Let's Talk BBQ
General => General Discussion & Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: Keymaster on February 06, 2021, 04:01:29 PM
-
So my friend sent me this picture of his 16 pound brisket he is smoking today on a traeger he is trying out to see if he wants to buy it from his neighbor. I ask him if he really spent $ 147.00 for that brisket and he did but also said it was grass fed. One would think grass fed would be cheaper unless there trucking in sod to feed the cattle.
Is this the normal prices now a days or was I wrong when i told him he got ripped off. I could see it if the tag said wagu on the label.(http://)
-
I just bought an 18# Wagu brisket for $133. It was a W5 grade and excellent. I do see very big differences in the prices for brisket and still do not understand why there is so much difference. Costgo just had prime for $2.79 per pound where I live.
-
Has he tried the ones from Smartfoodservice or Smart & Final? Mostly Choice, but I have had good luck with them.
-
According to those who purport to know important things, Wagyu is in a whole different taste category than other beef. It's also become somewhat of a status thing and is priced accordingly. In the case of brisket there's certainly a noticeable difference (very tasty and easier to cook because of the marbling) but I don't think it justifies the price - at least not often.
I've only ever bought one (for an LTBBQ Gathering back when we still "gathered") and luckily a professional chef here on the forum cooked it before I could screw it up. It was excellent but didn't change my life - I'm still generally good with Prime (or even Choice if I'm desperate).
If you want to know more about Wagyu brisket, ask IR2dum. He's our Wagyu brisket expert, especially when it comes to dry-aging.
-
Has he tried the ones from Smartfoodservice or Smart & Final? Mostly Choice, but I have had good luck with them.
I told him to go there but he said he doesn't like there meet. I told another lady about cash and carry and she said they fatten the cattle up with skittles. I Googled it and supposedly it was discovered when a train derailed and spilt skittles everywhere.
-
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210207/133c1a4e663291b80efb333a7a120061.jpg)
On sale for $2.99 a lb today.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
According to those who purport to know important things, Wagyu is in a whole different taste category than other beef. It's also become somewhat of a status thing and is priced accordingly. In the case of brisket there's certainly a noticeable difference (very tasty and easier to cook because of the marbling) but I don't think it justifies the price - at least not often.
I've only ever bought one (for an LTBBQ Gathering back when we still "gathered") and luckily a professional chef here on the forum cooked it before I could screw it up. It was excellent but didn't change my life - I'm still generally good with Prime (or even Choice if I'm desperate).
If you want to know more about Wagyu brisket, ask IR2dum. He's our Wagyu brisket expert, especially when it comes to dry-aging.
Turtle, thanks for recognizing my vast knowledge and expertise of dry-aging wagyu prime brisket. Most of you have all ready experienced this with me, but I feel that I must impart this knowledge of dry-aging prime wagyu brisket to the world. I can pretty much sum it up this way...DON'T DO IT! At least not the way I did it. Here's the embarrassing story that I had hoped would never be brought up.
It was a couple of years ago and it was almost time for our semi-annual Gathering at Backyard Jack's. I was trying to think of what meat I could bring to feed the 14 or 15 forum members and friends that will be there. There were a few videos on YouTube about dry-aging brisket so that was my choice. I bought the dry-age bags and a prime brisket. I bagged it, vacuum sealed it, and put it in the refrigerator for 63 days. Guga on YouTube did his for 63 days and I followed his instructions. It was timed to take out of the refrigerator, put in an ice chest with plenty of ice, and driven to Jack's house in Byron, GA to arrive on the 63rd day. We were all standing around the island in Jaxon's kitchen when we unwrapped this dry-aged brisket and started to trim the pellicle off it. It was hard as a rock and as Mike has previously stated, it dulled his very sharp knife (so sorry, Mike). I trimmed a little, Tim trimmed a little, Mike trimmed a little, and I think Turtle trimmed a little. When we finished trimming, there was hardly anything left. Maybe 5 lbs. And it didn't have a very pleasant smell. Not like dry-aged beef should smell. I made the executive decision to throw it in the trash so nobody would die from my handiwork. Probably my best decision. I believe everybody agreed and nobody died.
In retrospect, 63 days is way too long for a brisket. I'm still not sure what went wrong. Did I have a bag failure? Was it aged in the fridge at the wrong temp (34 degrees)? I guess I'll never know. All I do know is that I'm not going to waste a fine brisket like that again. Never again.
And just a little info on Wagyu Prime Brisket. It is available in Houston at Texas Star Grills and comes from Snake River Farms. Price is $7.99 per pound for typical 18 to 20 lb. briskets. They also sell Compart Farms pork. Regular Prime briskets at HEB in Houston is $3.59 per lb. average 15 lbs. Grass fed Choice Brisket at Kroger's is $2.29 per lb. average 13.5 lbs. Select grade brisket at Kroger's is $1.99 per lb. average 18 lbs.
-
I just got a prime brisket from a So Cali Costco that I smoked on Sunday for $2.99 a pound, which is back to "normal" for them, most of 2020 they were $3.99 a pound.
It always comes out great, dont thing for brisket the cost of Waygu is worth it.
-
...Here's the embarrassing story that I had hoped would never be brought up.
They say open confession is good for the soul. I hope that works out for you (but it still won't prevent me from continuing to bring it up now and then - nice try though).
-
...Here's the embarrassing story that I had hoped would never be brought up.
They say open confession is good for the soul. I hope that works out for you (but it still won't prevent me from continuing to bring it up now and then - nice try though).
I kinda thought that might be the case. I'm just now able to laugh about it.
By the way, I bought a pkg of 3 large Umai dry-age bags. I still have 2 left that I will gift to anybody that wants them. I sure won't be using them. PM me or email me or text me and I will mail them to you. I'm sure they would work pretty good in Hawaii on Costco meat.