What Is Brisket Jerky, and Why Does It Chew Softer?

Brisket jerky is beef jerky made from the brisket, the cut from the lower chest of the steer, instead of the lean round or flank most commercial jerky is sliced from. Brisket carries more fat and connective tissue, so the finished jerky tends to chew softer and taste beefier. Settlers makes four of them, and they are the newest bags on our table.

The cut

Brisket is one of the primal cuts of beef, the muscle from the breast that barbecue cooks smoke for twelve hours because it needs time for the collagen to soften. Jerky makers use it for the same reason pitmasters do: marbling. Sliced thin and dried, a brisket strip keeps a little give where a round strip goes stiff, and the fat carries the marinade. The trade is that brisket is a pricier cut, which is why most mass-market jerky is not made from it.

The four Settlers briskets

All four are 7 oz Settlers bags at the same $25 as everything else. The Teriyaki Brisket is the mild, sweet one, with pineapple juice, honey and ginger in the soy. The Korean BBQ Brisket is also mild, with sesame seeds, garlic and a little crushed red chili. The Peppered Brisket is the black-pepper bag, our Peppered shelf alongside Bad Bart. The Sweet & Spicy Brisket runs hot, with habanero and cayenne behind the sugar.

How to try them

The easiest way to taste the difference is to put a brisket bag next to a round-cut bag like the Cowboy Hickory in the same order. The Brisket Four preset in the box builder is all four briskets in a 4-pack, and the Premium Beef collection shows every beef flavor with its heat level so you can swap one out. Opened bags reseal; the how to store jerky guide covers how long they keep.

Quick answers

Is brisket jerky better than regular beef jerky?

It is richer and usually softer. Whether that is better is taste: people who like a drier, chewier jerky often prefer the round-cut bags.

Is brisket jerky fattier?

The brisket cut carries more marbling than round, which is what makes the jerky softer. We do not publish nutrition figures; the label on each bag does.

Which brisket jerky is mild?

The Teriyaki Brisket and the Korean BBQ Brisket are both mild. The Peppered Brisket is peppered, and the Sweet & Spicy Brisket is hot.

The bags in this guide

• Teriyaki Brisket Beef Jerky — 7 oz bag, $25, heat 1/5 (Mild)
• Peppered Brisket Beef Jerky — 7 oz bag, $25, heat 2/5 (Peppered)
• Korean BBQ Brisket Beef Jerky — 7 oz bag, $25, heat 1/5 (Mild)
• Sweet & Spicy Brisket Beef Jerky — 7 oz bag, $25, heat 4/5 (Hot)