Crazy Brisket Prices

Lol – yeah, it always seems like I’m behind on time and have two left hands when it’s time to get the rub on and get things on the smoker. I was making a huge mess so I skipped the front of those things. I did get a good coverage on the rest. Way to Go keeping me honest and on my toes…Get some rub on the front and side of those things. That where all the crusty goodness is when you make chopped

XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

San Antonio, TX

May be opening a can of worms here, but I’ve wondered the same regarding the SRF offerings that are often highly touted on this board. I have no doubt it is exceptionally good meat, but in the final analysis, could you tell the difference in a blind trial? I’ve come close to ordering a SRF brisket, but just can’t bring myself to pay for one what two or three prime costco briskets would cost me.pgprescott said:Yeah, my buddy did one of the choice Kroger he got at 2.49 vs a Costco prime he had in reserve. No difference except the choice took longer to cook. Would have been exceptionally difficult to discern the difference in a blind tasting.

Tommy

Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky

It’s a personal choice. The cost benefit is not worth it to me, but I have several customers and buddies who buy SRF and Creekstone briskets and steaks. I’ve had some of it and it’s usually exceptional. It’s just not so much better that I can justify it. It’s the same with Scotch and bourbon for me. I just won’t pay 300 or more for a bottle. Now if I ever win that Powerball, watch out! The rage is Bourne of the competition circuit IMO. Keep in mind those guys spend lots of money and stand to win lots of money. There is also the desire to reach celebrity status or peddle their line of products. They have to keep up with the Jones’sFarmerTom said:May be opening a can of worms here, but I’ve wondered the same regarding the SRF offerings that are often highly touted on this board. I have no doubt it is exceptionally good meat, but in the final analysis, could you tell the difference in a blind trial? I’ve come close to ordering a SRF brisket, but just can’t bring myself to pay for one what two or three prime costco briskets would cost me.pgprescott said:Yeah, my buddy did one of the choice Kroger he got at 2.49 vs a Costco prime he had in reserve. No difference except the choice took longer to cook. Would have been exceptionally difficult to discern the difference in a blind tasting.

Could be. Some cows eat grass and grains and some eat expired Jolly Ranchers. When you get a brisket from a cow raised in the commodity/factory system, they eat whatever is cheapest and they are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics to grow them faster. The Antibiotic/hormone thing makes a huge difference. You can see it in the fat. Picked that up from Aaron Franklin several years back and never looked [email protected] Cen-Tex Smoker You and your shady parking lot deals…
You said it all better than I did. In fact, between the three briskets I have on one of them is by far a better brisket. It has better marbling as well as the better fat that you mentioned. It may be the difference in a steer that came from a better producer, who knows?

All natural, is not always better. We have a ranch in my part that touts their “all natural cattle methods”. I like the no hormone/antibiotic practice, but they are also range fed. In the desert that means sage and other scrub brush. The meat is very lean, gamey, and hard to cook. It is very expensive and underwhelming. I prefer corn fed beef, or at a minimum corn finished.Could be. Some cows eat grass and grains and some eat expired Jolly Ranchers. When you get a brisket from a cow raised in the commodity/factory system, they eat whatever is cheapest and they are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics to grow them faster. The Antibiotic/hormone thing makes a huge difference. You can see it in the fat. Picked that up from Aaron Franklin several years back and never looked [email protected] Cen-Tex Smoker You and your shady parking lot deals…
You said it all better than I did. In fact, between the three briskets I have on one of them is by far a better brisket. It has better marbling as well as the better fat that you mentioned. It may be the difference in a steer that came from a better producer, who knows?

True. I was more referring to the larger producers who do it right (creekstone, SRF, Meyer, and the like) but you are right.Ozzie_Isaac said:All natural, is not always better. We have a ranch in my part that touts their “all natural cattle methods”. I like the no hormone/antibiotic practice, but they are also range fed. In the desert that means sage and other scrub brush. The meat is very lean, gamey, and hard to cook. It is very expensive and underwhelming. I prefer corn fed beef, or at a minimum corn finished.Could be. Some cows eat grass and grains and some eat expired Jolly Ranchers. When you get a brisket from a cow raised in the commodity/factory system, they eat whatever is cheapest and they are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics to grow them faster. The Antibiotic/hormone thing makes a huge difference. You can see it in the fat. Picked that up from Aaron Franklin several years back and never looked [email protected] Cen-Tex Smoker You and your shady parking lot deals…
You said it all better than I did. In fact, between the three briskets I have on one of them is by far a better brisket. It has better marbling as well as the better fat that you mentioned. It may be the difference in a steer that came from a better producer, who knows?