Which Brisket to Buy

Scottborasjr

I despise shopping at Wal-Mart but it is the only place near me that I can get packers on a consistent basis for a affordable price. I've never had a problem with the Excel meat whether it was select or choice.

Skiddymarker

Trixie_Belle said:

Skiddymarker said:

Trixie_Belle said:

Obviously, I live in the wrong part of the country.   Beef is way more expensive here int he Seattle area.   Costco has flats for almost $6/lb.  That's the best price I've seen.  

Smart foods, Cash&Carry has briskets for $2.88 per pound, 10 pound average on sale this week. I think they are select/choice - always come out OK. Lots of C&C stores in Washigton. 

Seriously, I didn't think of Cash and Carry!  I go there for other things!  Do they have trimmed?  I don't want to tackle trimming it myself. 

@Trixie_Belle they do require that you provide the trimming, C&C has no on-site butchers that I've ever seen. Not a big job, lots of inter-web info out there. C&C's deli room is full of great egg friendly stuff, ribs, cushions, clods, eye of round etc... SWMBO will not let me shop alone!
For ABT's they have huge bags of peppers, very reasonable. 

GregW

I'm a little confused as far as meat grading is concerned.
According to my research there is no formal USDA grade of certified Angus.
This is simply a marketing strategy of the Angus beef producers.

Not that this really matters in this conversation. I just hate when stores/producers make up fictitious names and grades to suit their own purposes.

I'm beginning to see more and more of these name shenanigans going on in grocery stores.  It's even catching on in meat wholesalers. One shady operation in my area doesn't go by traditional fat percentage numbers on the ground beef they sell. It's called green or red or black label. All this is to make it easier for them to hoodwink the consumer. They are even selling this to local burger joints. Simply referring to a label color that is really of unknown quality makes it easier to pass off.

Milo's in Alabama appears to be using this low grade mystery meat. When you bite into the patty you can't even tell its beef from the texture. I've been told this same above mentioned beef supplier supplies all the beef to them. They make the schools mystery meat hamburgers look like fine dining.

Ladeback69

@GregW, I was told it mostly has to do with the marbling of the fat.  It goes select, choice then prime.  Prime has the most marbling so you are kind of paying for fat, but fat is flavor.   I found this on line, don't know if it will help.  I have cooked both choice briskets and prime briskets and really haven't seen much difference, but SRF is whole other category of its own.

http://meat.tamu.edu/beefgrading/

Skiddymarker

@Ladeback69 - that is one great reference. Tons of data there. Thanks for sharing. 
Wagyu and Kobe from SRF are whole different things. IMO like yours, the long cooks are not all that different, choice vs prime. Steaks and rare roasts are very different choice vs prime. 

@GregW CAB is a guarantee of the breed of cattle the cut is from, CAB can be Select, Choice and Prime etc... Angus is a well respected breed and the marketing plan is that customers will associate the label CAB with value, hence higher prices. The way I understand it, CAB goes through the same grading system as any other beef. 

Shiff

Skiddymarker said:

@GregW CAB is a guarantee of the breed of cattle the cut is from, CAB can be Select, Choice and Prime etc... Angus is a well respected breed and the marketing plan is that customers will associate the label CAB with value, hence higher prices. The way I understand it, CAB goes through the same grading system as any other beef. 

According to the web site below, CAB beef has to be choice or higher.  It is a brand certification:

https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/cuts/grades.aspx

Skiddymarker

@Shiff - that makes sense. Angus cattle can be any grade. Only those with Choice or higher grade can have a CAB label. As there is no Standard or Select, I guess the value is there.  

dougcrann

pescadorzih said:

dougcrann said:

Really want to try a brisket but I find the whole thing a bit confusing 

What part is confusing you?

tarheelmatt said:

dougcrann said:

Really want to try a brisket but I find the whole thing a bit confusing 

You came to the right place.  Let's hash it out. 

Did not want to hijack this thread....

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1182735/brisket-education?new=1

chadpsualum

All...thank you for the help.  I got a call from a buddy last night who went to Costco and they just put out some Brisket Flat ($5.69/lb) USDA Choice.  When I got there they had about 6 of them out.  I found a 8.4lb'er that had a pretty nice fat cap on one side and some visible marbling on the other.  The top may need trimmed a little bit but it should be good to go.  I'll give this one a try this weekend and post pics later of how it turns out.

dayzed&confused

I have never heard of rendering the excess fat then injecting it back into the meat. I've got to try that. I have two wally world briskets in the freezer now.

pescadorzih

I figured it was a cheap WM brisky, why not. If anything, make chili out of it.