How do YOU select a brisket at the store???

[Jerod Broussard]

Myself, I don't bother with left or right, or even the bend test. Although I will compliment a brisket if it bends on itself while pulling it out the bin.

I look for intramuscular fat in the flat. Striations and how they show up on the side.

I figure if a brisket doesn't bend easy, that is what heat + time + rest is for.

[_John_]

Same idea here, my main decisions are based on cheapness, I don't like paying for tons of fat, so since I trim the flat I get ones with the least amount of flat and smallest deckle. I like the point most, so I make sure the left on a lot when cutting (still trying to figure out where all the points are going since there are so many flats only for sale). I think the point and flat just under is like a pork butt in that it's hard to screw up, but the rest of the flat will get overcooked easily, so I get one as thick as possible and as even as possible. Lastly the striation and fat I can see in the flat.

Sam's put their's on sale and when I showed up there was a tiny 8 pounder with little point, and several flats. I asked and they had a Prime in the back for what I usually see choice for so I took what I could get, didn't look at or test anything.

[Jerod Broussard]

ALL of ours are loaded with fat. Obviously the larger ones (17+) seem to carry more waste. I had a 16 pounder yesterday, just that hard piece of fat that you can almost peel off the side, was just over 1 pound.

Keep in mind I am sifting through mostly Select and every so often a few boxes of Choice show up. For chopped brisket, any Select will do. For sliced, time to get picky.

[PaulstheRibList]

Good tips, @Jerod and John

[gt651]

I wish I knew what to look for.

I traveled through central Texas this Feb. and ate at Franklin's, Louie Mueller's, and Pecan Lodge, and kind of fell in love with brisket.

Since then back here in Minnesota I've done 6 or 7 briskets on my UDS and they are getting better each time but I really don't know what to look for in the store.

[PaulstheRibList]

Jerod Broussard I thought of you when I went trolling through the Wal Mart meat department yesterday: $2.49 a pound for Choice Briskets! Most of them in the 10-12 pound range. Nice fat showing up on the edge of the flat.

I bought 2 to practice on this week. 1 down, 1 more to go.

It was great!

[Jerod Broussard]

Ours have been at $2.47 for a few weeks now at least. Were over $3.

[The Burn]

I hate you both - just kidding. Choice Flats at Costco are $5.49. Anywhere else is north of $7/8. Neither of the Wal-Marts in the area carry brisket at all.

[_John_]

We still have the ungraded ones here...Sam's is $2.89 for choice, the prime they had left was $3.48. I trimmed about $10 worth of fat off of it, I need to find something to make with that high dollar prime beef fat I just throw away.

[Huskee]

Listen to you guys, $3 something for prime brisket. Hamburger is $5.29 for me.

[Jerod Broussard]

Well i can't really load up the FLY and pile vine trimmings in the back of the Yukon....trade offs man, trade offs

[Huskee]

Lol, good point Jerod Broussard

[Jerod Broussard]

The brisket has the highest concentration of unsaturated fat on the bovine. However, me thinks that hard as all get out crap is about as saturated as it gets.

And it seems rendering down doesn't really have a high yield either.

[Meatmeinstl]

I'm struggling to figure out if prime really is the way to go. Costco near me sells prime briskets at a decent price, but the last one I did for competition, the point was sooo fatty and marbled that i couldn't even get decent burnt ends out of it, they were way too fatty and mushy. (but boy was the flat good) Cooked on on Saturday for a family party and got a Black Angus choice brisket from Restaurant Depot. I think it was one of the best ever, but due to an error in my cooking hte point was tougher than shoe leather.... flat was excellent tho. as far as the waste goes i like to use it for deer burgers mix in about 10-15% brisket fat/ trims with ground deer meat...

[Jerod Broussard]

That is a big given. Plenty fat in the flat, tons of fat in the point.

[PaulstheRibList]

Best way to tell would be to...Cook It!

[omnipotence20]

I always look at he fat striations in the flat. I know the point is going to have a ton of fat in it, but if I can see somfe good fat streaks of fat in between the muscle tissue, I know I'll have a good moist flat for slicing. When I see briskets that don't have any fat on the flat, I get scared of cooking it. My boots would get jealous of the competition.

[Jerod Broussard]

Manypotence, I once got the cheapest brisket I could get (6 pound Select) to test something. ZERO fat in the flat, seriously, it looked like a piece of red leather. Maybe worse. Flat tasted like the OLD cow, horrible, point, was perfect, I mean it couldn't get any better. I think the point probably a bit less fat than normal, which made it closer to an actual ribeye with ample marbling.

[(catcher)]

I believe you first select a butcher and go from there. if you want the best taste, buy the best cut. A wagyu brisket will run about $15 per pound and up but I guarantee you the best tasting slab of beef you'll ever eat. My butcher orders the cut for me, and when it comes in I provide the spices and he scores and seasons the beef. I don't have the room to store at home so it gets sealed in a cryovac bag and placed in his walkin. A week later it's time to take home and do my thing. An injection of beef broth and bourbon seals the deal. The gurus at RecTec recommend 180 degrees for twelve hours which results in an internl of 180 +/-. Then I goose up the heat to 250 and pull off at 195, double foil wrap and then turkish towel for 3-4 hours. Open, cut, serve and wait for the applause. Never fails.