Photography by Stefanie Gans
TASTE TEST
Brisket
BY STEFANIE GANS
12-hour smoked, Central Texas-style at Willard’s Barbecue
Smoky and tender, these long strips of brisket buckle into a mountain of meat. Seasoned gently with salt, pepper and a bit of garlic salt and cayenne, the meaty flavor remains uninhibited.
Get it: Willard’s Barbecue, 4300 Chantilly Shopping Center, Suite 1A, Chantilly
16-hour smoked, Piedmont-inspired at Westover Market
“You wouldn’t know it,” says Westover Market’s Chef Jay Jenc about the induction of Piedmont flavors into his brisket rub. He mashes together the simplicity of the Texas salt-and-pepper style with his own version of Old Bay. You’ll see brisket in the display case, not on the menu at Westover Market’s restaurant or the new Beer Garden & Haus. But you can order it as a sandwich with a flattop-toasted brioche bun and mild, creamy coleslaw.
Thick slices of brisket—local Roseda Farm provides the beef—are rimmed in fat with a crust that doesn’t overpower the distinctive melt-on-tongue quality. Get it: Westover Market, 5863 Washington Blvd., Arlington
12-hour smoked, North Carolina-style at Boss Hogs
The cushiony meat comes plain on a burger bun, with only its own fat for flavor. But isn’t that all you need? Get it: Boss Hogs, 6811 Elm St., McLean; 703-821-1869
(July 2015)