JoelF wrote:The only real downside to these prime briskets is that so much fat drips off them, that disposing of the Emil that is the water pan is a real peril.

WillG wrote:Someone who knows a butcher at costco just told me that their beef supplier, i believe IBP, sells them some of their excess prime inventory at a very cheap price but with the caveat that they can only be sold as the whole cut in cryovac and cannot be broken down at all.

-Will

Smassey wrote:Time to plan for Passover again. I like the flavor and tenderness of a braised brisket, but think I'm missing something with texture. I wonder if there might be a way to get a crispier crust. Although I often sear first, not sure it makes much difference other than burning up the pan and adding color, since it softens again over the next several hours. With apologies for moving away from the specific title of this thread, here's my question: Has anyone tried searing brisket post-braise? Don't really have time or stomach space for a pre-holiday test run. Thanks.

ziggy wrote:Prime Packers are up to $3.49/lb at the Niles Costco. As recently as 8/10 (last time I saw them there) they were $2.79/lb with a $10 off per package discount so they could be had for as little as ~$2/lb if you got ones on the smaller side.

So pissed I rode my bike to work that day and couldn't stock up on them...they were gone the next day.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

This evening at Costco-Mettawa, I was looking at the price of brisket:
- Flat, choice: $5.99 per pound
- Full packer, prime: $2.99 per pound

Astonishing, isn't it?

Regards,
Cathy2

Demand for brisket is on fire, sending prices soaring as innovations in grilling make the tricky meat easier to master.

The beef cut has busted out of Texas and is showing up on restaurant menus all over the country. Meanwhile, advances in barbecue technology allow amateurs to whip up competition-worthy platters in the backyard, creating a surge for demand on both fronts that has pushed U.S. prices to records and defies a broader slump in livestock markets.

It used to be that home cooks were intimidated by the challenge of turning the huge slabs of meat into smoky goodness. (A full cut can weigh in at 18 pounds or more.) With an electric-powered wood-pellet smoker, you can set the grill to a desired temperature, walk away, and come back some eight to 12 hours later to tender perfection.

Normally with brisket, “99% of people are going to screw it up,” says Shane Miller, senior vice president of beef enterprise at Tyson Foods Inc. “But if you get a pellet smoker, you’re a hero.” The company recently reintroduced the cut to its customers and found willing takers in some retailers.

There was a similar surge about five years ago, with one key difference. “This price level is occurring when production is 10% higher than 2014 and 2015,’’ says Bob Brown, an independent market consultant in Edmond, Oklahoma. “It shows that underlying demand for brisket is significantly higher than five years ago.”

Dave148 wrote:With all the chaos in the world, are there any brisket bargains out there?

Dave148 wrote:With all the chaos in the world, are there any brisket bargains out there?

rober wrote:I know this question may sound sacrilegious to some of the BBQ veterans around these parts, but here it goes...I have a 23 lb. prime whole packer brisket from Costco (I would have preferred one that was more like 16 lbs., but it was all they had). It is a long wedge shape, so I'm wondering if anyone has any experience cutting a brisket to a more uniform shape - essentially by removing the narrow, likely to be overcooked, end of the flat (using it for another purpose). I'm thinking this would make for a more even cook considering the length of time I'll be smoking this giant hunk of meat on my WSM.

ronnie_suburban wrote:
Smart idea, imo. Somewhere out there is a very instructional video by Aaron Franklin in which he obsessively trims a brisket. He's not doing exactly what you're talking about but the video might provide some guidance.

=R=

BadgerDave wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:
Smart idea, imo. Somewhere out there is a very instructional video by Aaron Franklin in which he obsessively trims a brisket. He's not doing exactly what you're talking about but the video might provide some guidance.

=R=

Ask and ye shall receive: https://youtu.be/yaMgt1Altys

rober wrote:I know this question may sound sacrilegious to some of the BBQ veterans around these parts, but here it goes...I have a 23 lb. prime whole packer brisket from Costco (I would have preferred one that was more like 16 lbs., but it was all they had). It is a long wedge shape, so I'm wondering if anyone has any experience cutting a brisket to a more uniform shape - essentially by removing the narrow, likely to be overcooked, end of the flat (using it for another purpose). I'm thinking this would make for a more even cook considering the length of time I'll be smoking this giant hunk of meat on my WSM.