How Much is Brisket Per Pound? (and how much per person?)

Written by Jeff Campbell in Meat & Poultry

Brisket is considered the best of all the BBQ options. But it’s not cheap, so you don’t want to over-order and end up with way too much. So when you’re budgeting for your next gathering, how much is brisket per pound?

As a general rule, expect to pay between $4-6 per pound for uncooked brisket. Brisket that has been trimmed of excess fat will be more per pound. Also, expect to pay more for USDA Prime or Wagyu.

And how much is ideal per person?

We’ll find out about brisket, how much it’s sold for at Costco, and whether it’s worth it to buy Prime-grade brisket.

These and other related questions are what we’ll explore in the next few paragraphs.

Let’s get into it.

Looking for the best brisket (and beef, chicken, or pork) and unhappy with what your local store has?

Now thanks to FarmFoodsMarket, you can get 100% grass-fed steaks delivered right to your door.

Once you try it, you’ll be astounded at how much better the quality is! Imagine the taste of that grass-fed brisket fresh off your smoker!

Enjoy 10% off your first order with code WELCOME on FarmFoodsMarket.com!

No doubt you’ve seen FarmFoodsMarket raved about by Forbes and The Washington Post. Now it’s your turn!

Just chose the brisket that’s right for you, or their value pack combination boxes; beef, chicken, or the best of both. Flash-frozen and vacuum-sealed means it will be farm fresh whenever you’re ready!

With every purchase, you support building a better food system for the animals, the planet, and us. Humanly raised and processed.

CLICK HERE to see the brisket and all their amazing offerings on their website.

Understanding the different types of brisket

A brisket is a cut of meat from the lower breast of a cow.

It is located just below the shoulder and consists of “the flat” and “the point”. It is a tough piece of meat because it has a lot of connective tissue and is well-exercised.

Low heat and slow cooking are employed to make it tender and flavorful.

A full brisket is called a whole packer brisket. It is the superficial and deep pectoral muscles of a cow and has a layer of fat called the fat cap (the chest area of a cow).

It consists of two overlapping muscles, the flat or the first cut, and another part, the second cut or the point or the deckle.

The flat is the thinner part, while the point is the thicker, fattier portion.

A brisket can be large, sometimes weighing 10 to 14 pounds! The flat is big and has a relatively uniform shape, while the point is small and is not as uniform. But it has a high-fat content.

A brisket has a large amount of connective tissue and collagen, both make it chewier. The deckle is well-marbled, making it ideal for smoking.

Because brisket is tough, it’s cheaper than steak or tenderloin, as it has to be cooked for a long time to tenderize it. Texas-styled barbecue, pastrami, and corned beef are some popular brisket dishes.

How much does brisket cost per pound?

Let’s examine all the different options and prices for raw, uncooked brisket:

  • USDA Select Whole Packer Brisket – $3.00/lb
  • USDA Choice Whole Packer Brisket – $4.00/lb
  • Trimmed Flat Brisket – $5.00/lb.
  • Trimmed Point Brisket – $6.00/lb.
  • USDA Prime Whole Packer Brisket – $4.50/lb
  • Grass-Fed Whole Packer Brisket – $5.50/lb
  • Wagyu Prime Whole Packer Brisket – $8.25/lb. 

But the price of brisket changes with the season. For example, during summer, when it’s barbecue season, expect a higher price.

Brisket cost may go up by about $0.50 because of increased demand. Interestingly, this is also the time stores usually offer sales. The price could drop below $2, especially at places like Walmart.

Of course, where you are in the country will also impact prices.

Whole-packer brisket tends to cost less than flat-cut brisket, which is sold separately. This is because any part that leads to waste usually attracts higher prices.

If you’d rather pay a lower price (who wouldn’t?), you may want to consider buying from warehouse clubs or your local butcher, or you could buy during the off-season. You can also opt for a cheap cut of meat or buy an entire brisket.

Like most products, the higher the quality, the higher the price. The high demand for brisket has risen considerably, which has led to price increases.

In recent times, a large number of people have fallen in love with briskets.

They are smoked at home, and they’re used in making hamburgers and corned beef and are available at barbecue restaurants. But there’s only a limited supply!

One of the primary factors for the limited supply is the effect of drought and the lockdown on cattle farming. It’s not just brisket cuts that have grown more expensive; it’s beef prices in general.

Before you buy, an important factor to bear in mind is if you need much brisket or whether a small quantity will do. It’s also good to know that you’ll lose a part of it when you trim the excess fat and during the cooking process.

And also because meat contains a lot of water.

So, be sure to buy the quantity that will be adequate, even after the loss. You may want to go for a whole-packer brisket. You’ll lose almost half of the brisket!

Of course, it depends on the purpose. If it’s for a few people, you don’t want to buy a lot only to end up with pounds of brisket you don’t need and have no desire to store!

Not sure how to pick a good brisket?

Interestingly, this is the theme of a recent article I published. In it, I shared riveting info about brisket, such as what a good brisket looks like, which cut is the best, and whether Prime or Choice brisket is better.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

How much is brisket at Costco per pound?

As of the time of writing, Costco brisket goes for $5.49 per pound for Prime whole brisket and $11.99 for Choice flat-cut brisket.

This may have changed by the time you’re ready to buy. But I don’t think the difference will be much.

One of the key attractions of Costco is the massive bargains.

Here, beef brisket prices are ultra-reasonable. You’ll often get higher-grade beef at Costco at a 20% discount relative to what you will have to pay at your local grocery store.

For example, prime brisket at Costco sells for 20% less than what you will pay for Choice grade or Select grade at your local grocery store! In other words, you’ll be paying less for more.

The following is usually what’s on offer at Costco: 

  • USDA Choice Commodity Beef Brisket with 18 lb weight on average
  • USDA Choice Beef Brisket Flat with 8 lb weight on average
  • USDA Prime Commodity Beef Brisket with 14 lb weight on average

Buying Prime-grade brisket at Costco is smart. It’s even better than buying from some online meat and grocery stores that could cost you twice what you’ll pay at Costco.

How much is already smoked brisket per pound at restaurants?

You will find already smoked brisket per pound going for about $25 to $35 at a barbecue restaurant. 

But it can be higher in some barbecue joints! It turns out that the days when we saw brisket as one of the cheapest cuts of meat are probably over.

It’s very expensive! Yes, it is.

In a previous section, we’ve already explored why the price of raw briskets has soared in recent times. As you know, restaurants incur additional expenses to prepare smoked briskets. And they also have indirect overheads.

While seafood or pasta dishes take some minutes to prepare, smoked briskets take a lot of time. In some cases, they take over 10 hours to be ready! A lot goes into preparing smoked briskets.

Now, you can understand why it’s joined the rank of expensive meats.

In the past, the brisket wasn’t one of the beloved parts of a steer. It was often used for ground beef. Now, it’s enjoyed with a selection of savory side dishes.

How much brisket per person should you serve?

A general rule of thumb is to plan to serve each person about ½ a pound of smoked brisket. 

For young people or small children, ¼ or ¾ per person may be ideal. But it’s okay to plan to serve ½ a pound per person.

You might be wondering if it’s a good thing to buy much raw brisket. Based on the potential loss, it’s better to buy a larger brisket, so that you’re sure you can accommodate everybody.

As you know, briskets require a long cooking time. So, it’s not something you can quickly whip up in case you need more. If you’ll prepare it yourself, it’s best to buy a pound of brisket per person because, as we learned earlier, you’ll lose about ½. So, plan to buy 1 pound of raw brisket per person.

Now, if you’ve ever wondered how to make steak tender, check out a recent article on my site.

In it, I shared what makes a good tenderizer, why your steak is tough and chewy, and whether cooking beef longer makes it tender, and I also offered 11 simple tips to make meat tender.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Do you save money buying a pre-trimmed brisket?

The price differential between trimmed and untrimmed brisket is negligible. So, you’re not saving something substantial either way.

If you know how to trim brisket very well, you may want to do it yourself. Otherwise, you’ll probably be better off buying one that’s pre-trimmed. At least, you’ll save yourself time and won’t run the risk of trimming it too much.

Trimming brisket yourself can be tricky as there’s a need to find a sweet spot between leaving too much fat and eventually eating something a tad rubbery or cutting off too much fat and ending up with an overly dry brisket!

Is Wagyu brisket worth the extra cost? 

Yes, Wagyu brisket is worth the extra cost. It is highly marbled, which counteracts the drying of the meat while it’s being smoked. It’s also graded Prime by the USDA.

Wagyu is originally Japanese, so the grading system is a little bit different from what’s used by the USDA.

When it’s graded BMS 9, it’s a step higher than Prime, quality-wise.

It’s known for its intense flavor, fat, and tenderness. And it contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart. The below depicts how Japanese Wagyu is classified.

  • Japanese Black
  • Japanese Brown
  • Japanese Polled (not bred outside of Japan)
  • Japanese Shorthorn (not bred outside of Japan)

Japanese Wagyu is not currently being imported. What we have were imported in the 80s and 90s. Only a few ranches breed 100 percent Japanese Wagyu. So, American Wagyu is a breed of the former American Angus or Hereford.

Snake River Farms offer the best quality Wagyu in the states.

They carefully manage their cattle in a manner that brings them pretty close in quality to their Japanese ancestors. They offer two grades of Wagyu: premium Gold Grade that has a BMS of 9+ and Black Grade.

Because Wagyu is highly marbled, you’ll need to trim it and also be patient when preparing it, as it will take a long time to render the fat down.

It’s believed to be the “secret weapon” of Myron Mixon, a 4-time World Barbecue Champion. Some seasoned smokers believe that Wagyu is the best brisket one can buy.

Ready to smoke a perfect brisket every time?

Check out this recent article on my other website that walks you through the brisket smoking process step-by-step. Just click that link to read it on my site.

Is Prime brisket worth the extra cost?

Yes, Prime brisket is worth the extra cost. It’s tender, flavorful, and juicier. It takes less time to prepare to boot. It’s ideal if you want great brisket.

As you know, Prime is the highest when we consider beef grades.

Beef is graded based on the degree of intramuscular fat and the age of the carcass when it was slaughtered. It’s no accident that Prime is number one on the list seeing as it’s produced from young, well-fed cattle.

It’s highly marbled, making it tender and flavorful. You can make good brisket with Choice, but if you want to take it up a notch, prime cuts are the way to go.

You’ve probably wondered how grocery stores keep meat fresh. 

You have, right? Find out in a recent article I published, where I shared how long grocery stores keep meat and how butchers keep meat fresh.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Conclusion

In the article, we started by understanding what briskets are.

Then, we moved on to how much they cost per pound, and we considered the cost of already-smoked briskets and the ideal serving per person. We also looked at whether you save money buying pre-trimmed brisket.

And we wrapped things up by looking at whether Prime brisket and Wagyu brisket are worth the extra cost.

Looking for the best brisket (and beef, chicken, or pork) and unhappy with what your local store has?

Now thanks to FarmFoodsMarket, you can get 100% grass-fed steaks delivered right to your door.

Once you try it, you’ll be astounded at how much better the quality is! Imagine the taste of that grass-fed brisket fresh off your smoker!

Enjoy 10% off your first order with code WELCOME on FarmFoodsMarket.com!

No doubt you’ve seen FarmFoodsMarket raved about by Forbes and The Washington Post. Now it’s your turn!

Just chose the brisket that’s right for you, or their value pack combination boxes; beef, chicken, or the best of both. Flash-frozen and vacuum-sealed means it will be farm fresh whenever you’re ready!

With every purchase, you support building a better food system for the animals, the planet, and us. Humanly raised and processed.

CLICK HERE to see the brisket and all their amazing offerings on their website.

Image by Greg Reese from Pixabay

Jeff Campbell

Hi! I'm Jeff Campbell. I was a leader for Whole Foods Market for over 2 decades. I worked in 9 stores in 4 states, not counting the hundred-plus stores I've assisted in other ways. I was a Global All-Star, a Gold Pen Winner, and won Top-10 Store (company-wide) 3 times in addition to Best New Store (company-wide).

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