The Texas BBQ Forum

We have been competing in mostly local competitions for the past 5 years. We would like to 'step it up' a bit & start hitting some larger competitions. I've been looking into wagyu briskets, but see that they are more marbled than 'regular' ones. This would change our cooking time (we cook low 'n slow) I guess. How do we calculate cook time? Sure hate to experiment on $100 briskets!! What about Black Angus? Is the cooking different for these, too? Anybody out there have opinions on angus vs wagyu for taste? We have quite a few 1st place trophies for our briskets & I generally say if it ain't broke don't fix it, but hubby wants to try a better brisket.

Not for me....If you have no experience with these two meats you WILL ruin them!!!.... ......All I cook is USDA Prime Grade Briskets.....Im a 3rd Generation Texas Beef Cattle Raiser......and Certified Angus to me is nothin more than a huge Marketing gimmick to try and promote a perticular breed of Cattle.......not quality of beef........I have found over the years that a Choice or Prime grade brisket will win any given cook off anywhere....Just My .02...

Welcome to the forum Pittsin' in the Wind.
I will throw a little kicker in the whole "We need to get better briskets". I have seen HEB Select briskets tear Wagyus apart. My son-in-law cooks Wagyus and at a comp in Baytown an HEB select beat him out. lol
My advice is if your brisket hits in the smaller cook offs then give it a whirl in a larger one just to see how it goes.

3 star redneck wrote:Not for me....If you have no experience with these two meats you WILL ruin them!!!.... ......All I cook is USDA Prime Grade Briskets.....Im a 3rd Generation Texas Beef Cattle Raiser......and Certified Angus to me is nothin more than a huge Marketing gimmick to try and promote a perticular breed of Cattle.......not quality of beef........I have found over the years that a Choice or Prime grade brisket will win any given cook off anywhere....Just My .02...

I agree on the certified angus being a gimmick. Back when we had our farm the hot thing was Charolet cattle. They were supposed to be the big deal in France because they were so lean. About all I remember was they were an extremely angry cow and liked to tear up barns fences cars anything they could kick or smash their friggn head against. Heck we ate many Holsteins and Herefords and they are all just as good as the next it's 99.9% up to the cook how it tastes.

If you already are getting 1st place calls then dont fix what aint broke. Redneck wins with prime I win with ibp select,

I just got some akaiashi beef recently and ran one for practice. A bit more fat is really all I noticed. Like someone told me, brisket is still a tough cut..I wouldn't buy one again for the cost. Got an extra one of you wanna buy it:grin:

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Thanks to all of you for the interesting, quick answers. Maybe we'll stick with what's already been winning!
Anybody out there know where I could find a calendar of cook-offs? All I can find is for sanctioned COs. I know there has to be a lot of Fire Dept., VFW's, town festival cook-offs, etc.
I'd also like to add our local ones to a list, whereever it is.
thanks!

Pittsin' in the Wind wrote:Thanks to all of you for the interesting, quick answers. Maybe we'll stick with what's already been winning!
Anybody out there know where I could find a calendar of cook-offs? All I can find is for sanctioned COs. I know there has to be a lot of Fire Dept., VFW's, town festival cook-offs, etc.
I'd also like to add our local ones to a list, whereever it is.
thanks!

Try the Goat Gap Gazette.....they print a lot of Bubba Q's and chilli cook offs.....I personally dont cook ant Bubba Q;s..

My dad has quite a few cattle he takes to the auction as well... and I'll just throw this question out for you and it should tell you all you need to know about the "angus" label.

Do you know what characteristic the auction uses to classify a cow as "angus" (which sells at a higher rate by the way)?

** The cow must be black... THAT IS IT.**

So, if you believe black cows taste better than the rest regardless of their breed or diet. By all means buy the meat that came from the black ones.

... that being said if selects, choice or prime works for you go for it. I just wouldnt hang my hat on the "angus" label.

The color doesn't matter as long as you get the brisket from the right half of the cow which is on the right!!!

you know what they say, "once you go black, there's no going back:

Think I may just stick with what we've been winning with for brisket. How about pork? Anybody out there have sources/ideas on where to find top-notch ribs?