why is brisket chopped and pork pulled?

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stubborn

Fire Starter
Original poster
Apr 6, 2009
58
10
Indiana
And why is it chopped so fine? I just pull it when I make it, and it seems to disappear with no problem. Does chopping it make it go further? Or allow you to use more of the fat, since it's all minced so finely the fat just ads moisture?

I've never been much of a Q eater. Haven't figured out why I enjoy making it so much when I can take it or leave it when it comes time to eat. I've been trying different Q joints and trailers around town trying to learn more so I have something to compare my Q to. Not only has nobody been able to answer this question, I usually get looked at like I have three eyes or something.

Anybody have an answer?
 
Personally I slice my flat and turn the point into burnt ends so I have never even had chopped brisket though if I were to decide to do a brisket in that manner I would bring it up to 200-205 and pull it as opposed to chopping.
 
chopped briskit point ,and not the sawdust looking stuff some call "chopped" , is excellent w/sauce on a soft white bun. maybe it's a regional thing I don't know. what I do know is if it's done right , pulled , sliced, burn't ends ,it's just great eats!!!
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I don't pull meat from the flat but the fibers are significantly longer than those found in the average pork butt/shoulder. Could be why it's "chopped" and not pulled. I do pull my point.
 
Chopped pork shoulder is just as common as pulled pork.
There is no rhyme or reason here, nor are there any rules...pulled brisket exists just like chopped brisket.

However, I do agree that you don't SEE "pulled brisket" on menus a lot, but I think this might just be due to the different textures of the meat.

For instance, a perfectly smoked brisket isn't the same consistency or texture as a perfectly smoked pork shoulder. It could be - especially in restaurants where they are doing more of each kind of meat than the typical home chef - that it's just simply easier to chop brisket than it is to pull it.

I don't know for sure, but there are no rules that say you can't pull a brisket or chop a pork shoulder.
 
I always slice my brisket it's just what you do and then you pull pork because it just the thing to do with it. It's like when you blacken fish why do you use redfish thats just what was made famous. I also like my pork sliced it is better that way to me. I have been asked before why is the pork ham grey and not red ???
 
Great thread here. When I first started cooking brisket, mine was always pulled. It was so fall apart tender it wouldn't slice, and I realized that was the result of my method. Everyone loved it, it was delicious, tender and moist, it just wasn't sliced.

Lately, I've been trimming my briskets a bit to remove some excess fat, and they slice just fine. Still tender, juicy and delicious.

I think brisket is chopped to shorten up the meat fibers (like the poster above mentioned) and pork is pulled because it CAN be. Here in South Carolina, all pork seems to be chopped anyways. Sometimes to the point it's a big ball of mush on your plate. Mine is always pulled. (plus I love being able to tell people that I pull my pork, LOL)

It's all a preference in my opinion. If it tastes good that's all that matters. Let the food network people worry about "looks".
 
I also think it's due to the content of moisture and fat. "Pulled" anything is basically overcooking it, right? Pork and beef is essentially cooked at 140 (more or less, depending on what you are cooking), but the desired temp for "pulled" is about 55-65 degrees more. (now back to your question) You can keep overcooking pork pretty much all you want; It will just turn to mush (which aint good eats either). If you do the same thing to beef, you get the sawdust mentioned above. With that said, the point of a brisket has more connective tissue than the flat. It is for this reason that I cook a packer to 185-190. I then remove the point from the packer and put it back in the smoker until it reads 195-200. I pull what I can and chop the rest.

The second reason is commercial, and is why I don't order chopped beef (usually shoulder and not brisket) at any commercial BBQ joint. Unsold beef from previous days is chopped and mixed back in with fresh. I know these guys have to do whatever to say in business, but if I have to eat leftovers, I'll do it at home.
 
For pulled brsket smokle for three hours @ 225 , pull from smoker ,add a can of coke and wrap tightly in foil . Place in oven at 200 degrees overnight and you will get fall apart brisket for pulling . I hate chopped brisket from the cheap places that whack up the burnt ends , trimmings and point into a chopped sandwhich .
 
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