Both brisket and pulled pork are very famous barbeque meats. They are super flavorful, smokey, and the perfect main dish for your delicious meal. But, there are some major differences between these two meats. Their biggest difference is that they come from different animals. Brisket is beef from a cow, and pulled pork is from a cow. But they have many other differences. Today, we are going to look at brisket vs. pulled pork, what they are, their nutritional content, cost, taste, and more.
Brisket vs. Pulled Pork: What Are They?
A brisket is a cut of beef that typically comes from the lower chest or breast. Usually, this cut of meat is going to be tough as this is an area of the cow that gets a lot of use and exercise. But the way it's prepared makes it super tender and flavorful. This cut of meat is often very large and, on average, can weigh between 10 and 14 pounds. Typically, this cut is made up of two muscles, the flat and the point. The flat is the first cut, which is thinner, and the point is the second cut, which is thicker and fattier.
Pulled pork is meat from a pig. It's usually meat that has come from a large cut around the leg or shoulder. It is smoked and cooked low and slow for hours to make it tender and full of flavor. If you're looking to make pulled pork at home, when you're at the store, look for pork shoulder. Pork shoulder is also called pork butt or Boston butt.
Brisket vs. Pulled Pork: Nutritional Content
It's important to know that although one of these meats might be healthier than the other, that does not make either of these meats a healthy food. But, if you're comparing the two, beef brisket is often looked at as the healthier option over pulled pork. Brisket is a leaner meat, so it's usually lower in fat and calories. It also has a higher content of iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamins compared to pulled pork. To clearly see their nutritional differences, take a look at the table below.
| 100 Gram Serving | Pulled Pork | Beef Brisket |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 242 | 157 |
| Fat | 13 grams | 7 grams |
| Sodium | 62 milligrams | 79 grams |
| Potassium | 423 milligrams | 330 grams |
| Protein | 27 grams | 21 grams |
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Brisket vs. Pulled Pork: Cost
Brisket and pulled pork are very different in this category. Beef brisket is always more expensive than pulled pork. Often, in grocery stores, you'll find that beef brisket is three, sometimes even four times more expensive than a cut for pulled pork.
For brisket, you'll typically find that it costs $5 to $15 per pound. This wide range is due to the grade and cut of the meat. So, if you're planning to feed a large family or group of friends, brisket is not your cheapest option. Pork, on the other hand, can typically be found for around one dollar per pound. Pork is a meat you can buy in higher quantities for a much lower price.
Brisket vs. Pulled Pork: Taste
Each of these meats has its own distinct and unique flavor, but they are both delicious. Brisket is known for its beefy richness that gives a bold and darker flavor. A brisket pairs well with a tangy barbecue sauce or a savory dry rub. On the other hand, pulled pork offers a sweeter and smokier flavor. Slow-cooked to perfection, this meat is often paired with any of your favorite barbecue sauces, whether tangy, sweet, or spicy.
Brisket vs. Pulled Pork: Texture
When it comes to texture, these two meats are also very different. When cooked right, brisket should be super tender and full of flavor. It can give you the melt-in-your-mouth experience even though it's a leaner piece of meat. Even with its tenderness, brisket can be a chewier meat compared to pork. With pulled pork, this meat should be effortlessly tender, pulling apart into strands with just a fork. Pulled pork is soft and moist, which makes it great for a pulled pork sandwich.
Brisket vs. Pulled Pork: How To Cook
The best way to cook brisket is to get that delicious flavor and tenderness by smoking it. Seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic, smoking it on low for hours will melt away the fat and make the meat tender and juicy. There are also many ways to serve brisket. If you're serving brisket in a barbeque spread, make all the delicious and classic barbeque sides like baked beans, mac and cheese, coleslaw, and more. Brisket is also used for the St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage tradition. It's also eaten during Rosh Hashanah and Passover in Jewish cuisine.
The best way to cook pulled pork is to season the pork butt or shoulder with spices and then cook it in a slow cooker on low heat for hours until it's as tender as you like it. You can check its tenderness by using a pair of forks or tongs to try and pull it apart. Pulled pork is a great protein option for sandwiches, salads, or even tacos. It's a very versatile meat and can be used in many ways.
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Beef Brisket Recipe
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Beef Brisket with Onion Sauce
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Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef brisket
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 whole black peppercorns
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
Instructions
- Cover meat with boiling water.
- Add vegetables and seasonings.
- Simmer until tender, about 3 hours.
- Remove meat from liquid, place in shallow baking dish.
- Reserve 2 cups of the beef-onion stock. Add the chopped tomato and stir.
- Spread egg over meat; sprinkle with dry bread crumbs.
- Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until brown.
- Make an onion sauce with reserved beef-onion stock and serve with meat.
- Serve over steak fries if desired.
If you're ready to take on making beef brisket at home, here is our favorite recipe. If you don't have a smoker, there are many other ways you can cook brisket, like in the oven, in a slow cooker, on a grill, and even boiled. This recipe calls for making an onion sauce as well that pairs deliciously with the brisket.
For this recipe, you will need four pounds of beef brisket, one carrot, one tomato, one egg, one onion, salt, pepper, fresh garlic, and bread crumbs. To cook the brisket, you're going to start by boiling it. Then add in the vegetables and seasonings and simmer it for three hours. Remove the meat and place it in a baking dish. The liquid you boiled the meat and vegetables in is now a beef stock. Remove and save two cups of the stock to make the onion sauce later. Cover your brisket with the egg and bread crumbs, then bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Pulled Pork Recipe
This pulled pork recipe is great if you're looking to feed people for a party or if you're just cooking dinner for your family. It will make plenty of food at a really decent cost! It can be used in so many ways, but most commonly, pulled pork is used to make a pulled pork sandwich. Placed on a freshly toasted bun with your favorite barbeque sauce, this pulled pork recipe will become a favorite. If you have leftovers but don't want pulled pork sandwiches, you can use this meat in salads or even use it to make pulled pork tacos. Some delicious toppings for pulled pork tacos include pickled onions, avocado, and pineapple.
This recipe calls for three pounds of pork shoulder, water, butter, red and green bell peppers, onions, and barbeque sauce. To cook the pork, bring a pot of water to a boil and place the pork in to simmer for two and a half hours. You can cook it longer if you feel like the pork is not tender enough. Once ready, start cooking your onions and peppers on the stovetop and add in the barbeque sauce to simmer together. Then, add the shredded pork to the barbeque mixture and cook for about five minutes until it all combines together. While that comes together, place your buns in the oven or toaster to get them warm and ready for serving.