After seeing some mentions of American Wagyu brisket showing up at Costco, I made a trip to my local store today. There were only a half-dozen USDA Choice briskets in the meat case, so I asked the meat department manager if he would be getting any American Wagyu briskets in. He told me that he had never seen American Wagyu briskets in his store, and he’d been there 5 years.
I pointed to the brisket case and noted that there were only a few USDA Choice in stock. “I may have a few Prime briskets in the back; what are you looking for?” I told him I preferred smaller full packers in the 10-12 pound range with the thickest flats possible. “Let me check what I have and I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.” So, I browsed the meat cases while he looked.
Interestingly enough, there was very little USDA Prime product in the cases and he later explained that they are having a hard time sourcing Prime. He didn’t know why.
A few minutes later, I saw him wave at me from the glassed-in meat-cutting area and point to a stocker employee rolling a cart with a large box on it. I waited while the stocker opened the case and started tossing briskets into the nearly-empty meat case. They were all USDA Prime! And, there were a half-dozen full packers in my desired size! I picked up two very nice Prime briskets; one 10 pounds and one 9-1/2 pounds; both had decent flats and relatively small fat caps/pockets.
Not American Wagyu, but decently marbled and configured USDA Prime briskets
So, the lesson for the day is “Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find.” Had I not sought out the meat department manager and asked, I would not have found a couple of nice USDA Prime briskets in my preferred size—and, at $4.49 a pound.
I pointed to the brisket case and noted that there were only a few USDA Choice in stock. “I may have a few Prime briskets in the back; what are you looking for?” I told him I preferred smaller full packers in the 10-12 pound range with the thickest flats possible. “Let me check what I have and I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.” So, I browsed the meat cases while he looked.
Interestingly enough, there was very little USDA Prime product in the cases and he later explained that they are having a hard time sourcing Prime. He didn’t know why.
A few minutes later, I saw him wave at me from the glassed-in meat-cutting area and point to a stocker employee rolling a cart with a large box on it. I waited while the stocker opened the case and started tossing briskets into the nearly-empty meat case. They were all USDA Prime! And, there were a half-dozen full packers in my desired size! I picked up two very nice Prime briskets; one 10 pounds and one 9-1/2 pounds; both had decent flats and relatively small fat caps/pockets.
Not American Wagyu, but decently marbled and configured USDA Prime briskets
So, the lesson for the day is “Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find.” Had I not sought out the meat department manager and asked, I would not have found a couple of nice USDA Prime briskets in my preferred size—and, at $4.49 a pound.
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