No Costco full packer briskets for five months!!?!?!!?

[wcpreston]

We have a Sam's club and I believe they do Prime briskets. My local butcher only carries choice. They said the prime ones are "too fatty." WTH?

[AverageJoe]

Let me know how you fare at SAMs. I have the membership to Costco and my brother-in-law has the Sams membership.

[AverageJoe]

LOL well never mind. Just went to their website and they say they carry prime at $3.28 lb.

[wcpreston]

Sam's club is running a special where you get a $20 e-card if you sign up online. So I did. That's basically a $25 membership. Sam's club here I come.

[Polarbear777]

I just cleaned out the last few briskets at my local Costco. Hope the drought ends sooner.

[Santamarina]

Went to my local Costco yesterday. Shock and horror set in as I stared at the empty Prime brisket section of the cooler. The butcher said they’ve been getting less each shipment for the last month or two. This is the first time I’ve ever seen a bare shelf.

They said they they get their Prime shipments late Thursday nights, and everything will be out Friday morning. I’ll be standing outside when the doors open...praying they got brisket in!!!

[JoeSousa]

I was at Costco over the weekend and also saw an empty case where the briskets usually live. In a panic I asked one of the butchers what happened. Luckily he said they would be back in stock Wednesday and it will be something they regularly carry. He said someone came in and bought all they have. I am guessing it is a new bbq restaurant that recently opened and saw much higher than expected demand and their normal supplier couldn't keep them fully supplied with briskets.

[JimLinebarger]

You can get choice Angus and IBP brisket across the street from the Sprague Costco at SmartFoods. They are showing that they still have some.

[JoeSousa]

Yeah, they have them at the North location as well.That one is only a couple minutes from my house.

[JoeSousa]

And if you are really, really, really committed to this brisket thing Crowd Cow will have Japanese A5 Wagyu Full Packer Briskets available in a couple days. Anyone want to guess the price in these 30 lb monsters? I am guessing at least $1500.

[Potkettleblack]

I remain amazed that they actually sell out of those.

[Troutman]

I know right? Japanese revere their A5 about 5-6 ounces at a time while Americans gobble it up pounds at a time. Excess I say !!!!

[Polarbear777]

Luckily he said they would be back in stock Wednesday and it will be something they regularly carry. He said someone came in and bought all they have. I am guessing it is a new bbq restaurant that recently opened and saw much higher than expected demand and their normal supplier couldn't keep them fully supplied with briskets.

Was probably just a member here :-)

[jlazar]

I bought a prime packer at Costco yesterday. They had about a dozen in the case; all running about 11-13 lbs. I asked a butcher behind the counter if they had any larger (16-17 lb). He said they had two suppliers and one (National) normally sent bigger packers. He went in the cooler and pulled out a couple of cases and found the larger one for me.

First time I have ever seen them out of the two pack, boneless, pork butts. But they did have prime beef ribs. I have never had them before so cooking them will be a first for me.

[JoeSousa]

I am waiting and hoping that I see the beef ribs pop up here at some point. You aren't the first I have seen say they find them at their Costco. I know the Business Centers usually have them but the closest one of those is 5 hours away.

[Murdy]

I'm pretty sure I saw some yesterday, but didn't know there was a crisis building, so I guess I better go back.

[GroceryBoy]

JoeSousa if they are actually 30 pounds $1,500 may be close. $50/lb? That is a HUGE brisket. Never saw anything that big!

[JoeSousa]

Yeah, those things look like monsters. They are cut totally different than American briskets. The flat is longer and there is some of the neck meat on them as well. So it is a bit more than just the normal point and flat we are used to.

If I could get 20 people to kick in $75 or so I would be totally down to give one a try. But no way I would be footing the bill myself.

[Santamarina]

Went to Costco this morning (after the butcher told me they get their Prime deliveries Thursday night). They had FOUR briskets (one was just the flat, the others full packers). They usually have 10+ any day of the week. To see that few an hour after they put their weekly shipment out is troubling.

I took home the two biggest ones they had - which we’re also the nicest looking ones! One went in the freezer for a rainy day. The other I’ll be smoking for the 4th of July!

[PNWGreg]

They’ve been selling out pretty quick north of Seattle (Costco tells me its high season, barbecue-wise).
i went today (6/29) and there were three left.
I picked one up - a little smaller than I wanted. Came back a few minutes later and saw that they had re-stocked with about 10 more.
i was able to upsize from 14.5# to 16.5#.

[HouseHomey]

Wow. Ok all that east coast bad news came west. After I heard all this talk my Costco’s had plenty of briskets so I had no worries.

DOH!!!

My Costco (Belleterra) had ZERO PRIME PACKERS. They did have some flats and choice flats.

in fact Costco had very little prime beef at all. They only had a 1/2 of short case of prime meat. Some tri tip. Ribeye,new York’s and filet. That’s it. Even the plate ribs were Choice and not fat at all. Look like chuck shorts.

I may be done with Costco all together. We shall see. I’m gonna check another today in fountain valley.

Im making burgers today for friends and need some prime meat. Hopefully this one has something.

Im really disappointed!

[HawkerXP]

Talked to my friend at the hangar. (Costco has airplane at my airport) I asked him to see if the east coast meat guy could explain the disappearing beef. He was told this is a common occurrence. The cows calf in the spring. It takes about a year and a half to get up to weight. Should start seeing more in the fall. mooooooo

[HawkerXP]

I made sure to thank him for sending prime full packers to the east coast this last year and that we are looking forward to seeing the mythical tri tip soon.

[Troutman]

I was talking to the head meat cutter at my local Costco about prime briskets and prime meat in general and he knew of no such shortages in our area. Same at HEB grocery. Also asked about spinalis pinwheels which someone posted they stopped carrying. No problem here, in fact the guy wanted to cut me some.

Guess I’ll continue to thank my lucky stars I live in the meat capital of the US.