Where do you buy brisket?

[kurtsara]

Most times it's not the quality of the meat but the buyers ability to chose. I've stepped right over a prime and choice to buy a select with a huge point and little flat.
Chose wisely be rewarded

Yeah, I get that, we smoke about 350-400 briskets a year the past 14 years, we kinda got the hang of it by now.

 

[Crotonmark]

Typically, you have to have a business license to get in there, not a Food business necessarily. We have been going there for many years even when my wife had a beauty shop, there are two in Minnesota, one of them anyone can go to you do not need a business license in that city because from what I hear that city can’t have membership stores

We haven’t bought Walmart briskets for probably seven years. We tried them a few times and they were tougher and not as good and took a lot longer to smoke. Maybe they’ve changed. Maybe we got a bad batch. I’m not sure but we don’t even look at Walmart for brisket.

How is the quality of meat at what store?

How is the quality at a non butcher? Are Walmart and Costco as good brisket as a much more expensive butcher

 

[16Adams]

How is the quality at a non butcher? Are Walmart and Costco as good brisket as a much more expensive butcher

Look at the brisket, put blinders to where you are. You have ability to purchase a non desirable anywhere. You have the ability to buy the best brisket of your life, anywhere. You can get fabulous brisket online, or Mediocre or bad enough you want a refund. It can change the very next time to opposite.
I'm out, I can't answer who's better every time, every every time. Most of its up to you.
Good luck

 

[Fishwater2002]

How is the quality at a non butcher? Are Walmart and Costco as good brisket as a much more expensive butcher

If you’re buying a prime or Angus brisket the quality is as good if not better than a butcher, meat grades are standard so I personally avoid select grade beef but have cooked quite a few select briskets back in the old days since Walmart was the only place to find a full packer. Also, most packer briskets come from the supplier in cyrovac packages so the only thing a butcher could do to make that meat “better “ is to trim it for you which is the LAST thing that I want someone else besides me to do.

 

[Crotonmark]

Look at the brisket, put blinders to where you are. You have ability to purchase a non desirable anywhere. You have the ability to buy the best brisket of your life, anywhere. You can get fabulous brisket online, or Mediocre or bad enough you want a refund. It can change the very next time to opposite.
I'm out, I can't answer who's better every time, every every time. Most of its up to you.
Good luck

I apologize if I’ve offended you. I’ve always gone to a butcher for a brisket. I’m amazed at how low these prices are. I feel foolish for overpaying
I didn’t mean anything else

 

[Crotonmark]

If you’re buying a prime or Angus brisket the quality is as good if not better than a butcher, meat grades are standard so I personally avoid select grade beef but have cooked quite a few select briskets back in the old days since Walmart was the only place to find a full packer. Also, most packer briskets come from the supplier in cyrovac packages so the only thing a butcher could do to make that meat “better “ is to trim it for you which is the LAST thing that I want someone else besides me to do.

Well I don’t know how to trim so there is that

 

[16Adams]

Well I don’t know how to trim so there is that

I apologize if I’ve offended you. I’ve always gone to a butcher for a brisket. I’m amazed at how low these prices are. I feel foolish for overpaying
I didn’t mean anything else

Your question was which is better. That's up to you.. offended? Not yet

 

[Fishwater2002]

Well I don’t know how to trim so there is that

There are many videos on YouTube to teach you, that’s how I learned how to do it years ago. Also, since brisket is such a popular bbq cook lately there are tons of great videos on how to select & trim them. As 16Adams alluded to above there is no guarantee if you purchase at XYZ place it will be better than ABC place so don’t worry about where you buy it, just focus on the one that you do buy being the best in the bunch. Key things to look for are marbling of the meat, the flopiness of the brisket in the package (you don’t want a stiff piece of meat) & the shape or thickness of the flat. Understand that you are trimming the brisket to make it a uniform size for even cooking, an overly thin flat will cook before the point & should be trimmed off prior to cooking.

I’d suggest the master Aaron Franklin or my favorite YouTuber Chuds BBQ for excellent brisket tutorials.

 

[cayenne]

Well I don’t know how to trim so there is that

Ah...then you are robbing yourself of half the fun!!!


There's TONS of videos on YouTube showing how to do it.

Right now my favorite guy is Bradley on the CHUD's BBQ channel...he seems to go along the lines that many of the pro/restaurant folks do for trimming...the key word being "aerodynamic"....to work with most of today's higher flow offset smokers.

The first thing you'll do when watching is *GASP* at how much they trim away.

This is ok, you don't waste it....I do like they do and save/freeze the scraps and when I have enough, grind them into wonderful brisket burgers, or make sausage.

Here's a couple links here that I hope will help you.

1, get a good knife for butchering, this works GREAT and inexpensive:
Victorinox 6 Inch Curved Fibrox Pro Boning Knife with Semi-Stiff Blade

Next...some videos:
How to Trim a Brisket! | Chuds BBQ

This one is Part 1 of a 3 part series that I found was VERY useful for learning brisket cooking. I will admit, at first I was a bit annoyed at Brad's presentations, but after watching a few...started catching on with the memes and humor and now I enjoy watching him.

I would recommend watching all 3 of those videos in the series above.

Here's a search result on YT for Brisket Trimming:
Search on YouTube for "Trim Brisket"


I hope this gets you started going on fully DIY brisket. It takes a bit of "just doing it"...I had a bit of trouble forcing myself to cut way THAT much brisket.

I do take a good bit of the fat and throw it in an old metal pan, and throw that pan in the smoker with the meat to render it into some smoked tallow which I'll help baste the finished brisket in.....if I wrap it in butcher paper for finish cooking I'll add the tallow there, but of late, I'm doing the foil boat method and that keeps it's own juices there so I use the rendered fat elsewhere.

Anyway.....hope this helps a bit.

 

[bonz50]

I've only bought 3 whole briskets in my life (to date), 2 were from a local grocery, choice grade, I did not cook them well, the next one was prime from Sam's, it came out very good but not perfect. I'll do another Sam's prime again next, maybe for memorial day weekend. actually that sounds like a good idea, hmmmmm

 

[Itsdone]

Well I don’t know how to trim so there is that

Some people don't trim, I used to only trim the fat cap, but now i trim any irregular shapes and freeze the trimmings for burgers. I left an irregular hump of the point on and it turned into a pool that covered almost half of the surface. Completely ruined any chance of a nice bark. Ever since then, i don't care how much i have to trim, i'll just have more trim for burgers.

 

[16Adams]

Brother Croton some inspiration or motivation to learn brisket. I did a short menu search of local QJoints last night. Smoked brisket selling for 34-38 dollars per pound. Sides selling pretty consistent at $18 per quart.

It's worth it and fun to get there. Don't give up. Don't EVER give up.

 

[Crotonmark]

Brother Croton some inspiration or motivation to learn brisket. I did a short menu search of local QJoints last night. Smoked brisket selling for 34-38 dollars per pound. Sides selling pretty consistent at $18 per quart.

It's worth it and fun to get there. Don't give up. Don't EVER give up.

trimming looks beyond me but I will look for a brisket in these places

 

[Southbay9]

On Long Island my go to places for packer brisket are either Restaurant Depot, Sam's Cub or Walmart. I have also ordered them from Wild Fork foods that, even with shipping, will likely be cheaper than butcher prices. I will note there are a few Wild Forks opening on Long Island over the next few months so there may be some coming closer to you. With regard to butcher quailty vs. the others, sometimes I think you're better off at the stores because they will have a lot to look through and pick the one that looks best.

 

[Crotonmark]

On Long Island my go to places for packer brisket are either Restaurant Depot, Sam's Cub or Walmart. I have also ordered them from Wild Fork foods that, even with shipping, will likely be cheaper than butcher prices. I will note there are a few Wild Forks opening on Long Island over the next few months so there may be some coming closer to you. With regard to butcher quailty vs. the others, sometimes I think you're better off at the stores because they will have a lot to look through and pick the one that looks best.

thanks - I am sure youre right but it is the trimming that intimidates me
I am in Westchester so could go to Sam or Costco or Walmart

 

[cayenne]

thanks - I am sure youre right but it is the trimming that intimidates me
I am in Westchester so could go to Sam or Costco or Walmart

Well, it's just a knife and meat....
As long as you don't cut your fingers....you'll be fine.


It isn't rocket surgery....

But, I will admit, the first time I trimmed one more towards the standards of those videos that show how the pros/restaurant folks do them...Iw as a bit scare of cutting away SO much meat, etc.

But again, once I settled on doing what they do...and saving the trimmings later for ground beef (burgers, yum)...or sausage, etc...doesn't even phase me if I cut a lot off the nekkid packer brisket....

Look at Amazon for that knife I linked to. A SHARP knife makes it all quite easy....

HTH,

C

 

[Crotonmark]

Very helpful. Thanks.
Making a 7 pounder today as a braised brisket.
Fingers crossed

 

[SmittyJonz]

I trim brisket with a Rapala Fish fillet knife...........

 

[16Adams]

Check how to videos on Beef Cheek. Meat is outstanding. No knife skills needed. Except to open the cryo. Cheeks, Seasoning,Smoker, Crockpot that will run about 190-200°.

Some heroes don't need no stinking knife

 

[Smoked&Baked]

I've been having good luck at US Chef store lately. They've had prime full packer briskets at a decent price (I don't remember the price but I remember being happy about it lol)