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Costco Brisket Question

Just bought a couple of briskets from Costco labeled "USDA choice" and weighing roughly 8.5# each for $4.39/lb.  They are only labeled as vacuum packed.  Is it possible that these are flats instead of entire packers.  They definitely have a fat cap on one side but my only brisket buying has come from walmart and they are much closer to 14-15# there.  Not USDA choice but i've never had a problem with them tasting fantastic.  Has anyone ever bought from Costco or seen whole packers in this weight range?
XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


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Comments

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    I've seen them in that weight range.  Haven't bought them from Costco before.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
    The Costco here has never had Packer briskets - just flats and they trim them a lot.
    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    Shiff said:
    The Costco here has never had Packer briskets - just flats and they trim them a lot.
    Same in Atlanta, trimmed flats only.
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
  • Mama Roneck
    Mama Roneck Posts: 386
    a couple of years ago, you could get packers occasionally at Costco, but they stopped a while ago.  Only vac packed flats available here in NY.  Not worth smoking IMHO.  I'm still looking for inexpensive packers here.  Maybe I can convince HEB to open a branch in the NYC suburbs!
    Mamaroneck
  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
    Do they have a big hump on 1/3 of the wide end?  If so they are a packer.  At that size I am guessing just a flat.   I prefer to cook packers.
    Cookin in Texas
  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    JRWhitee said:
    Shiff said:
    The Costco here has never had Packer briskets - just flats and they trim them a lot.
    Same in Atlanta, trimmed flats only.
    Same as above in Northern Cal.
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • danv23
    danv23 Posts: 953
    Grind up what you bought with some chuck roast (1/2 & 1/2). Makes a hell of a burger/meatballs/spaghetti sauce/tacos/etc.  No fun trying to smoke a flat, and that's all Costco has as far as I've seen.

    The DudeThis is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head. Luckily I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug regimen to keep my mind, you know, limber.

    Walter SobchakNihilists! *uck me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos. 

    Cumming, GA

    Eggs - XL, L, Small

    Gasser - Weber Summit 6 Burner

  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
    Also at our Costco here, flats only.
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
    Flats are fantastic braised. We do ours with sautéed onion, ancho and chipotle chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, bay and some honey. There are some prep steps, but all that in the slow cooker for 9 hours turns out fantastic. Definitely not gonna be a dried out flat.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

  • danv23
    danv23 Posts: 953
    Acn said:
    Flats are fantastic braised. We do ours with sautéed onion, ancho and chipotle chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, bay and some honey. There are some prep steps, but all that in the slow cooker for 9 hours turns out fantastic. Definitely not gonna be a dried out flat.
    Recipe please!!!! 

    The DudeThis is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head. Luckily I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug regimen to keep my mind, you know, limber.

    Walter SobchakNihilists! *uck me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos. 

    Cumming, GA

    Eggs - XL, L, Small

    Gasser - Weber Summit 6 Burner

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    My last brisket cook was a flat that I got at WM. I cooked it at 250ish for about 11hrs. It was rubbed with Butt Rub and cooked over oak. Super juicy after a 1 1/2 hr FTC. Forgot to mention it had a bunch of marbling and was really flexible for a 6lb chunk of meat

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
    edited July 2013
    danv23 said:


    Acn said:

    Flats are fantastic braised. We do ours with sautéed onion, ancho and chipotle chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, bay and some honey. There are some prep steps, but all that in the slow cooker for 9 hours turns out fantastic. Definitely not gonna be a dried out flat.


    Recipe please!!!! 

    Largest brisket your cooker will hold
    1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
    7 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
    3-3.5 tablespoons Spice mix (we usually do 1 T ancho, 1 T cumin, 2tsp chipotle, 2 tsp ground coriander)
    1/4 cup cider vinegar
    1 cup chicken broth
    1 28 oz can crushed tomato
    2 bay leaves
    2 T honey

    Season both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper. Heat 2 T canola oil and sear the brisket in a pan 3-4 minutes on each side to brown. Move the brisket to the slow cooker. Add onion and garlic, sauté 2-3 minutes. Add spice mixture, and sauté about 1 minute, until very fragrant. Pour in vinegar, and cook until all liquid has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add broth and bring to temp. Pour mixture over the brisket, and then add the can of tomatoes, bay leaves and honey. Cook on low for 9-9.5 hours.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,162
    If you have a choice between a flat and no brisket, give the flat a shot.  A bit more of a challenge but when you nail it it's great and if you miss then chop it up with some Q sauce for sandwiches.  Either way it's win in my book.  And yes, I can only find flats at Costco or the local Kroger store-packers are available at boutique prices that I won't pay.  FWIW-YMMV-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • JOJayhawk
    JOJayhawk Posts: 27
    Costco in Overland Park Ks. (Kansas City suburb) always have packers and flats. Never seen packers that small. Aways 14lbs -17lbs here. Always buy bone in butts and ribs at Cotsco, but the packers tend to have a lot of fat, so I always look for Black Angus packers at the grocery store.
    Overland Park, Kansas
    XL
  • danv23
    danv23 Posts: 953
    Acn said:
    Acn said:
    Flats are fantastic braised. We do ours with sautéed onion, ancho and chipotle chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, bay and some honey. There are some prep steps, but all that in the slow cooker for 9 hours turns out fantastic. Definitely not gonna be a dried out flat.
    Recipe please!!!! 
    Largest brisket your cooker will hold 1 large yellow onion, sliced thin 7 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 3-3.5 tablespoons Spice mix (we usually do 1 T ancho, 1 T cumin, 2tsp chipotle, 2 tsp ground coriander) 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 cup chicken broth 1 28 oz can crushed tomato 2 bay leaves 2 T honey Season both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper. Heat 2 T canola oil and sear the brisket in a pan 3-4 minutes on each side to brown. Move the brisket to the slow cooker. Add onion and garlic, sauté 2-3 minutes. Add spice mixture, and sauté about 1 minute, until very fragrant. Pour in vinegar, and cook until all liquid has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add broth and bring to temp. Pour mixture over the brisket, and then add the can of tomatoes, bay leaves and honey. Cook on low for 9-9.5 hours.
    Sounds Awesome!! Thanks!!!

    The DudeThis is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head. Luckily I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug regimen to keep my mind, you know, limber.

    Walter SobchakNihilists! *uck me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos. 

    Cumming, GA

    Eggs - XL, L, Small

    Gasser - Weber Summit 6 Burner

  • hoofaloos
    hoofaloos Posts: 242
    thanks folks.  I'll try Acn's recipe on one and throw one on the egg with a walmart packer just to see how it might turn out.  At least it will give me something to snack on while i wait on the packer 
    XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


  • hoofaloos
    hoofaloos Posts: 242
    My last brisket cook was a flat that I got at WM. I cooked it at 250ish for about 11hrs. It was rubbed with Butt Rub and cooked over oak. Super juicy after a 1 1/2 hr FTC. Forgot to mention it had a bunch of marbling and was really flexible for a 6lb chunk of meat


    What IT did you cook to?
    XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


  • hoofaloos
    hoofaloos Posts: 242
    lousubcap said:
    If you have a choice between a flat and no brisket, give the flat a shot.  A bit more of a challenge but when you nail it it's great and if you miss then chop it up with some Q sauce for sandwiches.  Either way it's win in my book.  And yes, I can only find flats at Costco or the local Kroger store-packers are available at boutique prices that I won't pay.  FWIW-YMMV-
    Kinda what I was thinkin'
    XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


  • Que_n_Brew
    Que_n_Brew Posts: 578
    I was in Costco yesterday. They had packers from 8-16 lbs.
    PROUD MEMBER OF THE WHO DAT NATION!
  • Dave in Florida
    Dave in Florida Posts: 1,157
    This was how I did some brisket flats that turned out mighty good.

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1141803/i-might-be-catching-on-to-this-cooking-brisket-flats#latest
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    hoofaloos said:



    My last brisket cook was a flat that I got at WM. I cooked it at 250ish for about 11hrs. It was rubbed with Butt Rub and cooked over oak. Super juicy after a 1 1/2 hr FTC. Forgot to mention it had a bunch of marbling and was really flexible for a 6lb chunk of meat



    What IT did you cook to?


    I started checking tenderness at 190ish and the probe slide in and out like buttah around 201*.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Whole packers come in a variety of sizes.  They're IPMS 120.  The flat and point, respectively are IPMS 120A and IPMS 120B.

    http://copfaqs.com/meatfaqs-035-beef-brisket.htm


    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Black_Badger
    Black_Badger Posts: 1,182
    Can you post a pic or two? Costco near me (SoCal) only does flats and they tenderize them with something like a jacquard. Lots of posts recently about tenderize beef from Costco.

    Cheers
    B_B
    Finally back in the Badger State!

    Middleton, WI
  • alynd
    alynd Posts: 130
    in KC we have flats and packers at Costco, the flats only are priced at about the price you paid, while the packers are more in the $2.50/lb range.  My guess is you have a flat.
  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
    I was in Costco yesterday. They had packers from 8-16 lbs.
    Where are you located?
    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    They had the whole packers here in STL over the 4th. They were about $2.80/lbs. Usually the only have the flats for the $4-something a pound.
  •  
    I have done 5 or 6 flats this way and they turn out awesome. The only thing i change is the rub. I make my own.

  • BuckeyeBob
    BuckeyeBob Posts: 673
    If only option is a flat, cook it "Travis-Style". Search on this site or here is a post I did on it. http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1146043/brisket-attempt-2#latest it is a combination of smoked then braised. It comes out great and is my go to way for cooking flats.
    Clarendon Hills, IL
  • hoofaloos
    hoofaloos Posts: 242
    Here are a few pics of the cut in question. The pics did not get turned around during upload, I am actually hanging from the ceiling in the garage. Quite a bit thinner than any packers I've bought but more fat on one side than any flats I've seen.
    XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


  • hoofaloos
    hoofaloos Posts: 242
    Dave and BuckeyeBob, 
    Both of these looked great and pretty similar approaches.  Do you think I could achieve a little more of a bark if I went longer before dropping into the pan or is that going to just dry it out?  I'm kind of a fan of a dryer brisket and not afraid to go chopped beef if too dry.  I'm also planning some brisket enchiladas so there is plenty of room for error.
    XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX