Uncle Mike raises his beef just to the North of the Fort Collins Farm Store. He pastures his cows year round where they graze grass and in the winter months supplements their diet with alfalfa, hay and brewer's grains. Occasionally these cows are given flaked corn to help keep the energy levels up. Mike's herd is small, which allows for each cow to be given extraordinary amounts of attention and care. This extra effort shows up in the flavor and quality of the meat!
Beef brisket is one of the most flavorful cuts of meat, although it is tough and needs to be cooked in just the right way. It's also a moderately fatty cut of beef, but this can work to your advantage because it tenderizes into succulent, meaty perfection.
Taken from the area around the breastbone, the brisket is basically the chest or pectoral muscle of the animal. The characteristically thick, coarse-grained meat needs a lot of time and low-temperature cooking to break down and tenderize.
Brisket is frequently used for making pot roast, and it's the traditional choice for corned beef. Another very popular technique for preparing brisket is to slow cook it in a barbecue or smoker.