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Briskets from Costco come in several sizes, making it easy to choose the size that is right for the party that you are cooking for.
You will also find that there are several cuts you can pick from to get the best size.
Costco offers prime brisket, which is of the highest grade possible for meat. Many hotels and restaurants use prime cuts and grades of meat,
What Size, Thickness and Weight Mean When Smoking A Brisket
When you are preparing to smoke a brisket, the size should be that of which can feed the group that you are expecting. If you’re planning to feed a very large group of people, you may need to smoke more than one brisket.
When selecting your brisket, make sure you take note of the thickness, try bending the brisket or folding it in half. When you do this, you should be able to make the ends meet and touch.
If they don’t touch, then try selecting another brisket as it could end up being a brisket, which is tough.
When choosing a flat brisket look for a one inch thickness at the point so that the end doesn’t dry during smoking.
Briskets can weigh up to 20 pounds and when smoking a brisket this large you want to make sure that you allow plenty of time for the brisket to cook.
Some briskets can take from 8 to 12 hours to cook depending on the size, weight and fat content.
You will need to adjust your time according to the weight, thickness and size of the brisket you select.
What Size Of Brisket Does Costco Sell?
If you plan to purchase your brisket at Costco, you will love knowing that you can get a brisket from 12 to 20 pounds.
Costco briskets are always prime grade (while sometimes selling choice grade), offering the marbling and fat that you desire to make your brisket moist and tender.
You’ll be able to serve a lot of people with your Costco brisket.
You can choose a brisket that is smaller if you are expecting fewer people. You’ll be able to serve your guests a brisket dinner that is going to blow them away with flavor and tenderness.
Average Weight Of The Brisket
The brisket from Costco can range from 12 to 20 pounds. Select your brisket according to the number of people you plan to feed. The more people, the bigger the brisket you will need.
If you have left overs, you can always freeze them in storage containers or in zip-lock freezer bags.
This will allow you to eat your brisket at a later date. The frozen brisket will still taste as good as it did the day you cooked it. You can easily heat it in the oven for reserving. Add a few sides and you have a delicious meal in minutes.
Thickness Of The Briskets
The thickness can determine how long you have to smoke your brisket.
The thicker it is, the longer it will take to cook tenderly. Pay attention to the thickness of the fat as well.
You may find you need to trim some of it away to allow the smoked flavor to penetrate the meat so that the meat is flavored well.
Make sure the flat is at least an inch in thickness so that it doesn’t dry out during cooking while you are trying to get the thicker parts of the brisket done and tender.
Cook your brisket slowly and at a low temperature so that it will be tender when it is done and so that it will also be juicy and moist.
What Grade Is Costco Brisket?
Costco brisket is prime grade. This is the highest grade that you can have in meat.
Prime offers a lot of marbling and fat to produce a juicy and tender brisket after it has been smoked properly.
Prime grade is the grade that many hotels and restaurants use for the meats that they purchase and serve to their customers.
You won’t get a better grade than prime when it comes to any of the meat you purchase. Serving only the best is every cook’s goal and prime is the best.
Bend Tests For Brisket
While you are shopping for a brisket, make sure that you do the bend test. This is where you will bend the brisket in half so that the ends are able to meet.
This will tell you if the meat is soft. If they don’t meet, then the meat may cook and be tough no matter how long you cook it.
Achieving a tender and moist brisket can be trick so you will want to take advantage of every way possible to choose the perfect brisket for your smoker.
There is nothing better than serving a brisket that is full of flavor, that is moist and juicy and that is tender to eat.
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.