So I have finally gotten around to experimenting between Angus brisket vs BJ's Megamart brisket vs Wally World brisket. Here's what I did:
- 12lb brisket from Wally World, flat and point. $2.20/lb
- 8 lb Angus brisket from local farmer's market, flat and point, but cut in an odd manner. $7.99/lb.
- 5.75 lb brisket from BJ's, flat only. $1.75/lb.
- No rub or sauce was added so that all analysis would be based on the brisket, not the "Extras".
- Cooked all to a max internal temp of 205 and checked firmness after they reached 190.
- Got pit up to 225 and held steady there through the entire cook except when reloading charcoal or removing meat.
- All 3 briskets were graded "Choice".
- Cooked on a small Spicewine and used approximately 22 to 24 lb of charcoal.
- Started the cook at 11:40pm on Fri. Took the final brisket out of the smoker at 3:00pm on Sat.
Results: Based on how easy the brisket was to cut and chewability, I found that the Angus was more tender than the other two. But not by a whole lot. Definately not enough to justify the difference I paid. The other two briskets were equal in tenderness to each other. All three were tender enough that I would not have felt bad turning them in at a competition. Flavorwise, I couldn't tell any difference between the three. All were equally yummy.
I'll post some pictures later. The burnt ends aren't quite finished yet.
- 12lb brisket from Wally World, flat and point. $2.20/lb
- 8 lb Angus brisket from local farmer's market, flat and point, but cut in an odd manner. $7.99/lb.
- 5.75 lb brisket from BJ's, flat only. $1.75/lb.
- No rub or sauce was added so that all analysis would be based on the brisket, not the "Extras".
- Cooked all to a max internal temp of 205 and checked firmness after they reached 190.
- Got pit up to 225 and held steady there through the entire cook except when reloading charcoal or removing meat.
- All 3 briskets were graded "Choice".
- Cooked on a small Spicewine and used approximately 22 to 24 lb of charcoal.
- Started the cook at 11:40pm on Fri. Took the final brisket out of the smoker at 3:00pm on Sat.
Results: Based on how easy the brisket was to cut and chewability, I found that the Angus was more tender than the other two. But not by a whole lot. Definately not enough to justify the difference I paid. The other two briskets were equal in tenderness to each other. All three were tender enough that I would not have felt bad turning them in at a competition. Flavorwise, I couldn't tell any difference between the three. All were equally yummy.
I'll post some pictures later. The burnt ends aren't quite finished yet.
