If you love barbeque, then you’ve probably tried brisket and pulled pork at least once. If not, I’ll let you in on a little secret, they’re delicious!
Both of these meats are smoked, have a ton of flavor, and can be found in most BBQ restaurants.
BBQ Brisket Vs Pulled Pork
Brisket is made with a shoulder of beef, while pulled pork is made with pork. Both types of meat are smoked and both contain smoked flavors. Brisket is more expensive, while pork can be cheaper. Pulled pork is usually pulled apart into strands of meat and the brisket is traditionally sliced or chopped.
Smoked meats are some of the best types of BBQ. Smoking the meat adds a smoked flavor that is like nothing else. Different types of wood can add different flavors to the mix.
How you prep the meat can also have a drastic effect on how it turns out in the end. There are many techniques for prepping such as adding a binder, spices, or a spice rub. Salt and pepper are a must when cooking brisket and pulled pork.
Let’s look closer at these smoked meats and find out which one is better for you, which one is easier to prepare, and more.
Is Smoked Brisket Beef or Pork
Smoked brisket is made with beef. Traditional brisket is beef shoulder, that is smoked. There is a cut that butchers consider to be pork brisket but when you use the word brisket, it is beef brisket that usually comes to mind.
Pulled pork comes from a smoked pork butt, that is then shredded up. Smoked beef brisket is generally sliced or chopped. The chopped beef brisket is chopped up and put on a sandwich, much like a pulled pork sandwich.
What Tastes Better Brisket or Pulled Pork
This one comes down to your own preferences. I personally like both of them equally, but others may prefer one over the other. Brisket is more expensive, and because someone may not eat it as often as pulled pork, they may like it a little better because it feels like a reward.
One of my favorite things to get from a BBQ joint is a pulled pork sandwich, and sometimes they come in the special of the day. Pork is cheaper than brisket, so it sometimes comes at a low price or in a deal.
Brisket is super tasty, whether it is in slices or chopped. However, pulled pork is delectable and has tons of flavor and sauce.
Which is Cheaper Brisket or Pulled Pork
As we have mentioned, pulled pork is cheaper than brisket. How much cheaper? Let’s take a closer look.
| Brisket per lb |
| $2 – $8 per pound |
The price per pound on brisket depends on whether or not the cut uses parts of the beef that are more pricy. A flat cut (pricier cut) is going to cost more than a packer-cut brisket.
| Pulled Pork per lb |
| $1.50 – $2.50 per pound |
Pulled pork is made from a smoked pork butt. Pork butts are somewhat cheap, so this means that pulled pork is going to be a much cheaper option than beef brisket.
Many BBQ places also upcharge for brisket on a multi-meat combo plate, because of the price of beef for briskets.
Brisket Vs Pulled Pork Comparison Chart
Now that you know a few things about brisket and pulled pork, let’s make a comparison chart to look at them side by side.
| Brisket | Pulled Pork |
| Brisket is more expensive than pulled pork. | Pulled pork is a cheaper smoked meat, that will fit in most people’s budgets. |
| Brisket has less fat than pork, so sometimes it can be slightly dry. | Pulled pork has more fat, so it is usually moister. |
| With brisket, it takes three times longer to smoke at 8-15 hours. | With pulled pork, it can be smoked in just 4-6 hours. |
| Brisket is sometimes considered healthier than pulled pork. | The pulled pork has just slightly more calories than brisket. |
As you can see, these two types of smoked meats are very similar, even though there are some slight differences.
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Brisket Vs Pulled Pork Fat Content
Brisket is leaner than pulled pork. Although, sometimes you can leave more of the fat cap on a brisket when trimming, to give it some more moisture and flavor. However, pulled pork is always going to have more fat content than a brisket.
| Brisket fat content based on 100g of brisket |
| 7.37g of fat |
| Pulled Pork fat content based on 100g of pulled pork |
| 13.92g of fat |
As you can see, pulled pork has more fat than brisket, so if health is a concern, choosing brisket over pulled pork.
Beef Brisket Vs Pulled Pork Nutrition
Now let’s look at the full nutritional values of beef brisket and pulled pork.
| Brisket Nutritional Values | Pulled Pork Nutritional Values |
| Calories – 157 | Calories – 242 |
| Fat – 7.37g | Fat – 13.92g |
| Sodium – 79mg | Sodium – 62mg |
| Protein – 20.72g | Protein – 27.32 |
| Potassium – 330mg | Potassium – 423mg |
Which is Healthier Brisket or Pulled Pork
As you can see from the nutritional value chart above, the only real difference is in the amount of fat.
Brisket is considered slightly more healthy than pulled pork because it is leaner and has less fat. Both have similar calories and other nutritional values. So there is not that big of a difference, health-wise.
If you are someone who is at risk from a health disease, then neither of these would be the best option, it would be better to find healthier alternatives. However, we don’t really eat BBQ because it’s healthy, do we? No! We eat it because it is delicious.
See our article for Chicken Vs Turkey
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, both of these barbeque choices have their pros and cons. Some like brisket more, and some like pulled pork more.
I have personally smoked both of these meats, and although I love brisket, the time it takes to cook a brisket is almost a deal breaker when comparing the two. When it comes to taste, however, they are both top-notch!
