Brisket..Choice-Select

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danbono

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Feb 19, 2012
1,702
115
North New Jersey Paramus
Hi All Will be there be a great difference between a choice packer and a select one? Select should have a little less marbling then the choice. Would this make much of a difference, when smoking?

Reason I ask RD has CAB choice packers for $4.38 and Wally world has Excell select for $3.48
Thanks DanB
 
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I posted a Excel Select packer brisket thread on page 2 here in the beef forum titled "My Easter Packer Brisket".  I bought it at Walmart for 2.98 lb.  Never looked at the grade until I got home and seen the select grade.  You can take a look at the thread and see what I did.  I normally buy the choice, but since I have never smoked select anything, this was a challenge to me but it turned out fine.  Next time I wont have a problem buying a select brisket.  They are leaner so you can see I used the bacon wrap.  I normaly dont do that with choice.   I should add that with that bacon wrap you wont get the burnt ends like you normaly do without the bacon.  The meat was tender at the end and everyone liked it.  I would buy a whole choice packer again over select unless there was a big difference in price.  I do miss the burnt ends and Choice is always the beef I buy.   However if the only brisket I can find [whole packer] is select I wont hesitate to  buy it.  Reinhard
 
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With Brisket the difference between Choice and Select is small as the Flat is pretty lean anyway. Additionally you will be cooking until fork tender (190-195°F) any how, further making this a non-issue. The difference between the two grades is only really makes a big difference in the semi-active muscles that will be cooked medium or less like Loin, Sirloins and to a small extent Rib where the extra marbling will relate to a more tender chew. In a few of the restaurants I worked in I would purchase Canadian No Roll Rib Eyes which were inspected but not graded for marbling. They were mostly Select with an occasional cut closer to Choice. 90% of the time these were just as tender and flavorful as the Choice grades at $2 a pound more. Bottom line is considering the price and how it will be cooked I would have no issue buying the Select Briskets...JJ
 
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I have cooked a many Select briskets, as Chef Jimmy stated, you're cooking it to fork tender anyway, so the grade does not matter as much as in a ribeye as far as tenderness.  Now a few factors that will and / or can be noticed, Choice and higher grades do tend to cook faster than a Select, due to the internal marbling, you also have a better chance for moisture retention due to the higher levels of fat content as it breaks down during the cook.  Stronger beef flavor is typically more evident the higher the grade of meat you cook as well.  As Chef Jimmy also pointed out, there is a distinct difference in the chew of a properly cooked Prime or Waygu against a Choice or Select, a silky, melt in your mouth feel to it.  True heaven in my eyes, but I'm a Texas boy born and raised on brisket so...

Another quick fact, the beef carcass is graded by 2 factors, the degree of marbling between the 12th and 13th ribs and maturity.  So it is quite possible to be buying a brisket that came off a Select graded carcass, but be getting a Choice grade quality piece of meat.  Of course you could also be buying a Choice grade (and priced) piece, but only be getting Select quality.  This is why most people take a long hard look at the flat section of a brisket when purchasing and find the one with the most internal marbling and the most flexible flat section as well.      
 
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I have cooked a many Select briskets, as Chef Jimmy stated, you're cooking it to fork tender anyway, so the grade does not matter as much as in a ribeye as far as tenderness.  Now a few factors that will and / or can be noticed, Choice and higher grades do tend to cook faster than a Select, due to the internal marbling, you also have a better chance for moisture retention due to the higher levels of fat content as it breaks down during the cook.  Stronger beef flavor is typically more evident the higher the grade of meat you cook as well.  As Chef Jimmy also pointed out, there is a distinct difference in the chew of a properly cooked Prime or Waygu against a Choice or Select, a silky, melt in your mouth feel to it.  True heaven in my eyes, but I'm a Texas boy born and raised on brisket so...

Another quick fact, the beef carcass is graded by 2 factors, the degree of marbling between the 12th and 13th ribs and maturity.  So it is quite possible to be buying a brisket that came off a Select graded carcass, but be getting a Choice grade quality piece of meat.  Of course you could also be buying a Choice grade (and priced) piece, but only be getting Select quality.  This is why most people take a long hard look at the flat section of a brisket when purchasing and find the one with the most internal marbling and the most flexible flat section as well.      
Well put and great additional info...
points.gif
...JJ
 
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