Brisket. Prime vs. angus choice

[73saint]

I’ve been sold on prime briskets ever since I cooked one. Well, with the coronavirus, one major effect has been meat sources. I haven’t been able to get prime from Costco since I bought a case a month ago. Yesterday, I found two angus choice briskets at Restaurant Depot. I almost didn’t buy them, but I went for it anyway.

I started my cook yesterday around noon. Cooked on my little Lang with pecan, and ran at my usual 250 degrees.

Here are my choice briskets trimmed and ready to go. Not too bad. I rubbed them with worshestichire and black ops by Oak Ridge BBQ.

After cooking on that big fatboy, going back to the little 36 is quite the adjustment.

I cooked them for about 8 hours, until I got a nice bark before I wrapped them in foil. I usually don’t wrap, but this cook will he finishing after midnight so I’ll want them wrapped for the rest.

The temps on these briskets was in the 180 degree range by the time the bark was where I wanted. So I knew I wouldn’t have too long once they went into the foil. From there they only took about an hour or so and they were ready for a nap in the cambro.


Here are a couple sliced picks. I’ve gotta tell you, I was pretty shocked at how moist and juicy these choice briskets were. If there was a difference between these and primes, it was negligible. I am happy to say that I will not hesitate to cook a choice brisket, when primes can’t be had!!

And a final pic of everything after slicing and packaging. Nice little haul!

 

[thirdeye]

Looks good, so no injection? Prime beef is hit and miss for me too, I do have a Prime point in the freezer I need to cook soon. With many of the BBQ competitions shut down, I've heard Snake River Farms has plenty of wagyu briskets on hand, but they are pricy.

 

[normanaj]

Looks great.

I've never had issues with choice other than my own screw-ups!

 

[Blues1]

Nice looking stash for packaging for later enjoyment. Great job!

 

[Motorboat40]

I have a co work that used to be a butcher at Giant he told me that sometimes they put out some prime quality meats labeled as choice just because not everyone will pay the extra for prime cuts so to sell all the meat before it goes bad they will put out prime labeled as choice. He said just look for choice meat with marbling that looks like prime.

 

[SmokyMose]

I've been getting choice packers at GFS. I choke at the price for primes at Costco plus they are usually huge (I like the 12# range). Sometime I have to trim a little more fat than I like, but cooked right they come out tender and tasty....

 

[thirdeye]

I have a co work that used to be a butcher at Giant he told me that sometimes they put out some prime quality meats labeled as choice just because not everyone will pay the extra for prime cuts so to sell all the meat before it goes bad they will put out prime labeled as choice. He said just look for choice meat with marbling that looks like prime.

I would think they would leave the prime label on, just put a $2 Off sticker on them.... the meat would fly out the door.

 

[73saint]

Looks good, so no injection? Prime beef is hit and miss for me too, I do have a Prime point in the freezer I need to cook soon. With many of the BBQ competitions shut down, I've heard Snake River Farms has plenty of wagyu briskets on hand, but they are pricy.

No injection, never tried with brisket. Hey, I just ordered a wagyu comp brisket from the butcher shoppe in Pensacola. They had a special I couldn’t turn down!

 

[thirdeye]

You are in for a treat.