When It Comes To BBQ, This Is The Best Cut Of Steak To Smoke

Smoking a steak is a little like launching a space shuttle. Ideally, you'll have a blast, and the result will be out of this world. Thankfully, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to choose which beef to use. Mashed ranked 11 cuts of steak based on their suitability for smoking. The strongest contenders included BBQ go-tos like ribs and tri-tip, but brisket is a cut above them all. Why? The typically low-and-slow nature of smoking favors tough, fatty meat with lots of collagen. Fat adds flavor and moisture, while collagen is a connective tissue that can reduce chewiness when cooked at length.

Brisket is basically built for smoking. Taken from a cow's lower breast, it contains loads of collagen that develops through extensive muscle use. A whole brisket consists of a thick, fatty section called a deckle (aka the point) and a leaner portion known as the flat. A roughly 1-inch-thick fat cap coats part of the cut. It can help stop heat from drying the meat if you smoke your brisket with the fat cap against the grates.

When it comes to the cut's texture, collagen calls the shots. The connective tissue makes uncooked beef tough. However, if it's heated to between 160 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit, it melts into gelatin and bonds with water. This makes the brisket more moist and tender. Moreover, breaking down collagen frees up proteins to combine with seasonings and form a flavorful bark.

Rankings aren't commandments, so smoke any meat you prefer. However, the less brisket-like it is, the less smoker-friendly it might be. For instance, filet mignon, which was dead last on Mashed's list, is kind of the anti-brisket. Lean and low in connective tissue, it starts out tender but dries out easily. While it won't necessarily become tougher than a biker gang in the smoker, filet mignon may kick your wallet's butt. For example, Wild Fork Foods charges around 38 bucks a pound for a USDA Choice center cut, so you might not want to risk overcooking it. (A whole USDA Choice brisket sells for roughly $4 per pound.)

What about tri-tip, the runner-up in our ranking? Tender, flavorful, and fairly well-marbled, it clearly has upsides. Unfortunately, it's also on the leaner side and may cost twice as much as brisket (about $8 per pound at Wild Fork). Although it can come with a fat cap, tri-tip doesn't have as much collagen and may need to be marinated for better tenderness.

Obviously, brisket poses its own challenges. If you smoke it Texas-style (with the fat cap facing up), the meat will probably taste great but could end up with an uneven bark. Plus, as the fat melts and cascades down the cut, it may take much of the seasoning with it, so you may want to start fat-cap down and flip your beef halfway through smoking. Ultimately, no cut is perfect, but brisket is close enough.