Costco Packers Now Choice?

[klflowers]

I cooked choice for several years before I cooked a prime brisket. I could tell the difference. The choice briskets were good, but the prime just came out better. More moisture in the flat, richer flavor. Since I don't cook many briskets, I decided I would stick with prime when I make one. If I can find one,
now, i guess. I am planning on doing one for labor day, maybe, probably.

[ecowper]

STEbbq I've never bought brisket from Creekstone ..... SRF's Prime is $120 and weight range is 13 lbs +/- ...... mine have generally been 14-15 lbs. It's less expensive than my local butcher :-)

[Uncle Bob]

ecowper , Eric, just a heads up for info sake. When I opened your link to SRF the price flashed $119 for a moment then changed to $139. Perhaps they've had a recent price increase or maybe they do zone pricing to build in some cushion for shipping cost. Since you're closer you may get a slightly better deal.

[SheilaAnn]

Uncle Bob did the same when I clicked the link, too.

[Santamarina]

My local Costco has always carried both Prime and choice briskets. Strangely - but not complaining - Prime briskets we’re always cheaper than Choice briskets by almost $1/lb!

They haven’t had Prime in a few months. I talked to their meat guy mid-June when I was looking to smoke a packer for the 4th of July. He said there’s a “national Prime shortage” and they didn’t know when they’d get more.

After he walked away two guys who were in earshot of our conversation offered commentary involving BS…I’m inclined to agree.

[Huskee]

You're talking packers for both? I know in my area sometimes they'll have flats and they're pricier than packers per lb, irrespective of grade (Choice flats higher than Prime packers).

[Santamarina]

Yes, they’ve always carried cryovac sealed Prime and Choice PACKERS! And for years the pricing was $4.99/lb for Choice and $3.29/lb for PRIME!

Needless to say, I’ve never cooked anything but Prime brisket.

[HawkerXP]

I was told by a Costco aircraft tech, who asked a Costco meat guy, yes, shortage of prime. Will be back in the fall.
Apparently, that is when the next slaughter cycle is.

[Uncle Bob]

That may be a well intentioned story he told you but it's fantasy, slaughter is pretty much a regular occurrence, we're in a draught induced contraction that won't get better by this fall.

[Bob's BBQ]

Same in Wisconsin. Haven't seen prime in quite some time.

[J-Melt]

I have noticed that while they are choice, they have a lot more in stock. I’ve often left Costco empty handed and had to go to the meat market and pay more because they were out. The last couple of times I’ve been there they have had lots of choice packers. All three that I have bought recently have been amazing.

[mrteddyprincess]

I never stop shopping for brisket. Every store that has briskets, I go look at the briskets. Costco is my go to, and that used to be Prime, but here lately that's been Choice. Kroger is my second go to. But I never go into a store without looking at the brisket selection and judging whether or not I ought to buy a brisket.

I only buy whole packers with thick flats or nearly thick flats. There's nothing more demoralizing than cooking a brisket and cutting off the thin part of the flat to find it overly cooked and tough...I cut that stuff off and grind it. I can't do anymore thin brisket flat. It makes me crazy.

I'm a brisket snob.

[ecowper]

Brisket snobs of the world, unite!

[Sid P]

I think owning a 48" Lang automatically makes you an all around BBQ snob - in a good way.

[mrteddyprincess]

That's a high compliment Sid P. Thanks.

B

[captainlee]

Seems to be the luck of the draw at Costco, sometimes no Prime. I've done Choice from Costco with good results too. When i see a Prime I'll grab it and in the freezer it goes.

[Bkhuna]

I wonder what the grading system will be on the bugs we'll buy in the future?

[Sdell]

No prime packers at Costco here in Maryland and I just checked Wild Fork and they are also out of stock.

[Uncle Bob]

Welcome to reality, as STEbbq mentioned above, some of us have been talking about this subject for over a year now. Prime graded beef has always been a small percentage of the supply stream. It gets worse when overall supplies contract. When I posted up links to industry articles highlighting the impacts of draught conditions on herd size, early flow to market to reduce feeding costs, and so forth, only a few folks seemed interested. The outcomes are somewhat a "slow roller" realization so it's no wonder folks don't recognize early symptoms of market stress.

While prime grade hasn't, and likely won't, completely disappear, as a percentage of the entire supply chain there will be much less available than in the recent past. It's mostly due to decreased herd sizes sending less beef cattle to market, and a reduction in the amount of cattle being fed the diet of comparatively expensive grain to fatten them up toward the end of their life cycle (and a few other less apparent factors). There's lots that could be discussed, but there is one factor that looks ominous for the overall packaged beef market. There's been a significant drop in the number of heifers available to ranchers. For those less aware of biology, heifers are breeding stock. Fewer heifers, fewer opportunities for replacement stock going forward. The birth to market ready time line is approximately two years in ideal conditions, so a "correction" to what we've been accustomed to in recent years is a way off in the future. We won't likely change the market negatives until drought conditions cycle back around. One possible "wild card" could be increasing the amount of imported beef, but realigning existing market relationships takes time too, not to mention the impact of competition from other parts of the world on price.

[WayneT]

Great explanation. Thanks for elucidating.

[WayneT]

I have not seen a prime packer in my Costco in weeks.

[Alan Brice]

Many months here. Saw a really nice Choice whole packer at Krogers. $2.99 lb. I was already on my way to get a few things at Costco. May run by there tomorrow. Costco had squat for full packers.