Faced a choice between two briskets at the Austin meat market

I had to pick between a 12-pound prime packer and a 14-pound choice grade, both from the same butcher. I went with the prime because the marbling looked way better, even though it was smaller. It cooked for 16 hours on my offset and came out so tender it basically fell apart when I probed it. Anyone else ever gamble on the smaller, better-looking cut over the bigger one?

3 comments

3 Comments

pat_perry1mo ago

You said you went with the prime because the marbling looked better. I read a piece by a pitmaster who said that rule of thumb is almost always right. The fat content and how it's woven through the meat matters way more than just the size or the weight. A smaller, well-marbled piece will often give you more good meat after the cook than a bigger, leaner one that might dry out. Your result, with it being so tender, proves that point. I'd make the same call every time.

reed.ray1mo ago

But what about the smoke ring, does marbling affect that too?

patricia_rodriguez9d ago

My neighbor last summer bought a huge 18-pound choice brisket just for the size. It looked impressive raw, but after the cook it was tough and he had to chop most of it for chili. The smaller 14-pound prime he did the next weekend fed more people with good slices.