Pellet Fan
All Things Considered => General Discussion--Food Related => Topic started by: hughver on October 25, 2017, 05:31:45 PM
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I need to purchase a brisket for an upcoming event. Local grocery has choice packer for $1.99/lb. and Costco has prime packer for $2.99/lb. Is it worth the extra dollar a pound to get prime? Does your answer change if I tell you that I'm going to remove all visible fat and smoke/sous vide/sear it? :help:
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Based on what Bent has cooked, the choice always seems to turn out better. The worst was a waygu from Snake River Farms. Really expensive, really sub-par. He, at least, always seems to do best with choice.
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you can't go by labels . go pick one of each up . look at the marbling , but the real test is hold it in the middle . does it fold down on the ends or is it stiff ?
drop the stiff one and run home with the floppy one :)
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After finally getting a local Costco with affordable prime packers I will never buy another choice grade brisket again at any price, the quality is much better.
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No help here as I'm not spending $6.99/lb for a pc of meat that can easily become dog food.
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No help here as I'm not spending $6.99/lb for a pc of meat that can easily become dog food.
But just think how happy your dog will be....
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Hey hugh.... I also will not be much help. I have cooked both and did not receive any complaints from either. I do like SmokinPete's method for selection.
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No help here as I'm not spending $6.99/lb for a pc of meat that can easily become dog food.
But just think how happy your dog will be....
I don't have a dog, ergo my comment.
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you can't go by labels . go pick one of each up . look at the marbling , but the real test is hold it in the middle . does it fold down on the ends or is it stiff ?
drop the stiff one and run home with the floppy one :)
Just be aware that ones that are vac sealed tighter will feel stiffer than ones that are sealed looser. When I'm picking through them I find they are vac sealed to various levels, which makes it more difficult to choose.
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you can't go by labels . go pick one of each up . look at the marbling , but the real test is hold it in the middle . does it fold down on the ends or is it stiff ?
drop the stiff one and run home with the floppy one :)
Just be aware that ones that are vac sealed tighter will feel stiffer than ones that are sealed looser. When I'm picking through them I find they are vac sealed to various levels, which makes it more difficult to choose.
^ excellent point^
No pun intended... :rotf:
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I have had a very long string of successful Prime grade from Costco. Pricing is super. Never done one with the water however. I’d go with prime!
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And I always look for the hardest I can find because the harder the fat the more grain the beef has been feed, so everyone has their parameters!
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That’s good info Bentley!
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I usually preface this kind of post with the declaration that my father was a butcher. He slaughtered, aged, cut, displayed, wrapped meat for over 60 years. What I'm writing is based on my time working with him and his advice. Here's what he thought–
• Beef graders are human. They make mistakes. They may grade a side of beef too high or too low.
• The grade is established for both sides by always cutting between the same two ribs and examining the marbling and such. It's possible that other parts of the animal may not grade the same as the part examined.
• Prime grade is not worth the money. He always recommended what he called, "A high grade of Choice."
BTW, when he slaughtered for the family he always selected an Angus heifer.
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Thanks for all of the thoughtful responses, especially those regarding how to select a good brisket. Both sources that I quoted have them tightly vacuum packed so there is very little noticeable bend in any of the selection available. I've never heard of Bentley's "hardness of fat" criteria but you live and learn. Tomorrow I'll take a look at them both and roll the dice.
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I've found packers where the flat was just too thin. Is anyone else considering that?
DK
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Right now a choice brisket at woodmans and Walmart are running 2.99 a pound. Our local costco has the primes for 2.99 also. For me it is prime first then choice.
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I've found packers where the flat was just too thin. Is anyone else considering that?
DK
DK, find that a lot, if you can't find on thick enough, you can always fold that part of the flat over to increase thickness. What I have found in my area is that the Costco Prime are cheaper than or the same price as what the stores are charging per # for Choice.
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I went by my local Costco yesterday they have dropped prime brisket a dime a pound to $2.89. The meat cabinet was full of them. It's funny, we have several Costco's in my area and the briskets appear to be coming from at least two different suppliers. My local store carries briskets in National wrappers and another store a few miles down the road has them in Swift wrappers.
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My Costco was at $2.69 for Prime today. Guess they are coming back down.
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Update: After looking at the choice briskets offered by the local grocery, I opted for the Costco prime. I was wanting a 16-17 pounder but found a 14 Lb. that met the criteria that was suggested, it had decent bend, hard fat and a fairly thick flat. I haven't decided whether or not to inject but will trim and rub with salt, pepper, garlic powder, porcini powder and a light sprinkle of Tatonka Dust prior to smoking.
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Tatonka Dust! I can’t wait to hear about your tasty outcome!
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Update: After looking at the choice briskets offered by the local grocery, I opted for the Costco prime. I was wanting a 16-17 pounder but found a 14 Lb. that met the criteria that was suggested, it had decent bend, hard fat and a fairly thick flat. I haven't decided whether or not to inject but will trim and rub with salt, pepper, garlic powder, porcini powder and a light sprinkle of Tatonka Dust prior to smoking.
Hughver; what does the mushroom powder add to the mix? I have a hard time understanding how it would not be over powered by all the rest of the spices.
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I use about a teaspoon of it to give the brisket an added umami (meaty/savory) flavor. I first tried it a year or so ago on a steak and have been using it ever since.
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Update 2: For those of you that are curious, my 13.71 lb. brisket yielded 6.25 lbs. of fat, a 4.8 lb. flat and a 2.65 lb. point. That equates to about $5.80/pound for prime brisket meat. Around here, local stores frequently put choice New York steak on sale for $5.99/lb. ::)
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My flirtation with brisket took a hit when I discovered Pepper Stout Beef from the Wolf Pit, made with chuck roast, and is now on life support after I tried chuck sous vide'd for 72 hours at 132 degrees, after a couple hours in smoke @ 150 in the Jim Bowie. More tender than tenderloin and MUCH better beef flavor.
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Update 2: For those of you that are curious, my 13.71 lb. brisket yielded 6.25 lbs. of fat, a 4.8 lb. flat and a 2.65 lb. point. That equates to about $5.80/pound for prime brisket meat. Around here, local stores frequently put choice New York steak on sale for $5.99/lb. ::)
Wow, that's almost 50% fat. I usually get the Costco primes at 17+lbs, and they're around 13 lbs after trimming to 1/4".
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Wow, that's almost 50% fat. I usually get the Costco primes at 17+lbs, and they're around 13 lbs after trimming to 1/4".
70-75% sounds about right. However I trimmed all visible fat from both the point and the flat. The point on this particular cut was smaller than I expected.
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Update 2: For those of you that are curious, my 13.71 lb. brisket yielded 6.25 lbs. of fat, a 4.8 lb. flat and a 2.65 lb. point. That equates to about $5.80/pound for prime brisket meat. Around here, local stores frequently put choice New York steak on sale for $5.99/lb. ::)
Wow, that's almost 50% fat. I usually get the Costco primes at 17+lbs, and they're around 13 lbs after trimming to 1/4".
Guess I don’t trim quite as close as you. I usually trim about 15%, never had one more than 20%. Then I usually get a net of 60% of trim going in. Of course I smoke em a little hotter (275) than most do.
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I’ve gotten some choice ones that were far better than some primes. Grading errors do occur, I’m sure, and I don’t know if cut are graded individually or as an entire carcass or side, now I look for the thickness of the flat and the bend besides marbling. If you cook to feel rather than temp to be gets the best results, when it feels like jello when tapped it’s perfect, according to Larry’s brisket suggestions.
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45% fat...my kind of fat content for Cheeseburgers...At that price, I would have to use it for GB and all the wonderful things that it can make!
Update 2: For those of you that are curious, my 13.71 lb. brisket yielded 6.25 lbs. of fat...