Brisket price

[larry maddock]

hello hello,
since lo and slo should take care of toughness--
i figured most wally world packers were select grade....

maybe someone can enlighten me????

 

[ultramag]

I would suspect most Wally World packers are. Not sure, avoid Wal-Mart like the plague myself. Nothing but pre-packaged junk here. Their packer cuts the last I knew where the same as most around here. Select Grade from Excel.

Costco's in K.C. has choice grade briskets exclusively I beleive. They are usually meeting, if not beating local price for select. They have a bad habit of not having full packers though.

 

[cheech]

See I have to believe that the units that I was looking at must have been choice or select or really good cuts. I will check at the local supermarket for their prices. It is just the ones from Costco were so large and delicious looking

 

[dgross]

Cheech said, "$4.49/lb is this normal for other parts of the country too?"
Don't know, haven't been brave enough to try one...Yet :oops: .

 

[deejaydebi]

Do they just have these big meats laying in the fridges or do you have to special order them? We don't have a super wally world here but there's a few in nearby towns I hit occasionally. Maybe I just have to start shoping earlier - I'm a night shopper and there's usually no much available.

Cheech I don't even remember what decade I last saw any real meat for $1.49 /lb! The 70's maybe? I'm happy to find anything under $4/lb. Even hamburger goes for close to $3 a pound sometimes on sale for $1.99 if you buy 10 lbs or more.

I just hate shopping (unless it's a hardware store, book store or brew shop).

Debi

 

[chris_harper]

debi, here they are just laying in the fridges. our super wal-mart doesn't have a butcher shop- it all comes in prepackaged. that is some outrageous prices y'all are reporting. the 75/25 hamburger meat id like $1.79 usually. oh yeah, they are out for your viewing pleasure 24/7; at least here they are.

 

[ultramag]

I didn't think any Wal-Marts had meat departments anymore. Several years back at three locations the butchers voted to join a union and Wal-Marts solution was to close their butcher shops and sell the enhanced pre-packaged junk. No matter though, Americans freely close down all their local hometown shops and worship at the alter of Wal-Mart faithfully then we are confused when we can't by quality meats. Mmmm, Mmmm, love that hammy pre-packaged flavor.

 

[cheech]

Well checked the brisket again tonight and there were two of them one for $4.29 lb and in a different area $2.85 as for as I can tell there was no difference.

 

[chris_harper]

also, they have them here already spiced up, labled as "beef brisket for bbq". they cost like $3.89lb usually. i stay away from those; and they are not by the other briskets. they are right where it goes from the beef sectioon to the pork section.

 

[deejaydebi]

Well I ook a trip to the super Wally World up state - only about 30 minutes from here but I don't usually go to far if I'm not working. Huge grocery section up there! We only have a few isles in ours. I did find the Pre packaged meats really cheap - beef briskets real fatty for $1.79/lb I got a 10.5 lber maybe 7 lbs after trimming, pork ribs the big ones you have to trim not baby backs $2.23/lb I got two and trimed the ends and belly part off for sausage, small 1.7 lb pork tenderloins $6.50 each I got three , fresh shoulders $2.25/lb I got a small one for pulled pork sandwiches and fresh/frozen turkeys $1.09/lb I got a 13 lber.

The prices were really cheap - well worth the drive up there but they do require alot more triming than the butcher shop but it was less than half the price.

So I got the Brisket (pastrami), ribs and tenderloins (canadian bacons) soaking in brine right now - I'll take the ribs out after a few hours and rub them up good, wrap them and freeze one and smoke the other tomorrow with the shoulder (pulled pork).

I'll TRY to remember to take pictures when I'm done.

Debi

 

[chris_harper]

<snip>

I'll TRY to remember to take pictures when I'm done.
</snip>
Debi

lol, i forget to take pics sometimes. sometimes the camera is dead (battery).
sounds like a packer cut brisket you got there. i don't trim mine at all before i cook it. although next time i am going to cut off part of the fatcap. for pulled pork, i use butts- which i take to 200°. they pull very easily when finished.

 

[cajunsmoker]

Here is a picture of a sale paper from my area. This is actually one of the more expensive stores around here, but it is convenient and the meat is always real good.





Wally world always beats these prices, but you have to fight the crowds. :(

 

[deejaydebi]

I got my camera on the table and I still forgot to take some pictures. Of course my hands were all ecky too.

I am wondering if the Wally World meats are lesser cuts or something? I can buy meat at the base nearby but the meat is always stringy like from old horses or something. It's called grade "C" whatever that means all I know is it always has to be tenderized and marinated for days and the hamburger always has grizle in it. Chickens are okay though. I do buy their chickens.

I trimmed alot of the Brsiket because I'm going to try to make pastrami. It had at least 2 inches of fat cap on the top - not real marbley just layers of fat throughout.

I took the outter skin off the shoulder too to see if it makes a difference and this time I did an over night brine with apple juice and salt water and injected the snot out of it. We'll see if it makes a difference. My first one was so good though I may find it's not worth the effort.

Debi

 

[deejaydebi]

OKay here's my photos from the quest for "Big Meat" at Wally world.



-Top left is my sink full of Wally World "Big Meat"
-Top right is the Brisket and price tag WOW Soon to be pastrami
-Next left is the shoulder for pull pork
-Next right is the little pork tenderloins for Candian bacons
-Next left shows the HUGE 3" thick fat cap of the brisket yuck
-Next right is the shoulder rubbed up good
-Bottom left is the styrofoam temperary shelter I built around my ECB to keep the slush, rain and wind out (it was hard to keep the temps up without it)
-Bottom left middle is the spareribs I smoked last night with a 1 hour brine and rub
-Botom right middle is the smoked shoulder over night brine -Bottom right is the shoulder pulled for subs (todays dinner).

We ate half of the ribs last night. Really good but a it salty for my taste. I read somewhere that a brine would be good so I had to try it. I don't think it's for me - to salty. I also tried a new pepper called Ruby Red Paprika from Yeagers made my nose run it was GOOD! A bit hot for my son though might have to tone it down a bit.

The shoulder came out really moist and tore apart reallt easily - again a bit salty but I don't usually brine my pulled pork either. Maybe a few more washes next time. I'll add a bit more brown sugar to my sauce to compensate.

The Tenderloins are still soaking in the brine for another few days before I can smoke them into Canadian Bacons

The brisket has been well trimmed and is soaking for pastrami got some good tips from Larry - Thanks!

Overall I think the "Big Meat" trip to Wally World was worth it I saved $15 on the brisket alone and that almost paid for the tenderloins. From what I saw it is not trimed as nice as the butcher shop but I can do that for the price.

I'll still be buying my steaks and sausage meat from the butch shop though and I want to get a few pork bellies I didn't see them at Wally World.

Keep On Smokin'
Debi

 

[chris_harper]

looks good, debi.

 

[cheech]

Where did you hide the fattie?

 

[deejaydebi]

What fattie?

 

[cheech]

That is my point you should always smoke a fattie when you smoke.

At least try to

 

[deejaydebi]

Ah I see I didn't have any. I need tomake some. I usually make little patties to fit on english muffins guess I'll have to make big round buggers next time.

I've never eatten Jimmy Dean sausage it's to easy to make breakfast sausage - mix pork burger meat, add salt, pepper, corriander, garlic, onion, sage, cajun spice sometimes a bit of pure maple syrup, let it sit over night, roll into big meatballs and swish flat between waxed paper.

I'm out of pork burger forgot to get meat for that at Wally World - Dang now I gotta go shopping again! I don't use it alot, but a handful of pork burger in your meatballs really adds flavor.

Been thinking of trying turkey burger - got two turkeys in the freezer. What do you do for fat?

Is there something special about this Jimmy Dean brand or can I use my sausage? It needs to be like hard salami sized right? Maybe 4"?

Debi

 

[cheech]

Nothing special to Jimmy Dean other than it tastes great. Yes you can make it yourself and with the right recipe would be most excellent