Hard time parting with $$$ for brisket.

I don't do brisket anymore, I like eating it but won't pay for it, not when I can still get chicken at reasonable prices. Haven't done ribs in awhile for the same reason, when I want beef I'll try and find a chuck roast on sale and do Pepper Stout or make burnt ends. Tastes the same in the end.

Chicken costs me more than brisket these days

Im addicted to smoking briskets. Once you perfect making them, you wont want butts,ribs,or chickens anymore. But, judging by my nickname you can clearly see im bias.

I havent tried smoking chuck roast yet, but I rarely see them under $3.49/lb so not much cheaper then brisket. I hear people talk about other cuts, but ive not seen the cuts mentioned in any grocery or wholesale clubs in my area.

Bamabuzzard said:

I've yet to taste a brisket this good. :biggrin1:

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I'll try my best...

Distiller's grains is a corn based by product from the production of ethanol. The laws may have changed in the past 5 or 6 years, but, as of 2006, the last year I paid attention, ethanol was required to be produced from around 90% corn sourced material. The fact that distiller's grain is not corn anymore, does not mean it is not corn based feed. And the cost of corn, at a commodity level is a factor in the cost of feed still.

BTW, corn based feed (formula) is only used in the final month or so of the steer's life. Most all beef in this country is raised on grass, at pasture. They are not put on formula until just before slaughter, as there is no premium if fattening a steer on pasture. The time in the feedlot is when formula is fed. I would venture that fuel costs far outweigh feed costs in bringing animals to market.

And I still say, it is market demand that determines final costs at market, and regional variations in demand, such that tri-tip is much cheaper here than in, let's say, Memphis. This is because we eat a lot more tri-tip here. Brisket is cheaper in Texas, because everyone there eats brisket, until 3 years ago, pracitically nobody ate brisket in California, and it was hard to find brisket in any grocery store. Not true anymore.

Cayman1 said:

Thank the elected officials in DC for a lot of this problem, they are the ones that passed the requirement that 30% or so of all corn production must go to produce ethanol. Never mind about food for people or livestock. Di**heads!

I think it is a location thing though, I just paid $3.39 for CAB packers.

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I live three blocks from a working horse and cattle ranch. This field that I drive by daily was pretty much empty in the summer of 2011. If we have another big drought, the cattle will be sold off, again, although this ranch does grow it's own hay -- enough to last through a NORMAL year.



I also live in a state that was ravaged by drought in 2011. Ranchers are starting to stock up again, after being faced in 2011-2012 with the decision of selling off stock, or buying expensive hay to feed them. The Midwest had it's big drought last summer. Double whammy.

Corn is generally only used in feed lots to fatten the cattle up right before final sale. On ranches, the preferred (cheapest) feed is grass growing naturally in the fields. And, corn is actually bad for cattle. They can eat it, if you pump them full of antibiotics.

I know it's fun to blame government for things, but in this case, mother nature was the biggest culprit.

CD

Cayman1 said:

Thank the elected officials in DC for a lot of this problem, they are the ones that passed the requirement that 30% or so of all corn production must go to produce ethanol. Never mind about food for people or livestock. Di**heads!

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I prefer grass fed :razz:

Regarding the OP, I agree with you. Brisket is after all a "cheap cut" so it's kind of silly it costs so much. Like others said it's probably a supply and demand thing. Probably why I cook a lot of pork, and when I want beef I just pick up a nice chuckie.

Lol. Last year, when my smoking "career" began, and after reading so much here about the Glory of The Brisket and the "difficulty" of cooking it correctly, I decided, after several butt/picnic cooks, to hence set forth and try my hand at the Holy Grail Of Q....I had never even seen a brisket before (sheltered life i guess )...I can't remember what store I was in when I finally found the brisket. When I saw the price, I literally said, aloud, in front of other customers of all ages, are you "farking kidding me??!".

My personal economics will have to improve (or I'll have to emigrate to the Republic of Texas) before I fork over that kind of dough for a hunk of cow that I may render nearly inedible on the WSM. I guess I could thin the Weber kettle herd, but that would be like giving my own children away. :wink:

I am lucky I guess

I pay around the same price as ground beef, about $2.50 lb or so