big briskets this year

I've seen the same thing here in Virginia. I don't have my SM066 yet but I hope they don't run out. Is it advisable to buy and freeze? I'm kinda leery about that...

As long as the briskets are in Cry-o-Vac, you're fine. Try to use them within 6 months; 12 tops.

I'm excited, our local Wally World was remodeled and they turned it into a Super Wally World. Meat Section! And the actually have packers, now I don't have to drive out to RD to get my brisket. And I too noticed that the ones they had out were 14-16lbs.

Tom, I have had no problems in the past buying briskets, aging them, and then freezing them. I do it especially when I can find great briskets. Of course, I will only do this because I have a deep freezer. I would never do this with a freezer attached to a refrigerator. Deep freezer all the way and the time guidelines that MaxQue put up. And definitely make sure the Cryovac has no holes in it.

Andy, be careful about the grade of brisket they are selling at WW. I never cook less than a choice grade brisket but that is just me.

BTW, when you all get some 19 or 20 lb. briskets, now you are really talking BIG!

Wait, let me get this right, are we complaining about big briskets?

It's really just a feature of supply and demand. If the restaurants aren't buying them or the ranchers are holding them on the hoof longer, they get bigger.

I'd buy 'em and freeze 'em.

quote:

Originally posted by RibDog:
Andy, be careful about the grade of brisket they are selling at WW. I never cook less than a choice grade brisket but that is just me.

Sometimes I don't have a choice, no pun intended. In the past RD was the only place I could find packers and a lot of times they'd only have unmarked ones which I assume were select.

WW around here doesn't sell labeled brisket. I wouldn't assume they are even select. Select normally has the grade on their, I've seen select briskets many time.

Unlabeld usually means it's below select grade.

No roll or NR beef is the bottom of the commercial beef chain. Sysco and other national chains will offer NR strip loins, rib eyes and beef (prime) ribs to restaurants. The marbling is very meager, at best. The rest of the animal is used for ground beef, deli brand roast beef and prepared frozen entrees sold to grocery chains.

Like the guys say,supply and demand.

Ribdog and I buy a lot of cases and sometimes you can order by light[50 lbs],med[65-75 lbs] heavy[80 lbs +]

Sometimes,you get what the better restaurants,etc don't want.Many like 7-10 lbs.We were once desperate to get C.A.B. packers and a seller offered ten ,100 lb cases.

Often there are 5-6 packers in a case,that ave out 18-20 lbs each.Not many restaurant cooks need that size.

This is the smallest beef herd,ntionally since the 1950s.My boys are cattlemen.They are holding all their new calves,all their producing heifers,and all that is healthy.They are junking the old,sick,wore out,low producing,dried milk,etc.

Lot of these are old and big.Five yrs ago they sold them in lots to be ground for burgers-cheap.Many large/old dairy/very lean cows
Now they bring double the money to be cut up for retail sale.

WW briskets ,sometimes,are the only thing in the store that is not injected with 10%+ salt water.Also ww may buy anything and you get lucky by going thru several cases.If they get choice,it sells same price as select and unlabeled.

I think in my region of the US we will soon see smaller briskets and cheeper beef prices.
Here in Texas, we are in one heck of a drought. It seems to be state wide. Last week I drove from SW to NE Texas (yes, one heck of a drive), and I have to say that the grass and the cattle were as poor as I have ever seen. Wild fires have burned out of control over some parts of the state. Having said that, if we don't get some good amounts of rain to help the grass soon, then you will see loads of cattle going to sale barn. Its much better to sell cattle early, than to purchase hay over a extended period. Just my 2 cents.