How to beat high cost of brisket
Brisket House’s lower price comes via Upper Choice grade and sale of other meats
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for Texas barbecue fans. The quality of Texas barbecue has never been better. Premium meats seasoned and smoked to perfection are widely available throughout the state.
And yet, it comes at a cost. Literally.
The one complaint I consistently hear about the rise of “craft” barbecue is the rise in prices that has come with it.
The bellwether of Texas barbecue economics is the price of brisket per pound. When I wrote about the rising cost of beef a few years ago, I estimated that the average brisket price in Houston was $15 per pound. Today, I’d suggest that number is about $18.
Why the increase? There are many explanations, but mainly I think that top barbecue joints have committed to serving only the best Primegrade brisket, which is pricier than lower grades such as Select or Choice.
As hard-core barbecue fans demand higherquality products, some barbecue joints respond with higher prices. Most of these fans don’t mind paying upwards of $100 for an overflowing, Instagram-worthy tray of barbecue. Plus, they are supporting small momand-pop businesses by paying a premium over what some of the larger chain restaurants might charge. It’s a win-win.
Still, there’s a huge market of barbecue lovers who don’t require the best, most expensive smoked meats every time they go out to lunch. And there are plenty of joints serving good barbecue at a lower cost for that market.
Less common is a barbecue joint that is able to balance the bestquality product with less expensive prices. Such is the case with The Brisket House.
Owner and pitmaster Wayne Kammerl is a restaurant-industry veteran. The Brisket House is regularly listed as a top 10 barbecue joint in Houston yet charges only $16 per pound for brisket. How does he do it?
First, Kammerl understands his audience; most of his customers are regulars who return every week. They expect to get a good value for their loyal patronage. But he also gets his share of barbecue fanatics who demand only the best product.
In effect, he splits the difference by serving an Upper Choice grade of brisket. This is technically a slightly lower grade than Prime, but in my experience it is indistinguishable from Prime when cooked by an experienced pitmaster such as Kammerl. It’s 20 to 30 cents less per pound than Prime to acquire as raw product, too.
Kammerl also manages his sales mix differently than other barbecue joints. He estimates that 50 percent of his meat sales are brisket while 50 percent are other meats, including pork ribs, turkey and sausage. This is important because his profit margin on the latter meats is significantly higher than on brisket. By promoting and selling more meat with a higher profit margin, he subsidizes the smaller profit margin on his brisket. He estimates that other high-profile joints have a 60-40 sales mix, requiring they sell brisket at a higher cost per pound.
Still, Kammerl may be facing a price increase. Brisket prices have spiked over the past few months, mainly because of increased demand in the summer barbecue season but also from increased demand from overseas markets. Texas barbecue has become an international phenomenon with fans in Europe and Asia demanding only the tip-top-quality American beef.
Even with a potential small price increase, The Brisket House will remain one of the best-value joints in Houston. That’s good news for Kammerl’s loyal customers as well as for the hard-core barbecue fanatic like myself who occasionally just wants some high-quality ’cue at a reasonable price.