If You Can't Do the Time, Don't do the Crime

At the present time, I am doing a slowcook bbq brisket. It is a thing of patience, like a lot of the dishes here at Etzlenu. From the time of shopping in the marketplace to the time of plating, we are talking probably close to 24 hours, depending on the size of the beast. I enjoy the process. But this is not what this post is about.

Everytime I cook a brisket, I think about the chefs I have learned the most from. And all of them, without exception, talk about getting their chops (pun intended) working on cheaper cuts of protein: oxtail and brisket, not filet; or tilapia instead of halibut; chicken in lieu of duck. First of all, if you fuck up, you haven’t ruined an expensive cut of meat. Moreover, if you can take a more humble cut and elevate it to a remarkable level of taste, hell, that’s where the artisanship lies. At least that’s my story. And I’m sticking to it. Served with some crazy-ass homemade bbq sauces, each one from a different part of the South.