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Understanding meat prices

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  • RichieB
    replied
    You got plenty of input so I'll just say Welcome from Western Massachusetts.

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  • bbqLuv
    replied
    Yep, the Meating Place here in the NW has prices that are higher but worth it. Well maybe. They use local meat suppliers. I consider it a luxury and have been satisfied.

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  • Troutman
    replied
    Lesson learned. I still use my butcher for certain cuts (his Picanha is untouchable by anyone for some odd reason) but shy away from large cuts readily available in my local HEB grocery, Costco or Sam's. It looks like a nice brisket, just consider the big box stores for these larger cuts in the future.

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  • glitchy
    replied
    All I know is for $12.99/lb I’m ordering SRF Gold Wagyu. I get what others are saying about quantities and such with local shops, but where I live I don’t see much imported beef. That all being said, the OP’s brisket does look like a beautiful well trimmed brisket. I guess you just need to try a Sams or Costco one next time to see if it’s worth the price difference in end result or not.

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  • jfmorris
    replied
    Brisket has traditionally been one of the cheapest cuts of beef, as it is tough, has a lot of fat, and takes a long time to cook. Before the pandemic, Costco regularly sold USDA Prime brisket here for $2.99 a pound, Sam's was about that for USDA Choice. Since the pandemic and especially this year, I've seen the prices much higher, but even at their peak, Sam's and Costco have been around $5-6 per pound for prime grade brisket. They are both around 4-5 per pound at the moment, here anyway.

    A local butcher shop will always be the highest price, but to be honest, they cannot compete with the big retailers. They just don't move as much product, and they have to feed their families. I am certain you got some good quality beef, and you are more likely to find local beef too at a local butcher.

    I picked up some USDA Choice brisket on sale at my local Kroger back in June, for about $2.50 a pound, on sale, with a limit of 2 per "Plus card" customer. I now know to keep my eye out for sale prices until things get back to normal.

    I think I will thaw one of those briskets and smoke it for Labor Day next Monday... thanks for the reminder!
    Last edited by jfmorris; August 30, 2021, 09:22 AM.

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  • rodkeary
    replied
    The picture of your brisket looks like it has already been trimmed. If this was done by the butcher it might account for the $12.99/pound price. Still high IMO.

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  • Jfrosty27
    replied
    I would agree that meat prices are all over the place and very confusing. That being said, all meat grades are not equal. In other words, there are varying levels of each grade. All prime grade is not equal for example. While it’s certainly possible you over paid, I would guess not. A butcher in a highly competitive business would not survive long taking his customers for a ride.

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  • DogFaced PonySoldier
    replied
    I agree... the times I've bought special roasts or cuts from my local butcher, I did not feel most of them were significantly (or ANY) better than what I get at the big box stores, and the price is usually significantly higher. Sometimes double or more. It's painful.

    My local butcher tells me they use "top 3% of Choice" (their reason for declining to provide Prime) which you would think would be nearly as good as Prime - but comparing side by side with Choice from WalMart, I can't tell any difference.

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  • Murdy
    replied
    I used to work for a local butcher shop, and we were about the highest price meat in town. We could not compete with grocery stores on price because of the volume they handled. They good get much better deals on meats wholesale than we could. I'm sure this is exacerbated even more when you're talking about Costco or Sam's. We tended to stock only higher grade meat, and we would do specialty cuts to order. Most of our customers were purchasing for special meals rather than stocking up to feed the family for a week. So no, you didn't get taken, but if your main concern is cost (mine usually is), you might want to look toward a bigger retailer.

    Another thing, since small butchers typically don't move large quantity, they have to make a decent profit on each item they sell, so markup is usually higher. If I recall, we'd go about 35%.
    Last edited by Murdy; August 30, 2021, 09:57 AM.

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  • jtichinel1
    started a topic Understanding meat prices

    Understanding meat prices

    Okay so I am knew to this. I had family coming into town and got pumped to cook some brisket. I went over to my local butcher shop and introduced myself. I asked for a packers cut USDA prime brisket. They walked into the back and came out with this big hunk of meat (see picture). Price - $12.99/pound. Afterword a great weekend of cooking my father-in-law mentioned i can get USDA prime brisket at Sams club for ~$5/pound. I asked around and Cosco is priced at $4/pound, another local butcher at $6/pound, and publix at $10.40/pound (not prime). Feeling a little rattled by the differences in prices I called the original Butcher back and I explained that their meat is priced high because it is from the US and is a "better cut of prime". Does anybody have any input for me? Did I get taken? How do you know a good price/product when you see it? Thanks in advance.
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