Where to buy brisket

Brisket can usually be purchased year-round either online or from your local grocery store, Sam’s Club or Costco.

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When buying a brisket, you’ll need to decide if you want a full packer brisket or just the flat cut. Next, you need to determine which grade of brisket you want to buy.

I have found that most of the time briskets at the grocery store are graded as USDA choice; whereas the big box stores occasionally carry USDA prime.

BBQ Tips: Brisket Click for the ultimate brisket guide.

You can also order briskets online from different farms and butchers. When ordering online, they usually arrive frozen, so be sure to work in a couple of days to thaw your brisket when you plan your cook timeline.

Snake River Farms: Snake River Farms briskets are American wagyu, which means they are extremely flavorful and marbled. I use their wagyu gold for competitions. If you use code GIRLSCANGRILL at checkout, you’ll save 10%.
The Butcher Shoppe: The Butcher Shoppe prides itself on carrying Australian wagyu beef brisket. The marbling is similar to American wagyu, but it has a slightly different flavor profile.
Creekstone: Creekstone is USDA Prime black angus beef. According to Texas Monthly, it’s the brand that pitmaster Aaron Franklin uses in his restaurant.
Porter Road: Looking for something a little different? Porter Road dry ages their beef to give the cut a more pronounced beef flavor.

What to look for when buying a brisket

There are several key things that I look for when buying a brisket.

First, you need to know what size brisket you need to buy. This will depend on how many people you plan to feed.

Second, how much you’re willing to pay per pound may depend on whether you’re cooking the brisket for family or friends, or whether you want a competition-grade brisket.

Look at the marbling in the dark red areas of the meat. The more white stripes you see, the more flavorful and tender the final results will be.

The thickness of the flat cut will vary. I look for flats that are on the thicker side. Thin flats tend to dry out too quickly.

Look for a brisket that has some give and bend to it when you pick it up. This indicates that the brisket has been wet aging for a while, which usually means the meat will be more tender and beefy.