Texas woman Bethany Learmont (@bethanylearmont) has gone viral after sharing what happened when she tried some new brisket.
Brisket is one of those meals that can be difficult to get right. But nothing could have prepared a Texas woman for the brisket she encountered in one of her latest videos.
The video, which has comedic music in the background, depicts Bethany Learmont (@bethanylearmont) holding up the dry, pale brown meat to the camera and then attempting to rip it in half. This attempt took a while. And when the tough meat eventually ripped, it made an audible, Velcro-like sound.
She then attempted to tear the brisket in her mouth but visibly struggled to chew it.
On-screen text reads, “When you have to review a restaurant but the food isn’t good.”
In the caption, Learmont called the meat “funky.” “As a Texas, this brisket scared me,” she said.
Clearly, this wasn’t a five-star meal.
The clip has garnered 6.1 million views.
BroBible reached out to the TikToker via email.
The 3D-Printed Remarks
Commenters couldn’t believe the state of the brisket. In her replies to various commenters, the TikToker shared more insight into (and quips about) her experience.
“You’re so brave for taking a bite,” one wrote, to which the TikToker replied, “Thank you for recognizing my efforts.”
“I cannot believe you put that in your mouth,” a second added. In response, the TikToker said, “It was a risk … that I immediately regretted.”
“No,” a third commented. “I’m sorry the sound just made me shiver.”
“Mmm Velcro meat,” the TikToker said back.
Meanwhile, other commenters were convinced the brisket was 3D-printed.
“That’s definitely 3D printed steak,” remarked a fourth.
A fifth joked, “‘Ys, may i have one 3D Printed Brisket Plate, please,'”
What Makes The Perfect Brisket?
How Low Can You Slow, a website for dedicated backyard barbecuers, shared qualities that it believes are present in the perfect brisket.
The site starts by going through the brisket’s appearance. “A great brisket is distinctive primarily by its dark outer bark, which is either a deep mahogany brown or black,” the post reads.
It adds that, usually, a good brisket will have almost a burnt appearance because of how “prominently” the crust has developed. Moreover, the perfect bark should be “thick and firm, but not crispy or hard.” According to the website, the bark should be perfected from the slow-cook process. “The smoke, juices from the meat and the seasonings have all melded together to create that incredibly flavorful bark,” the site says.
There should be either rendered areas of fat or no fat at all. When one slices a brisket, the slices should be “pencil thick.” The blog argues that “the thickness of the brisket slice is a key indicator of the success of the cook.”
As for tenderness, the site says that while a good brisket is “tender and juicy,” there should be a slight “resistance” as you bite into it.
Finally, the post argues that brikset should have a “much deeper beef flavor that some of the smaller, faster cooking cuts of meat. Your brisket meat should bring a rich, savory flavor, with an almost sweet undertone.”
“As your brisket cooks,” the post adds, “the smoke, the seasoning and the meat itself all combine to produce a highly complex, savory and incredibly delicious flavor that is almost impossible to find anywhere else but on a patiently smoked brisket.”
@bethanylearmont funkyyy meat 😭 as a Texan, this brisket scared me…. #funky #foodreview #brisketbbq #expectationvsreality