Buying Brisket for TX BBQ

[voaguy]

Where, pray tell, can I get a good brisket for the BBQ in NoVA? Cool/cold weather does not deter me from firing up my smoker. As any true BBQnatic can tell you, a brisket should have a nice fat "cap" on the top to keep it moist during the long, slow smoking process. But every store I've been to, from Whole Foods to Wegmans, only gets in briskets that are already trimmed of all the fat. It's frustrating.

[vahlvt]

I agree with Costco. Also try BJ's Warehouse. Also try some of the meat wholesalers that may still be around in the wholesale district at the corner of NY and Fla Aves.

[xdcx]

dredging up an old post of people looking now. best I found now is restaurant depot. it's about $2.50 a pound. it's not open to the public, but if you're a member of KCBS you can get day pass any time you want.

[MikeR]

What's KCBS?

[xdcx]

Kansas City Barbeque Society
http://www.kcbs.us/

[MikeR]

Oh, that KCBS. Who would have thunk that you can get a day pass to Restaurant Depot from them. Or even that there was such as thing as a day pass?

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Restaurant Depot
1032 Hampton Park Blvd, Capitol Heights, MD 20743

[Antonio Montana]

i am in the business and would never purchase beef from restaurant depot. its mostly select grade meat and the place is so badly organized i doubt they are following FIFO.
they are fine for bread and produce, though.

[MikeR]

You can't make good BBQ from beef that's too good. But the Latin markets usually have brisket at a decent price and you don't need a membership card.

[xdcx]

everything I've bought from them has been ungraded angus. It's also cooked a lot faster than select and choice packers that I've gotten from others leading me to believe that it's a higher quality.

[lhpangler]

Believe it or not... COSTCO has a great butcher.... Most of the big pork cuts and brisket is not sodium injected.... If I can't find a local guy, I always hit costco. If you want to do top round, just ask the butcher at costco and he will sell you the whole thing for 2.99 a pound,

[chowser]

I was going to suggest Costco, too. Surprisingly good and inexpensive.

[jonny276]

Costco does have a great butcher. However, for brisket, at least the Pentagon City location only sells the trimmed flat cut. On the other hand, they're where I buy my pork shoulders for smoking (cryovac'd, 2 per pack).

[GeezerGourmet]

I've recently bought two from The Organic Butcher in McLean. So fresh they were not even cryovac'd. Trimmed, but still with lots of fat, one at 12 lbs and the other at 9.5. Locally raised and high quality. Pricy too, but you get what you pay for, which is not always the case on things labeled organic.

[tfbrennan]

Wegman's has them.

[Manassas64]

I bought it from Wegmans to make Ina Garten's chili recipe.

[Hue]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/391910

This is an older post looking for the same thing!!!

[bkatzo]

You may also want to try Let's Meat On the Avenue in Del Ray. I've bought brisket from them a few times before and I don't recall them ever being trimmed.

[MikeR]

Have you tried a Bestway market?

[tommyskitchen]

I second this recommendation - You may also try Eastern Market, but you may have to special order so it isn't trimmed to look good in the display case.

[monkeyrotica]

Third Bestway. They're usually a few cents cheaper per pound than El Grande.

[xdcx]

el grande in springfield always have a bunch that are untrimmed and have the flat and point intact.