Brisket Choice

[robs]

Choices:

A. Half flat, Choice grade, $3.59/lb. I believe half flats are flats  that have been cut in half the long way. So 2 half flats per whole brisket.

B. Whole brisket (point & flat), Select grade, $1.54/lb

I've been going with A. I'm switching to B.

Discuss.

[BigSmoker]

I use to do only flats until I realized the whole thing was cheaper than the flats.  I seperate the point from the flat before I smoke it.  The point can be smoked on top of the flat to keep the flat moist and basted.  The flat also makes great ground beef it your into grinding your own.  If you continue to cook the point after the flat is done it makes some great burnt ends :P.

[iceman]

If you continue to cook the point after the flat is done it makes some great burnt ends :P.

A man after my own heart. The last time I made corned beef I set the points aside and tossed them in the smoker and did just that. It's sort of my treat for cooking! :P :)

[owrstrich]

my choice would be choice... i just dont care for select when choice is available...

i also like the burned ends all chopped up...

you gotta eat...

owrstrich

[robs]

I just had to try the select grade for that price. I'm about 1/3 way through the smoke, so I'll post the results soon.

[Oldman]

Select can run from 1.79 to 2.29 here. Choice is from 2.59 to 2.89 (Black Angus.) I will stick with paying another 10.00 for a great piece of brisket. This is not saying you cannot get a boarder line choice that is labled select.

However, once you get an upper utility brisket that is marked Select and you have spent hours smokin' it you will either stop smokin' brisket or go back to a good labled choice.

Good luck that the select you got is really an upper end product.

Olds

[icerat4]

I did the brisket per olds way .And it was a sams club choise flat.And it was great.I also did the select one and that was not good at all.Meat class 101 ya get what ya pay for.Cheap is cheap.So buck up and have a smile heeee  ;D.Never be cheap when it comes to  feeding your self.Lol ;) :D

[robs]

The brisket turned out very good. I'll try it again to see if I can duplicate the results.

Maybe I'm just a realy good cook.
;)

[SmokinScott]

I know i have read this before but how does the grades of meat go Select being the lowest and Prime the best or what.

[icerat4]

Here ya go.






Points to Consider
Wholesomeness...quality...nutritive value...cost... convenience...and informative labeling are some of the points to consider when making meat purchase decisions.

Also consider the amount of meat that can be stored in the freezer, the amount of raw meat that can be used within a few days of purchase, and the kinds of cuts and quality preferred.

Wholesomeness
All meat processed in plants which sell their products across State lines must, under Federal law, be inspected for wholesomeness by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. This mandatory inspection program is paid for by tax dollars. Many States
operate their own inspection program for plants that produce meat for sale within State lines. These programs must be certified by USDA as equal to the Federal program. Federal and State inspectors supervise the cleanliness and operating procedures of meat packing and processing plants to make sure meat is not contaminated or adulterated.

Meat that has passed Federal inspection for wholesomeness is stamped with a round purple mark, "U.S. INSP'D & P'S'D." The mark is put on carcasses and major cuts, so it might not appear on such cuts as roasts and steaks. However, meat that is packaged in an inspected facility will have an inspection legend which identifies the plant on the label.



Labeling for Safety
Meat inspection procedures are designed to minimize the likelihood of harmful bacteria being present in meat products. However, some bacteria could be present and could become a problem if the meat is not handled properly. That's why it's important to handle meat properly during storage and preparation. USDA requires that safe handling and cooking instructions be put on all packages of raw meat. This includes any meat product not considered "ready to eat."

Safe Handling Instructions: This product was inspected for your safety. Some animal products may contain bacteria that could cause illeness if the product is mishandled or cooked improperly. For your protection, follow these safe handling instructions. Keep refrigerated or frozen. Thaw in refrigerator or microwave. Keep raw (meats or poultry) separate from other foods. Wash working surfaces (including cutting boards), untensils, and hands after touching raw (meat or poultry). Cook thoroughly. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.


Processed meat products that are considered "ready-to-eat" -- such as hot dogs, luncheon meats, or canned ham -- are also perishable. They should be refrigerated and handled with care to prevent spoilage.

Information about meat inspection and safety should be directed to USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline. The national toll free number is 800-535-4555. In the Washington, DC, area, call (202) 720-3333.

Nutritive Value
Meat is a source of protein, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. Fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol are also present in all meat; the amount varies depending on the species, the cut of meat, and the amount of marbling (fat) that is distributed within the lean. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on each individual product label to learn about the nutrient content of that food and how it fits into an overall daily diet. The Nutrition Facts panel must appear on all processed meat products, while its use is voluntary on single-ingredient raw meat.

Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of getting certain diseases and to help maintain a healthy weight. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests choosing a diet containing 30 percent or less of calories from fat, and less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids. Also, some health authorities suggest that dietary cholesterol be limited to an average of 300 milligrams or less per day.

The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 2 to 3 servings each day of food from the meat group, the equivalent of 5 to 7 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish. Count as a serving 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, about the size of an average hamburger or a deck of playing cards.

Tips: Buy lean cuts of meat, those with less marbling (fat) distributed within the lean. Most of the visible fat is trimmed before meat is sold to consumers, and any remaining visible fat can be trimmed off. Ground beef can contain variable amounts of fat. To reduce fat in cooked meats, broil, roast, bake, simmer, or microwave meat rather than fry. Drain and discard any fat that accumulates during cooking. Organ meats are high in cholesterol and should only be eaten occasionally. When you select cuts of meat with a higher fat content, balance your fat intake by choosing other foods that are low in fat.

Fat Content of Typical Retail Meat Products

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Selected meat products

3 ounces  Total fat

(grams)  Saturated fatty acids

(grams)  Cholesterol

(milligrams)  Calories

(Kcal) 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beef eye of round, roasted, 1/4" trim

lean only
USDA Select 3 1 59 136
USDA Choice 5 2 59 149

lean and fat
USDA Select 10 4 61 184
USDA Choice 12 5 62 205

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beef ribeye steak, broiled, 0" trim

lean only 
USDA Select 7 3 68 168
USDA Choice 10 4 68 191

lean and fat
USDA Select 17 7 70  242
USDA Choice  19 8 70  265

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground beef patty, cooked

extra lean  14 5  71 215
regular 17 7  76 245

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pork center loin, roasted

lean only 8  3 67 150
lean and fat  11  4 68  180

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beef liver, braised 4  2  331  135

Quality
Quite apart from the wholesomeness of meat is its quality -- its tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Consumers can be assured of always getting the quality of meat they expect by looking for the USDA grade shield on raw meat packages. The shield-shaped USDA grade mark is a guide to the quality of meat. It's also your assurance that the meat is wholesome because only meat that has first passed inspection for wholesomeness may be graded. USDA's quality grading program is voluntary and paid for by user fees.

USDA's Meat Grading Program
USDA has quality grades for beef, veal, lamb, yearling mutton, and mutton. It also has yield grades for beef, pork, and lamb. Although there are USDA quality grades for pork, these do not carry through to the retail level as do the grades for other kinds of meat.

USDA meat grades are based on nationally uniform Federal standards of quality. They are applied by experienced USDA graders, who are routinely checked by supervisors who travel throughout the country to make sure that all graders are interpreting and applying the standards in a uniform manner. A USDA Choice rib roast, for example, must have met the same grade criteria no matter where or when you buy it.

When meat is graded, a shield-shaped purple mark is stamped on the carcass. With today's close trimming at the retail level, however, you may not see the USDA grade shield on meat cuts at the store. Instead, retailers put stickers with the USDA grade shield on individual packages of meat. In addition, grade shields and inspection legends may appear on bags containing larger wholesale cuts.



Using USDA Meat Grades
Since many cuts of meat -- such as steaks, chops, and roasts -- are labeled with a USDA grade, you don't have to be a meat expert to identify the quality you want.

Just look in the meat counter or case until you find the cut you want. Then, look for the USDA quality shield on the package to make sure you're getting the quality you want.

Some meat counters may contain meat that isn't USDA graded. Instead, it may be labeled with a company's private quality label or sold without a grade. Where this occurs, you will need to become familiar with the purchase specifications of each company to be sure of the quality you are buying.

Sometimes a store will advertise that it sells USDA-graded meat, but the individual packages don't bear a USDA grade shield. When this happens, you can ask to see some of the boxes of untrimmed wholesale cuts to determine if the meat has actually been graded by USDA and what the quality is.

Buying Beef
Regardless of their quality grade, some cuts of meat are naturally more tender than others. Cuts from the less-used muscles along the back of the animal -- the rib and loin sections -- will always be more tender than those from the more active muscles such as the shoulder, flank, and leg.

Since the most tender cuts make up only a small proportion of a beef or lamb carcass, they are in greatest demand and usually command a higher price than other cuts.

Each USDA beef quality grade is a measure of a distinct level of quality -- and it takes eight grades to span the range. They are USDA Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner.

USDA Prime, Choice, Select, and Standard grades come from younger beef. The highest grade, USDA Prime, is used mostly by hotels and restaurants, but a small amount is sold at retail markets. The grade most widely sold at retail is USDA Choice. However, consumer preference for leaner beef has increased the popularity of the Select grade of beef. Select grade can now be found at most meat counters.

Standard and Commercial grade beef frequently is sold as ungraded or as "brand name" meat.

The three lower grades -- USDA Utility, Cutter, and Canner -- are seldom, if ever, sold at retail but are used instead to make ground beef and manufactured meat items such as frankfurters.

Following are photographs of rib steaks in the top three beef grades, together with a description of the level of quality that can be expected in each of these grades.

USDA Prime: Prime grade beef is the ultimate in tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. It has abundant marbling -- flecks of fat within the lean -- which enhances both flavor and juiciness. Prime roasts and steaks are unexcelled for dry-heat cooking (roasting and broiling).



USDA Choice: Choice grade beef has less marbling than Prime, but is of very high quality. Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender, juicy, and flavorful and are, like Prime, suited to dry-heat cooking. Many of the less tender cuts, such as those from the rump, round, and blade chuck, can also be cooked with dry heat.



USDA Select: Select grade beef is very uniform in quality and somewhat leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but, because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades. Only the tender cuts should be cooked with dry heat. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or cooked with moisture to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor.



Buying Lamb
Lamb is produced from animals less than a year old. Since the quality of lamb varies according to the age of the animal, it is advisable to buy lamb that has been USDA-graded.

USDA Prime: Prime grade lamb is very high in tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. It has moderate marbling, which enhances both flavor and juiciness. Prime chops and roasts are excellent for dry-heat cooking (broiling and roasting).

USDA Choice: Choice grade lamb has slightly less marbling than Prime, but still is of very high quality. Choice chops and roasts also are very tender, juicy, and flavorful and suited to dry-heat cooking. Lower grades of lamb and mutton (USDA Good, Utility, and Cull) are seldom marked with the grade if sold at retail.

Most cuts of USDA Prime and Choice lamb -- including shoulder cuts -- are tender and can be oven roasted, broiled, or pan broiled. A leg of lamb graded Choice or Prime, for example, is delectable when oven roasted.

The less tender cuts -- the breast, riblets, neck, and shank -- can be braised slowly to make excellent (and tender) lamb dishes.

Meat from older sheep is called yearling mutton or mutton and, if it is graded, these words will be stamped on the meat along with the shield-shaped grade mark. Grades for yearling mutton and mutton are the same as for lamb, except that mutton does not qualify for the Prime grade and the Cull grade applies only to mutton.

Buying Pork
Like lamb, pork is generally produced from young animals and is, therefore, less variable in tenderness than beef. However, there is another reason why pork is less variable. Producers have responded to consumer demand by actually changing their feeding and management programs. They've even changed the genetic makeup of their breeding stock to consistently produce leaner carcasses. Also, most visible fat is trimmed off at the processing plant. Because of these changes, today's fresh pork products have considerably less fat than they did just a decade ago.

Because of this consistency, USDA grades for pork reflect only two levels of quality -- Acceptable and Unacceptable. Acceptable quality pork is also graded for yield, i.e., the yield ratio of lean to waste. Unacceptable quality pork -- which includes meat that is soft and watery -- is graded U.S. Utility.

In buying pork, look for cuts with a relatively small amount of fat over the outside and with meat that is firm and grayish pink color. For best flavor and tenderness, meat should have a small amount of marbling.

The Versatility of Pork
Pork's consistency makes it suitable for a variety of cooking styles. However, like beef and lamb, the cut affects the cooking method. Following are some of the more popular pork cuts and suggested methods of cooking:

Pork chops come in a variety of cuts -- center loin, rib chops, sirloin chops, boneless or bone-in. They can be prepared by pan broiling, grilling, baking, braising, or sauteing. Thin chops (1/4 - 3/8 inch) are best sauteed. Boneless chops cook more quickly than bone-in chops.

Ribs are available as spareribs, back ribs, and country-style ribs. Spareribs come from the belly portion, while back ribs and country-style ribs come from the loin. All three styles can be braised or roasted in the oven or on the barbecue grill. Slow cooking yields the most tender and flavorful results.

Tenderloins are considered to be the most tender and tasty cut of pork. Extremely lean, tenderloins can be roasted whole, cut into cubes for kabobs or into strips for stir-fry, and sliced for scaloppine or medallions.




This should help.Like i say spend a few bucks more and enjoy.Ya only live once why skimp.

[SmokinScott]

thanks for the info icerat.  I always get confused on the Choice or Select.

[BigSmoker]

Glad it turned out good :P.  Didn't notice the packer was select grade.  Like Olds said sometimes you get lucky but most times ya don't.  Stick with the choice when ever avaliable ;).

[robs]

Thanks for the book report icerat.
;)

[robs]

Thanks for everyone's replys. I think I knew the answer before I posted. This addiction is just getting expensive...

[icerat4]

na robs think of it as the boat pit. ;D ;D now thats going to be money.