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Selecting a quality brisket can be a hard task. Brisket can also be costly, so you want to make certain that you get the best brisket for the money that you spend. When shopping for a brisket, choose one that is one inch thick at the end.
This will allow for more even cooking, which will provide a tenderness from one end to the other. Prime offers the highest grade of meat, and the fat is suspended within the meat. Brisket with less marbling can tend to dry out after a long cooking time if you’re not careful. Prime is also going to be more expensive than a choice cut of meat.
Prime, choice and select are the grades of meat that you can choose from. Choice will offer less marbling and the marbling can be a huge factor in the juiciness of the meat.
There are many places where you can choose to purchase your brisket. You might choose a brisket from Sam’s or from Costco.
Is Brisket From Costco Good?
Costco briskets are prime grade briskets, which means that their briskets offer marbling within the meat. Prime meats come from younger cattle, making it a more tender choice of meat. The brisket available at Costco has an average weight of 14 pounds.
The Costco brisket is certainly a quality brisket to purchase for your cooking needs.
Costco may offer a fresher brisket than other stores. You will find a great selection of meats to choose from at Costco. Many people will choose a brisket for size and many will choose a brisket according to how much marbling it has.
Are Sam’s Club Briskets Good?
Sam’s offers a great brisket although it may have more fat or marbling than what the Costco brisket may have. Some will choose a brisket that offers a little more fat in order to get a brisket that is juicy and tender.
The marbling will be a benefit that can keep the brisket from drying out while it cooks. Sam’s briskets may cost less than a Costco brisket, but a Costco brisket will offer prime as well as choice for your options. Sam’s offers meat that has no antibiotics or hormones.
Costco Vs. Sam’s Club Brisket Price
When comparing, you may find that Costco is going to be a little higher in price than Sam’s Club. Costco’s brisket is going to be prime and it could also be a fresher piece of meat. Costco offers their brisket for around 4 dollars per pound and Sam’s briskets can cost slightly less.
When purchasing a brisket, you will not only want to keep the price of the brisket in mind, but also the quality of the brisket. Depending on the number of people you plan to feed size is also an important factor in choosing a brisket.
How Much Is Brisket At Costco Right Now?
If you were to go to Costco and purchase a brisket right now, you will find that the brisket will cost $6 per pound for a prime brisket. A 14 pound brisket will cost you right at $84 at Costco.
Some people may think that’s a high price for brisket and some won’t even blink an eye at the price. Many people are picky about the meat they purchase and getting a high quality cut of meat can be very important to them.
How Much Is A Brisket At Sam’s Club Right Now?
While shopping for a brisket at Sam’s Club, you will see that their briskets are about .98 per pound. A 14 pound brisket at Sam’s would cost you about $83.72, which is slightly less than the cost at Costco.
Briskets are, for the most part, a large cut of meat but you may find that you can lose from 3 to 5 pounds in weight after it’s cooked due to the fat content. Brisket is an expensive cut of meat because there are only 2 per cow. Brisket is also expensive because it has become a popular cut of meat. The cost of raising cattle is also one of the reasons that the price of brisket is costly.
Differences In Types of Briskets (Grades and Cuts)
The differences in the grades of brisket are prime, select and choice. Primarily, the beef is graded by marbling. Prime cuts come from well-fed young cattle. Prime offers an abundance of marbling.
Many restaurants and hotels offer prime cuts of meat on their menus.
Choice cuts offers less marbling but is also a quality choice. The brisket is a cut of beef that comes for the lower breast of the cow and, since this area gets a lot of exercise, the cut can be less tender, which is the reason for a long and slow cooking time.
Difference In The Quality of Briskets
The biggest difference in the quality of brisket is marbling. Prime cuts will have more marbling than choice cuts. Both cuts can render an awesome brisket if they are cooked correctly.
As you select your brisket, look for the one that has the thickest and most uniform flat that you can find. If the brisket tapers off too much, it can result in dryness on the tapered end. A flat that is at least an inch thick will offer the best results. The flat cut of brisket will have a fat covered layer that will help the meat to cook more tender and be juicier.
Which One Has The Better Brisket ?
Most shoppers prefer the Costco brisket over the Sam’s Club Brisket. Many think that the Costco meat has a better texture as well as a better flavor. Since meat is graded, most quality stores offer quality cuts of meat. Costco has a reputation for having quality meats and also for having better customer service as well as cleaner stores.
Sam’s Club does offer full-packer briskets while Costco only offers one kind. Check your brisket out well before making your purchase so that you know you have made the best selection possible for your needs.
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.