jonboy said:
Is there a large price difference between the grades?
I think that i saw choice at the sams recently
jon
Jon,
Several types of vendors out there.
"Mass marketers" like Sam's, Wally World, Costco, etc just get a weekly or periodic shipment of brisket. It may be Select, Choice, or (rarely) Prime. They just put it out for sale at their current market price and really don't seem to screen and re-price it for grade.
Several threads here where I and others have bought Choice and Prime at bargain basement prices just by staying alert for the higher grades mixed in with the normal Select. I pay less than $2/lb most of the time.
Some Food Chains and butcher shops order and seperate Choice and Prime meats. They price them accordingly. Normal price around here is $3-5/lb buying them this way.
At the high end, distributers can and will order case lots of Prime for you. Small or split case may be 3 or 4 briskets, full case is normally 6 or 7. You will pay a real premium if they can locate and get the highest quality meat in for you, in most cases. I have been quoted as much as $7-8/lb and declined.
At the really high in is Kobe. I can not compute the price of that beef :redface:
So, when ya find any fine meat of any type at a low price, grab it if you can store it properly.
TIM
