At the market, the butcher will help you choose the best cut of brisket. - File

Jamaican families are already struggling with rising electricity costs and they face yet another blow due to the rapid increase in food prices. Rising food prices naturally present national problems with the increase in lifestyle diseases resulting from poor food choices.

With the increase in food prices, the challenge for many persons is how to feed their families. It may mean changing your entire way of planning, cooking and serving meals. However, cooking frugally does not mean that you are going to compromise quality and good nutrition for economical purchases to 'stretch' the food budget.

A major consideration in planning meals is the inclusion of protein which is important for growth and repair of tissues. 'Meat' is a term used to describe flesh and some internal organs of animals and birds. Meat is enjoyed by carnivores (meat eaters) and can be prepared in a number of ways to provide variety. The main animals used for meat are bullock (beef and veal), sheep (lamb and mutton), pig (pork) and goat.

Wholesome sources

In purchasing meats, it is important to buy from wholesome sources to prevent food poisoning which will place additional strain on family finances to seek medical intervention. Beef should be bright red, fine grained, firm and elastic to the touch. Lamb should be red with white fat and the bones moist and red at the joints. Mutton should be red with yellowish fat, with a waxy appearance. Pork should be pale brownish red with firm flesh.

To maximise the amount you spend on buying meats, you should explore the use of cheaper cuts of meat, extending their nutritional value by adding peas, beans and vegetables. Do you know beef brisket? Brisket or fore shank is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of animals, but is most commonly used to describe beef or veal. Beef brisket is a cut which overlies the sternum, ribs and connecting rib cartilages. Your butcher will know which part of the cow to cut when you make the request.

Cooking methods

There are several ways to cook brisket for a tasty treat for the family. Beef brisket is an excellent choice for all slow cooking methods and hence is a very good cut of beef to use for roast beef, beef casserole dishes, beef stews and beef slow cooker recipes. Brisket is also very good when smoked. Basically, any method that involves cooking meat slowly and gently is best for brisket recipes.

In the south of the United States, beef brisket is prepared by rubbing spices all over it and allowing the brisket to marinate and then cooked slowly over charcoal or wood and basted as cooking progresses. For this method, the fat cap should be left attached to the brisket to allow the brisket to get juicy and tender during cooking. Brisket may also be corned and served with cabbage in the traditional way.

The Jamaican tradition for cooking brisket is to braise it (cook in liquid) or pot roast it, both are traditional Jewish cooking. Fresh brisket may be purchased from your local butcher and corned brisket is sometimes available in the meat market.

Thursday's Brisket of Beef

A family treat for mid-week when family finances are low.

INGREDIENTS2 lb brisket of beef, cut into 1-inch pieces

¹/² scotch bonnet finely chopped3 tbsps flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 carrot, sliced

1 cho-cho, sliced

1 cup beef broth

Method

1. Trim fat off beef. Mix flour, salt and black pepper and roll brisket pieces in seasoned flour.

2. Heat oil and brown brisket pieces on all sides.

3. Add onion, scotch bonnet peppers, carrot, cho-cho and beef broth. Cover and let simmer for approximately two hours or until tender adding more broth as is needed.

For quick cooking, brisket may be pressure cooked for 20 minutes.

Serve hot with fluffy white rice or white yam and with lettuce and cucumber slices.

Serves four.

'However, cooking frugally does not mean that you are going to compromise quality and good nutrition for economical purchases to 'stretch' the food budget.'