunders we see or hear about year after year that you will definitely want to avoid:

Turkey Frying Fires - We have all seen those infamous videos online. Someone (usually a male, let's be honest) decides this will be the year he bravely takes on the challenge of frying a turkey. He’s probably just fed up with the usual dry roasted turkey experience that leaves everyone feeling a little disappointed. “This year we’re going to fry the turkey, and it’s going to be absolutely amazing!” Then what happens? Inevitably, they either drop the turkey into the bubbling oil too quickly or the skin of the bird isn’t entirely dry, or even worse, the bird is still frozen solid! In any of these scenarios, the results are generally the same: the oil bubbles extravagantly over the top of the pot and dances dangerously close to the flame of the fryer, prompting someone to hastily dial 911 to prevent Thanksgiving from turning into an all-out blaze! YIKES!!

Frozen Turkey - If you’re like me, and you happen to be a child of the glorious, nostalgia-filled 1980s, I’m sure you remember those sitcom moments where, on Thanksgiving morning, someone dramatically pulls the turkey out from the freezer to prepare it for roasting. And after 3 agonizing hours sitting on the counter to ‘defrost,’ what do we end up with? A gloriously still frozen turkey! This sounds like something straight out of an episode of Who's the Boss? or another classic show, but believe me, it genuinely happens! Don’t let it happen to you!

Burnt Turkey - In the unfortunate scenario mentioned above, someone might think it’s a good idea to simply crank up the oven's heat to accelerate the cooking process. What a total nightmare that is! You can’t do that, my friends! That is a surefire way to guarantee you end up with burnt skin and possibly raw meat lurking beneath — so gross!

Alright, by now, I’m going to assume that if you are reading this, you already know how to deftly sidestep these culinary pitfalls. So, remember to give yourself at least a week to properly defrost your beloved bird, ensure the skin is thoroughly bone-dry before you even think about frying it, and keep in mind: we cook to temperature, not just time, so don’t rush the process. Trust me, your Thanksgiving dinner will thank you for it! Come check out the next blog post to learn about how to solve the challenge of a dry turkey!