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Brisket price
If you are wondering how much a brisket costs, you’ve come to the right place.
A brisket generally will cost anywhere from $1.99 per pound to $4.99 per pound depending on the grade of brisket you happen to be buying.
How much does brisket cost?
A brisket will cost anywhere from “.99 per pound to $4.99 per pound depending on the grade you happen to be buying, as well as how much the brisket actually weighs.
In other words, most briskets will weigh on average about 15 pounds, so expect to pay around $74 for a 15 pound packer that prices at $4.99 per pound.
You should expect a higher price point per pound for higher quality meat such as prime and choice grade.
Prime is definitely the most sought after grade of brisket, due to its marbling content and overall quality of the meat.
Choice grade is also a great option if you don’t want to spend a lot of money but still want significant quality
You also have the option of purchasing a select grade brisket.
This is lower on the totem pole in terms of quality as well as price.
Specifically, a select grade brisket will generally cost you about “.99 per pound.
It can be a great way to obtain a brisket at a cheap rate while also using it as an opportunity to practice on a cheap cut of meat before you advance to the more expensive grades of brisket.
This is a critical part in any Pitmasters journey, since brisket is a very finicky piece of meat to begin with, and it is something you do not want to mess up and waste a lot of money on.
Why is beef brisket so expensive?
Brisket is actually considered to be a relatively cheap cut of meat compared to New York strip and ribeye.
Despite that however, you do have the propensity to pay quite a bit of money for a single packer brisket just due to the sheer weight and size.
Most briskets in the traditional sense, happen to be about 15 pounds in weight.
So even though you’re paying anywhere from two dollars to four dollars per pound of meat, you are still paying a substantial sum of money due to how much it is weighing in at.
Another cause of the price of brisket going up and the overall expensive nature of it, is due to potential shortage of supply.
This is a simple case of economics where as the supply goes down the demand goes up.
As the demand goes up, then the price will certainly go up as well which is what a lot of people tend to see over time.
How much does a 10 lb brisket cost?
Using the simple calculation of $3.99 a pound, you can expect a 10 pound brisket to cost about $40.
Just know that the weight of your brisket as well as the grade of meat that the brisket is will directly impact how much it costs overall.
The $3.99 a pound estimation is for a choice grade brisket or a prime grade brisket.
Always make sure to select the appropriate grade that you desire and make sure it is in accordance with your budget.
Is brisket cheap or expensive?
Brisket is both a cheap and expensive coat depending on how you look at it.
When you compare the average price per pound for a brisket regardless of the grade that it is, it is definitely a cheap cut of meat.
Despite the low cost per pound however, some consider it a relatively expensive cut of meat just because you’re paying that price point for tens of pounds for one hunk of barbecue.
In other words, brisket on a pound per price basis is very cheap, but on an overall total cost of ownership perspective, is relatively expensive because of its weight.
Final thoughts
Brisket is a cheap cut of meat in terms of the price per pound that you actually buy, regardless of the grade that it happens to be.
When you compare brisket to more premium cuts of beef such as ribeye or New York strip, the price point per pound is about a quarter then both of those.
So, if you’re looking for a fantastic quality piece of beef that has an excellent price point per pound, consider buying a brisket and cooking it to your liking.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.