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A packer brisket is the whole brisket. It will include the flat and the point. It will be a very large piece of meat that will require slow cooking at a low temperature to ensure that it is cooked tender and moist. A packer brisket is great especially when you have a large group of people to feed.
Quality of Packer Briskets At Costco
When you are choosing your packer brisket from Costco, look for the one that offers the thickest flat. Also, look for a uniform shape as this will be an asset when you are cooking it. If the meat tapers off too much, you could wind up having to discard some of the pieces as they will dry out while cooking and they will be tough and not edible.
A flat that is at least one inch in thickness will help you have a brisket that is tender and moist. Slow cooking will give you the best quality when you choose to cook a packer brisket.
Size and Weight Of A Packer Brisket
A packer brisket can weigh from 18 to 20 pounds and that makes this brisket the largest piece of meat that people can attempt to cook at their home. A fat cap that is nice and even will be a benefit to you when you are smoking your brisket.
The cap will allow you to have a brisket that is flavorful and tender. A brisket this size can feed at least 20 people, making it a great selection for a large crowd. Your cooking time will vary depending on the size of the brisket that you purchase.
Thickness Of A Packer Brisket
A packer brisket can have sections that are 6 inches thick and sections that can be 2 inches thick, making it a piece of meat that can be tricky to cook. For this reason, you will want to make sure that your brisket is wrapped tightly in foil and that you keep your temperature under control in your smoker.
You can easily over cook some parts of the brisket, leaving it tough and dry. No one wants a brisket that is tough or dry, it easily ruins the taste and the texture of the brisket. The more conformed the brisket is in size, the more evenly it will cook.
Grades That Costco Sales
If you shop at Costco, you will find that they will offer prime grade brisket. This is the best grade available. It offers the best marbling in a brisket, which is important as the marbling helps flavor the brisket and to keep it juicy and tender.
You will find that the prime grade can be very affordable at Costco. Costco does offer other grades of meat, such as choice for the shoppers’ needs. No matter which grade you decide on, you are going to find a great selection of briskets available for all of your smoking needs.
You will find that the only difference in the choice and prime grade is that the choice may offer less marbling in the brisket.,
How to Pick The Right One
When picking your brisket, look at the dates on the packaging, make sure that the brisket you purchase is fresh and in date. Also, look at the grade to make sure you are getting the grade you want, some will be choice, some will be prime. Make certain that the brisket has good marbling and has the fat cap that you need.
Choose the size that you want according to how many people you plan to feed. If you are going to feed a large crowd, you may want to purchase the packer brisket and if you are only feeding a few, the point brisket may be your best choice. Make sure that there are no air bubbles in the packaging also. No air bubbles means that the brisket has been sealed and has not been exposed to air.
Average Price For Packer Brisket
When shopping at Costco, you will find that the packer brisket of choice grade runs right at $4 per pound. This is really a great price for the amount of meat that you are getting. If you choose to purchase a prime grade packer brisket, you may pay closer to $5 per pound, which is still a great price.
Either choice will cook up great if it is smoked at the proper temperature and for the proper amount of time. Remember that cooking a brisket takes a long while but it is so worth it in the end. There is nothing better than a brisket that has been cooked to perfection so that it offers the tenderness and the flavor that we all long for.
Cooking a brisket doesn’t have to be a difficult or a costly task, it can be easily done at an affordable cost.
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.