Coscto Prime Packer Problems

[JPGators17]

I know it was mentioned in at lease one other post about Costco's brisket supply in the northeast, but just thought I'd share that it's the same here in the southeast. Yesterday I stopped to see if they had any and the Meat Manager (boy did my high school counselor let me down by not bringing up that job option) told me that their supplier can't keep up with demand.

Here's the sickening bombshell he dropped on me: he said his regional manager just told him they are considering not even carrying it anymore due to the supply problems. He said they were getting a truck with five cases that night, but that they were holding three of them for a local restaurant.

I don't know about where you guys are located, but the price of prime packers anywhere else I've seen in my area are at least three times as expensive.

[RonB]

Are you gonna buy the other two cases?

I haven't seen a problem at my local Costco - yet...

[HouseHomey]

I’m thinking of busting out the credit card and heading back to my Costco. I don’t cook many but I’d like to have them in the chest freezer.

[radshop]

You might be too late - both of the Tustin Costcos have gone from in-stock last week to none this week. I'm going to hit up the Spectrum location tomorrow and see if they have any.

[grantgallagher]

My costco here in jersey has never carried whole packers. Considering this supply problem now im almost glad i never had the pleasure, lol

[Spinaker]

I feel like that would be something the Gambinos would be controlling out there. LOL.

[grantgallagher]

hahahaha. not sure i want to buy my briskets from someone in the "waste disposal" business

[HouseHomey]

Lmao!!

[JPGators17]

Ray (the Meat Manager) said he'd try to save a couple for me, but it didn't sound promising. I'm going to stop in after work and buy whatever they have left. If I'm lucky, i'll have to buy a chest freezer too. Saving money is getting expensive quick!

[au4stree]

Was at Costco on Sunday morning, they only had one prime full packer amongst the choice flats. If you have a Restaurant Depot available, the black angus choice briskets are not bad. They are choice, but still yield a tasty brisket. I always trim them up and dry brine like a prime. Just FYI

[Troutman]

If I had problems sourcing brisket I'd begin buying online. Now I realize you're probably paying a lot more but consider the product as well. I know I wrote this same thing in another recent post on this, but Costco and other big box stores are going to have trouble sourcing prime meat if the demand continues to increase. Plus the fact that even though they are prime, they're commodity beef. As we continue to put pressure on that industry the quality, as well as the effects on the environment, is going to continue to diminish.

I didn't mean to go off on a tangent, we're blessed here in Texas to have multiple sources of good beef. Consider Certified Angus Beef (CAB) as a viable alternative. It's near or as good as prime and is competitively priced. Seek out a local butcher or meat cutter in your area. I have two I visit all the time. Not only are you helping a local small business person, they can educate you on the different cuts, get you exactly what you need and the quality is there.

Not wanting to rail on Costco, I buy a LOT of meat from them, but we need to remember there are alternatives no matter where you are and wean yourself off the big box addiction.

[ComfortablyNumb]

But addiction is just so, so, so addicting.

[Troutman]

Hey I’m a huge fan of their $1.50 hot dog ðŸŒ

....and that includes a drink !!!! 👍

[JoeSousa]

Troutman I plan my Costco trips around lunch for a reason. Cheapest lunch in town.

[JeffJ]

I’ve been able to source them in Michigan but we only cook one per year. It’s a lot of meat.

[tamidw]

I just picked one up at our Costco today (Portland, OR area). In fact, I was at two different Costcos today and one had about 4, the other had more. I was actually looking for one (a little late!) and had went to the cash and carry first since it was closest to work and they were out! I ran to Costco and grabbed one of the few they had. Later my husband and I stopped at the other and found more, but didn’t get another. They were all primes that I saw.

[JPGators17]

I haven't heard of cash and carry in years.

[binarypaladin]

Doesn't seem to be an issue in the southwest. Costco has had some the last few times I've stopped in at two locations and I go just about weekly.

I did read an interesting article in Bloomberg (I believe) about the rising price of brisket. This is an interesting issue in general—a lot of traditionally cheap meats are basically being gentrified. Beef short ribs come to mind.

[Polarbear777]

My theory is that people are leaning to cook them properly, so it’s mostly AR’s fault. ;-)

[binarypaladin]

Joking aside, that’s definitely part of it. The internet makes the barrier to entry much lower. On top of that a lot of "poor man’s" cuts are actually delicious with proper technique—that’s barbecue in a nutshell.

[logchief]

I need to make a Costco run and only have Prime Costco Point (I like to split them sometimes) left in the freezer. Guess I'll have to check it out tomorrow.

[Willard]

JPGators17 Which Costco? I’m closest to Altamonte.

[JPGators17]

I go to the one on university blvd.

[rodkeary]

I saw prime packer briskets in my local Costco (Burnaby, B.C.) for the first time EVER yesterday. CDN$11.99/kg which works out to around US$4.15/lb. I could not be happier. Up until now if I wanted full packers I’d have to travel about 80 minutes to the Costco in Bellingham, WA or be held hostage by a local butcher who would have to special order one in and charge almost double.

[TBoneJack]

Personally, my main purpose in smoking brisket is making brisket stew, which I find is the best way (for me) to eat brisket. And choice-grade flats suit stews just fine.

[cosmo]

The elusive prime full packer for $3.99/lb Chicago

[HawkerXP]

Yowzer! There is hope! Haven't seen them for a couple of weeks here and was told to expect longer.