How to buy a good brisket


 

PaulBz

TVWBB Fan
So I am trying to find a good brisket to smoke. So the local meat stores have brisket at between 9 and 12 dollars or more a pound. But then some places such as costco and other places will sell it for like 2.50-3 a pound but you have to purchase the whole packer. That’s like 14-18 pounds. I don’t ever cook for that many people and I feel it’s just a waste of meat. But the smaller briskets are seem to be very expensive. Why is this? I might as well make 14 pounds I guess I give some away? I am a little confused on buying brisket. And wet aged is the way to go since dry aged has too much moisture taken out. Most meat stores around me here are doing dry aged. I found one doing wet aged and it’s $13 a pound. Which for brisket would be very expensive. I eventually want to only cook with wet aged when I open my bbq/sports bar. I wanted to get everyone’s thoughts. I am cooking this weekend. But not wanting to make 14 pounds of meat. But I want to cook a brisket flat. But it seems to be way cheaper to just buy the whole packer brisket.
 
Dry-aging brisket is done, but is not common. I wouldn't bother with it.

A whole brisket will usually cost less per lb than trimmed brisket because you're buying all the fat, waste and shrinkage that occurs before, during and after cooking. Plan on a 50% yield from a whole brisket...14 pounds in the package will result in 7 pounds of edible meat after pre-cook trimming, shrinkage during cooking, and post-cook trimming.

IMHO you're better off cooking a whole brisket because the fatty point section offers some protection for the lean flat section during cooking. It's harder to cook the brisket flat alone without drying it out. And besides, the fattier point section is delicious! It's great having both lean and fatty brisket to enjoy when you cook the whole brisket.

As for a 14 pound brisket being too much for you, my household consists of just me and my wife. When I cook a whole brisket, we enjoy part of it fresh out of the cooker, then I cut the remainder into large pieces (not slices) and place them into FoodSaver bags. Freeze the cooked brisket for two hours, then seal the bags. They keep in the freezer for months. When I want brisket, I thaw a package in the fridge overnight, then slice, place slices flat on a plate, and heat at 20% power in the microwave for a minute at a time until warm to the touch. Alternatively, you can thaw the brisket overnight, bring a pot of water to a boil, place the unopened bag in the water, turn off the burner, and let the meat warm through. Remove from bag and slice.

If you've cooked a USDA Prime brisket that contains a good amount of fat, your leftovers will be almost as good as the original. And yes, you can give away frozen chunks to friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, your barber (I do), etc. :)

The USDA Prime whole briskets at Costco are pretty darned good and can often be had for under $4 per lb, sometimes under $3 per pound. A good place to start.

Good luck!

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About to overnight cook my Costco Prime 13 lb. brisket

It was $2.99/lb. and did not appear to be a sale. Are the prices regional?
 
About to overnight cook my Costco Prime 13 lb. brisket

It was $2.99/lb. and did not appear to be a sale. Are the prices regional?

A while back when folks in the Midwest were getting them below $3, we were paying below $4 here in California. Transportation costs, demand/availability issues, cost of living, who knows.
 
Just got a <10 lb Prime packer at Costco on Thursday for a cook on Sunday at $2.79 lb. I have seen them from $2.69-$3.29 at my Costco for Prime depending on the time of year.

I cook them whole for a few reasons. First, the price per lb can't be beat. Second, I have a vacuum sealer so I can eat well for an evening and portion out 4-5lbs of cooked brisket to be used later. Burnt ends, chili beans, tacos, potato toppings, etc. Plan ahead and you'll have some great freezer meals.
 
A while back when folks in the Midwest were getting them below $3, we were paying below $4 here in California. Transportation costs, demand/availability issues, cost of living, who knows.
I was at a St Louis Costco last week, they were the same price as pork bellies, $2.99/lb.
 
My regular grocer here in Oklahoma City, sells CAB Choice for $4 , I can get select at WalMart for $2.50 or get CAB Choice at Sams for $2.50 . I've not seen Prime available.
 
You can use the leftovers for all kind of things. We use ours in omelets, chili, enchiladas, tacos, stew, etc. Or make burnt ends with the point.
 
It’s just the wife and myself for most cooks and I always make a full packer brisket. We vacuum seal the left overs from my brisket and pulled pork smokes and they taste just as good when we pull the leftovers out of the freezer and reheat for another meal.
 
Even though I can get all the prime meats I want from my meat suppliers (I manage a country club), I prefer NOT to mix personal business with business-business and shop my meats elsewhere. I'm a huge Costco fan! Their Prime meats are awesome. I just came back from Costco and bought eight 16oz prime NY Strip steaks for 13.99 a pound. I vacumn seal and pop them in the freezer to pull when I want. These are awesom steaks!
BUT, the Costcos in south Florida don't carry packers, prime or otherwise. They have tons of flats, but no packers. So, I've been buying CAB packers from a local Gordon's Food service store nearby and find them to be very good.
When you open a bar/restaurant, you'll find suppliers that can get you prime meats in the $3 range.
 
When you open a bar/restaurant, you'll find suppliers that can get you prime meats in the $3 range.

Yesterday at my San Jose Costco, I noticed USDA Prime brisket by the case for $2.82/lb. Regular price for a single brisket is currently $2.99/lb.
 
This is at my local grocery store who usually has good prices on most everything, but this price is $2 over the local WalMart.

Is it the cut of the brisket that makes this so expensive ?

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And I'll ask further, I've seen just the flat defined as " Market Trim " , but " Whole Trimmed " seems to be an oxymoron. These brisket seem to have the length of a whole brisket, but the weight is considerably less.
 
And I'll ask further, I've seen just the flat defined as " Market Trim " , but " Whole Trimmed " seems to be an oxymoron. These brisket seem to have the length of a whole brisket, but the weight is considerably less.

Those are confusing terms. It may be "whole" in the sense that it's the entire flat section rather than just a portion of the flat, and with the point section removed ("trimmed").

At that weight, I'd guess it's the entire flat with maybe some fat and just a touch of the point remaining. If the package is basically the same thickness from end to end and side to side, it's a flat. If it's thinner on one end and big, thick and bulbous on the other end, it's a whole packer brisket consisting of flat + point. And the price of almost $5 is another indication it's probably just the flat.
 
These have the shape of a whole brisket, they do have a point attached. The one in the pic was light, most were 10 to 11#'s. IDK what the butchers have done with these, but I'd rather buy a real " whole " brisket and trim it myself.

I couldn't get a pic of the entire brisket and get close enough to read the label. Was there again Sunday, but could not find a butcher to ask what they've done and why it costs almost twice the going rate for CAB Choice brisket.

and btw, these have a fat cap.
 
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And I'll ask further, I've seen just the flat defined as " Market Trim " , but " Whole Trimmed " seems to be an oxymoron. These brisket seem to have the length of a whole brisket, but the weight is considerably less.

Our local H-E-B sells them "Whole Trimmed" in addition to plain ol' untrimmed packers. The Whole Trimmed is a full packer trimmed for smoking. They trim them at the store, re-vacupak them and up the price by a dollar or two a pound. They take off about 1-2 pounds of the heavy fat and leave a decent fat cap. I was at the store today and saw a trimmed Kobe brisket for $6.99 (not Wagyu or Kobe-style, but "Kobe"). The butcher said they had full Kobe packers for about $5. Couldn't do it today, but I will return next week!

Jeff
 

 

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