Grass-Fed Brisket

SGH · October 2015

Dredger said:

you were so right about it being a matter of personal taste preferences.

Sister, the above quoted is true of most things. You hear folks ask questions like: "What is the best wood for smoking?" Or "Is Wagyu better than Prime?". At the end of the day, we all have different tastes and preferences. I'm glad to hear that you liked the grass fed. I like it myself. Heck I like both. Before I go, allow me to answer the two questions above. Oak and yes it is

Dredger said:

We need to slow down more often and smell the roses..., er smoke.

Well said sister. And I'm inclined to agree. We live life a little to fast sometimes.

Dredger · October 2015

Thanks @SmokeyPitt, we really like the Smoke Vault. We got it honestly so that we could, at least, have a shot at having left-overs for our house when the kids come over and leave with what wasn't eaten, lol. My fault, I know. Love, love, love the egg, but needed more capacity, even with the adjustable rig.Those kids can really put away the groceries. We are Camp Chef fans and the Smoke Vault is another great product by them. We have the Expedition with the griddle and the pizza oven accessories and they rock.

Dredger · October 2015

SGH said:

I'm glad to hear that you liked the grass fed.

I was thrilled that we liked the grass-fed too. I called every single place that I could think of locally to find a packer and it was all a no go. Flats only. Granted that we have to wait until our guy takes a cow to process, but at least, I know we can get one. We tend to stock up the freezer, so that won't be a problem. We're retired and patient, lol.

About slowing down, usually when we cook outdoors, it's a quick burger, steak, or chicken for just the two of us. When the crowd is over, it's non-stop for hours. After a couple of quiet hours on the deck doing this cook, I realized that we needed to do this more often. So relaxing.

SGH · October 2015

@Dredger
If I may ask sister, have you tried Wagyu yet? If so, a penny for your thoughts.

Ladeback69 · October 2015

Dredger said:

@MelSharples, I thought the flavor of the grass-fed was superior over the Costco, but not sure if it is because I am accustomed to the flavor. That's all we have eaten for over a year. We are ordering a full packer from our guy today, so I'll report back. Both were a little dry, but we didn't spritz or wrap since they were flats and weren't sure if we needed to, but we will the next time, but overall very good flavor on both, we just preferred the grass-fed taste. Love the SC thermo cups and I agree with @Spaightlabs about the hand wash only. Interestingly enough, his beef is always very tender and he says he gives them minerals prior to taking them to slaughter, so I guess that makes a difference. Don't know, but it's always good. We do a lot of different types of roasts and they comes out of the package feeling like butter every time. Feeling fortunate.

@Dredger, you may want to try injecting the brisket, but not sure how much you can get in it because it is a lot leaner. I just injected a choice brisket this weekend from RD's and it seemed really juicy.

Dredger · October 2015

@SGH, I have not tried Wagyu, but hear it is very good. The only place that I have seen it available is on the Costco website. Is there another source that you know of?

@Ladeback69, I did think about injecting it and my Grill Beast injector arrived a couple of days ago. I've been gathering injector recipes like a mad woman, lol. Glad to hear yours turned out good. I will definitely inject the next one. It's hard to describe the texture of this beef. It's fork tender uncooked and it's almost like handling a slinky, so we'll see what I can do injecting it.

SGH · October 2015

Dredger said:

@SGH, I have not tried Wagyu, but hear it is very good. The only place that I have seen it available is on the Costco website. Is there another source that you know of?

Yes ma'am, Snake River Farms.
https://www.snakeriverfarms.com/
The price is high sister, but it's well worth every cent.

SGH · October 2015

@DredgerCheck out the marbling on this 24 pound packer that I ordered from them. I assure you that's not just surface fat that you see. It's through and through sister. Simply phenomenal meat.

Ladeback69 · October 2015

@SGH, did that 24 pound packer cost $300? I see a 11 to 14 pound one is $179 and that is around $12 a pound. OUCH! I would like to try it some time, but SWMBO would be very upset if I spent that much on a brisket. Now we do spend about $400 on fireworks every year and that just goes up in smoke. Maybe that's how I need to approach her about it sometime. It would be for a special occasion if I got one. That looks almost like a rib eye.

Dredger · October 2015

Wow @SGH, based on my local guy's price, a 14 pounder would only be about $30 more from SRF and $15 if we ordered two of them. What is the turnaround time on them? Are they still frozen when you get them? If we ordered two, we would need to be able to freeze one of them.

lousubcap · October 2015

No @SGH here but I do buy briskets from SRF. However, I buy the black and I'm sure @SGH is talking about the gold grade. When ordering you can pick the ship date and method. I use the $9.99 shipping option (ships out of Kansas) and they always arrive ( 2 days) in a great Styrofoam cooler with dry ice and frozen solid. If you wanted to cook one on a Sunday I would get it delivered no later than Weds to thaw in a fridge. Hope this helps.

Ladeback69 · October 2015

lousubcap said:

No @SGH here but I do buy briskets from SRF. However, I buy the black and I'm sure @SGH is talking about the gold grade. When ordering you can pick the ship date and method. I use the $9.99 shipping option (ships out of Kansas) and they always arrive ( 2 days) in a great Styrofoam cooler with dry ice and frozen solid. If you wanted to cook one on a Sunday I would get it delivered no later than Weds to thaw in a fridge. Hope this helps.

Where in Kansas? I looked on there website and if it's close to me it makes more since to drive there. There website doesn't say where it comes out of. I also like the price better of the black over the gold.

lousubcap · October 2015

@Ladeback69 - I just opened the shipping data for my last couple of orders and they all originated in the UPS system in Kansas City, KS. I would give them (SRF) a call as their customer service is top-notch.

Dredger · October 2015

Thanks @lousubcap, that does help. Gotta check some time frames and decide when to order. I gotta try it at least once.

Ladeback69 · October 2015

lousubcap said:

@Ladeback69 - I just opened the shipping data for my last couple of orders and they all originated in the UPS system in Kansas City, KS. I would give them (SRF) a call as their customer service is top-notch.

Awesome, thank you that is about 15 to 20 minutes from my house. Now I have save up to buy a couple, because it is a better buy that way.

SGH · October 2015

@Dredger
Sister the above brisket was 249.00 dollars plus shipping. Shipping rates vary as they have next day delivery and standard delivery. Due to the price of the Gold Grade, I always bite the bullet and pay for next day air just to be sure. However I have always had great luck with their products no matter which shipping choice I used. The meat always arrives frozen and boxed very well. They don't usually advertise the extremely large briskets, however if you call them they will gladly ship you the biggest that they currently have in stock. When it comes to brisket, I believe in the old adage that bigger is definitely better.

SGH · October 2015

Ladeback69 said:

@SGH, did that 24 pound packer cost $300? I see a 11 to 14 pound one is $179 and that is around $12 a pound. OUCH! I would like to try it some time, but SWMBO would be very upset if I spent that much on a brisket. Now we do spend about $400 on fireworks every year and that just goes up in smoke. Maybe that's how I need to approach her about it sometime. It would be for a special occasion if I got one. That looks almost like a rib eye.

This one was 249 plus shipping. It was almost 300 total with the next day air delivery. It's pricey for sure, but worth every penny my friend.

Dredger · October 2015

Next day air sounds like a good choice since I looked again and it states that product ships frozen and will arrive frozen or partially thawed. Just need to decide which size. Not sure we need a 24 pound one, but, on average, approximately what are the size dimensions. I have about 19 inches of width and 13 inches of depth to work with in our smoker.

SGH · October 2015

Dredger said:

. I have about 19 inches of width and 13 inches of depth to work with in our smoker.

Sister, with the above said, I would go no larger than a 15 pounder. I don't follow very many rules when it comes to cooking. But I do believe very strongly in not over crowding the smoker. With your said dimensions, a 12 pounder would be ideal with 15 pounds being max. You certainly can put a larger one in if you so desire, but again, I'm a huge believer in a unrestricted and free flowing smoker. Just my thoughts sister. Look forward to seeing your cook.

Dredger · October 2015

Thanks @SGH, I agree wholeheartedly. That's why I asked the question and since I have never bought from SRF, I wasn't sure of the size. I know it will shrink as it cooks, but didn't want to overcrowd the cooking area. I'll post pics and the cook should be next weekend if schedules go as planned.

SGH · October 2015

@Dredger
I will be standing by to see it sister.

junkyarddawg · October 2015

There are several reasons some people prefer grass-fed over grain fed. The primary reasons are 1) Taste - Some people prefer of more "gamey" taste, 2) Lean - Grass-fed is usually leaner; some people don't want the fat, and 3) Health - Grass-fed beef is better for you than grain-fed. It is lower in fat, calories, and higher in the "good fats" (Omega 3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid-CLA).

And then there's the whole grain argument, whether or not grains are beneficial (i.e. heart-healthy) or not. There's enough science out there to argue that in general humans should stay away from grains and thus, meat that has been fed grains.

From personal experience, I haven't completely given up grains, but I significantly reduced my intake of grains (and sugar) about 3 years ago and I have slowly dropper over 50 lbs. and about 6 inches in my waistline.

However, while I mostly buy and prepare grass-fed / pastured animal foods, I sometimes will buy a ribeye or NY strip that is grain-fed or has been finished on grain. When I first made the switch to mostly grass-fed, I could tell a significant difference in taste. Grain-fed had more flavor. However, I have gotten used to the grass-fed flavor and kind of like the change to a more "earthy" taste. I guess your palate changes over time.

So, the argument of grass-fed vs. grain-fed all depends on what YOU value most, Taste? Health?

All that said, I can guaranty you that the 5 lbs. pork shoulder that 's going on my egg tomorrow morning is not grass-fed, and I'm fine with that.

Dredger · October 2015

All good points @junkyarddawg. We did switch to grass-fed well over a year ago for health reasons as you state. We were lucky to have a local gentleman that raises his own, so our supply is very dependable. I'm not sure about other sources, but his is lean, but fork tender and full of flavor. This is a shot of one of his steaks I posted earlier in the year.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/np/xodq9n56ec5k.jpg

Not sure how he manages to get the beef so tender, but he does. Luckily, he also does pork. I'll post the next time I do a Boston butt. We try to at least go antibiotic free, but we are, by no means, purists about it. Please be sure and post pics of your pork shoulder cook. Egg on!

Slabotnick · May 2016

I'm doing a grass fed brisket next week, i'll let you know how it goes.

logchief · May 2016

We just tried grass fed rib eyes two nights ago, $18.99 lb. Bride and I thought what the heck we ought to at least give it a try, price or not. Was not that impressed, guess it goes back to what your used to plenty, of fat and marbling.

smokeyw · May 2016

Snake River Farms are great to deal with. I cook their Wagyu brisket exclusively in competition and have done very well with it. I always order at least two and sometimes four depending on my schedule. I actually prefer the black grade to the gold. The point of the gold is a little too marbled and we have trouble rendering the fat out to make good burnt ends. The flat is fantastic however. Just FYI, all of their brisket is aged 28 days and then flash frozen.

Darby_Crenshaw · May 2016

nolaegghead said:

I have done very lean cuts low and slow in sous vide with excellent results. I would say short (plate) ribs which are naturally super fatty and should be just slightly fatty but still fatty in grass fed, or cheeks....maybe chuck. The butcher may help you out here if you ask him.

the man speaks the truth. even a pork tenderloin will be fall apart tender after a long slow cook. all meat has collagen, and it will break down. problem is, not all meat ALSO has fat, and that fat adds flavor as well as what we perceive as moisture.

i say 'perceive' because it is less about water than it is about melted fat. lo and slo BBQ loses a lot of moisture, but we get the unctuous feeling back from collagen and fat. lean meats just have less fat.

Dredger · May 2016

Thanks for the comments, guys. I finally got a grass-fed whole packer in the freezer now that we'll do later. @smokeyw, we're doing a SRF brisket this weekend and have another in the freezer. Pics to follow. Haven't had much time for low and slows lately, but making time this weekend.

Smokin_Trout · May 2016

Dredger said:

Thanks @SGH. Thinking back, every steak and roast we have gotten from him has been extremely tender and the flavor is great. Aaron Franklin discouraged using grass-fed mostly due to the "funky, herbaceous and beastly flavor" produced by the low and slow cooking method. I just wanted to know if anyone else had that flavor profile from a grass-fed whole packer. My farmer usually separates the point from the flat, so I'll see what he has on hand now and give it a go to see what it tastes like. If it's good, I'll order a packer. Pics to follow, probably next week.

I have done one and he is correct. This was a grass only, no grain, brisket. Lean and funky tasting and I usually like grass fed beef.

Dredger · May 2016

Thanks for the input @Smokin_Trout. I'll give it some more thought on cooking method. I fear that the SRF one we're about to cook will ruin us for anything else, but we're willing to take that chance.

Grass-Fed Brisket

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