What is the correct French word for brisket?

It's not that simple. Every culture cuts their beef differently (or not at all!) and therefore has different names for it

Around the Belgium, Dutch, French low lands they call what the US call brisket and flank, just flank. And what other parts of France might call brisket is not always cut separately, it is just part of the chuck

Confused, we are...

Many butchers in cities receive partially processed carcass parts, so parts like the chest (brisket) may have been removed for processed meat etc

So you need to take a cutting diagram to a butcher whom displays whole carcasses and you should be able to get what you want

As I understand it the brisket extends from in front on the fore legs, between the forelegs and a short way past them? When we have a beast killed most of that goes into the salamis, yum!

Edit: Some common words used are:

• Flanchet
• Plat de côte
• Poitrine
• Tendron

A popular brisket cut is a long thin (10mm) strip of the full width of the brisket (left to right). A serving is a single slice slowly grilled and topped with a chunky sauce

The UN has a standards document that contains translations of beef cuts from English to French, Russian, Spanish, and Chinese. (To try to work around the fact that everybody has slightly different cuts of meat.)

They list:

• (Boneless) Brisket - Poitrine sans os
• Brisket deckle off - Morceaude poitrine sans os épluché
• Brisket navel plate - Flanchet / tendron sans os
• Brisket point end deckle off - Gros bout de poitrine sans os épluché

I live in Bordeaux but used to live in Texas. Here is my "modus operandi" when I need a specific piece of meat like the brisket. I show my butcher a diagram and show him the part I need. The usual term for brisket is "poitrine" I ask him to cut a piece of 5 kilos and to leave the fat on the top of it. He knows me now and always tell me when he has a entire beef coming in, that way he is sure the brisket is still there. They usually don't sell it in France so I pay +/- 5 euro/kg. "Pointe de poitrine" seems to be the right word for brisket. Enjoy!

If you're living in France then I apologize if my Canadian French leads you astray, but according to the (bilingual, obviously) Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the terms are:

• Pointe de poitrine (Brisket or flat brisket)
• Poitrine complète (Full brisket)

Here's that same page in English if you want to cross reference other cuts.

The French word is le tendron, it is also known as le gros bout de poitrine.*

Sources:

• http://www.civ-viande.org/ebn.ebn?pid=62&rubrik=4&morceau=2&contenu=1
• http://www.civ-viande.org/ebn.ebn?pid=56&rubrik=5&item=37 (interactive graphic)

Use Google Translate to translate from French to English.

*_{I do not speak French}

The Canadian Beef Council has a bilingual chart of beef cuts (PDF) which might be useful.

(Although, French and Canadian cuts might not be the same, even if they're in the same language; I know US and UK aren't. But with pictures, the butcher might be able to identify the correct bits for you)

In a fantastic French cookbook called Saveurs Américaines, Editions du Chêne, 2002 the brisket recipe calls for JUMEAU de BOEUF.

Google translate . Pointe de poitrine de boeuf is the correct translation , I had it verified by my butcher when I asked him for the cut he knew no question asked .

OK, be careful- someone suggested poitrine, you need to specify poitrine de boeuf. I say this because I accidentally bought what seems to be pork belly by just saying "poitrine".

Look here, english french terms.

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/francais/fssa/labeti/mcmancv/beeboe1f.shtml