butt and brisket prices


 
M

Mickey Mays

TVWBB Member
I just talked to my home town butcher. He said that he could get me unenhanced pork butts for $1.27 a lb. I also asked him about briskets and he had never heard of packer briskets but he did say he could get "nose on" briskets, are these two the same thing. The "nose on" or untrimmed briskets were $1.82 a lb for choice grade. I live in a small town in North Dakota so paying a little extra is ok. I would like to know if this is a fair price. Thanks for all the help. It looks like it could be sunny and into the 30's this week-end. So might get my first smoke in.
 
Neither of those prices sound out of line. You will pay more than that, typically, for single pork butts at Sam's Club-- possibly a just a little less for a two-pack in cryovac. "Nose-on" does indeed sound like an untrimmed packer brisket, and the fact that they're choice grade makes that also a fair-to-good price. Sam's here wants $2.88/lb. for choice flats in cryovac.
 
Mickey,

I like buying butts at $0.99 or less, but the running rate in Chicago land since last fall has been more like $1.49. Your brisket price sounds pretty good. I usually get them between $1.79 and $2.22 a pound (some butchers have been asking for between $5.00 and $6.00 at which I grimace and say thank you for your time). So I'd say if your able to help out your local mechant and get these prices, you've got it made!
 
Joe McManus,

As a fellow Napervillian, where do you get your meats? Tried Caseys for briskets a couple of times and they seemed fine. Just got a Costco card so have been getting ribs and pork shoulders there. They only seem to put out brisket flats but seems if I call ahead they will make a whole brisket available.
 
I've gotta move to North Dakota! I paid $3.49 a lb. (or more!) for my last brisket. Butts I can sometimes find as low as $1.89 a lb, but right now our meat has skyrocketed. Harris-Teeter (grocery store) has (evil, enhanced) Smithfield babybacks on SALE---$1.01 off---for $4.98 a lb.! Great googa mooga! What's up with meat in DC?
 
Originally posted by Mickey Mays:
I just talked to my home town butcher. He said that he could get me unenhanced pork butts for $1.27 a lb. I also asked him about briskets and he had never heard of packer briskets but he did say he could get "nose on" briskets, are these two the same thing. The "nose on" or untrimmed briskets were $1.82 a lb for choice grade. I live in a small town in North Dakota so paying a little extra is ok. I would like to know if this is a fair price. Thanks for all the help. It looks like it could be sunny and into the 30's this week-end. So might get my first smoke in.
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Those prices from a local butcher are OUTSTANDING!!! My butcher is $2.69/lb for pork butts and $3.50 for full packers!

The wharehouse stores are $1.20/lb for butts and $2.99/lb for brisket flats.
 
I can't find a butt anywhere around here for less than $1.99. And, usually, I can only find a picnic for that. In fact, it is very rare for me to even find a boston butt... only picnics. When I ask the supermarket butcher to do a boston butt for me, I usually get it for around $2.59/lb. Adds up quickly. Frustrating, because I know there is no reason it should be this expensive. Two causes, in my opinion. 1) Every thing seems expensive here in NY Metro; 2) there is less demand, so they don't discount. Or, i guess 3) all of the above.

Anyhow, the cost is actually kind of prohibitively expensive in my opinion. Doing 2 butts costs me nearly $40. lame. Makes me want to move. Oh well.
 
At my local supermarket I pick up butts at anywhere from $0.89 - $1.29 per pound. Brisket from the same place was $1.99 per pound, chuck roll $ 2.89 per pound. I go to the resturant supply 20 minutes away and get brisket for $1.50, chuck roll for $1.50 per pound. I usually fine spare ribs on sale at any of the 5 local markets for $1.99 per pound. Thats usually how I determine whats for dinner that weekend!
 
Originally posted by paul js:
Joe McManus,

As a fellow Napervillian, where do you get your meats? Tried Caseys for briskets a couple of times and they seemed fine. Just got a Costco card so have been getting ribs and pork shoulders there. They only seem to put out brisket flats but seems if I call ahead they will make a whole brisket available.
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Paul - have you been getting bone in butts at Costco? the one by me in carol Stream only carries boneless butts and the briskets all have every ounce of fat trimmed off..which is why I ahve been using Sams over Costco for butts and brisket flats
 
Joe,
Costco debones the butts, these are the only ones I've made and would like to try a bone in. My wife talked to one of the Costco butchers the other day and he said they do have full briskets but typically only put out the trimmed flats. He said if you call ahead of time they would put a full one aside for you, although I have not tried this yet.
 
Paul

Hey Welcome. Naperville huh. I wander around town sometimes just sniffing the air to see if there are any other smokers out there. Usually only find mine going. Welcome to the club.

As for meats. I buy steaks, polish, and brats from Casey's but I find the rest of their stuff overpriced. I almost ALWAYS get my butts from a little market in Darien (not too far from where I work). Westbrook Market. Butt prices have been pretty steady at $1.19 from them for awhile, but on Friday they ran a special and got some for 0.99. Have always been very pleased w/ pork from them. I have also been getting brisket from them, but those I have to special order. They have taken very good care of my brisket needs. Paco (the head meat packer there) has rejected meat from his supplier a couple times because it wasn't good enough for him to sell. The last supplier of brisket was some really good stuff. Prices have been competitive too, from as cheap as $1.29 to $1.90. Guys at Casey's said they could get me packer brisket, but even if left in the cryovac they wanted to charge like 5.79 / lb for it. Just can't do it! City Meat Market...same story.

Paul - I'm getting ready to meet with Paco to discuss meat supply for the upcoming competition season. I'll let you know when I order stuff. Where do you live in Naperville?
 
Joe,
I live in BrookWoodTrace sub division, a couple of blocks from Springbrook school if that helps. If you drive that way almost any weekend you should smell smothing smoking. I too think Caseys is too pricey for smoke meats. I work in Downers Grove so Darien is close by. I'd interested in butts (bone in) and brisket. In fact planning on making brisket for Easter. Probably not buying in the volume you are, let me know if it makes sence to put in an order together.
 
Paul,

I don't buy in that big of volumes, but they usually order up a case each time I order brisket. I think we could certainly order something together. Westbrook is on the corner of Cass and 63rd.

I live in Willow-Way Subdivision...just northeast of the River/Jefferson intersection.
 
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