TYLER, Texas — These nice temperatures we've seen are the perfect weather for smoking some brisket, but buyers beware - prices for that cookout are getting smoky high. UT Tyler marketing professor Dr. Kerri Camp said the reason is last summer's drought.
At Bodacious BBQ in Tyler orders are coming in just as fast as the meat is going out.
"Everybody likes barbecue on the weekends. People pick it up on Friday and it lasts the whole weekend and then refill on Monday," said Bodacious BBQ general manager Sydney McConnell.
But what nobody likes are the increased prices of beef. McConnell said on average the cost of buying meat for the restaurant has gone up 45 to 65 percent. Since the pandemic, they’ve only had to increase their menu prices by a couple of dollars.
"We’re looking at some pretty high prices with brisket," Camp said. "(The drought forced) ranchers to have to bend their herds a little bit which meant that we have the lowest supply of beef cattle in 50 years...as well as if you’re cooking your own brisket in your backyard, you’re going to see a high cost at the grocery store."
At The Country Meat Market in Tyler they eat, live, and breathe brisket. Supervisor Tom Koehler said they sell up to 300 pounds of brisket in one week.
"We’re finding that there are many more ways to eat it than ever thought before, many more ways to present it."
Just like Bodacious BBQ, The Country Meat Market is presenting a menu at a reasonable price. The store's meat comes from a farm in Nebraska.
"The fact that it’s raised for us there is more of a supply issue. That we have a very steady supply of very high-quality beef," Koehler said.
If you see a good deal on beef, Camp said take advantage of it before the smoke goes out.
"Either cook it now or put it in the freezer, because these costs are supposed to be with us for a little bit longer," Camp said.
Both businesses say they aren't feeling an impact to profits thanks to a loyal customer base.