Where do you buy your meat?

zzzippper · May 30, 2009, 02:01:55 PM

Do you prefer a dedicated butcher shop or is the meat from the standard grocery store just as good?

Habanero Smoker · May 30, 2009, 02:06:36 PM

Butcher shops are almost non-existent in my area. I purchase from a couple of place. I almost always get my butts and ribs from Sam's. Then there is an IGA nearby that always has good meat, and then I go to the major chains in my area such as Price Chopper and Shop Rite.

Caneyscud · May 30, 2009, 03:05:20 PM

Ditto, about the butcher shops. There is one meat company, I buy my clods from, and some small sections of spares, and a big chuckie, but everything else is Sam's or Wallyworld. Wish it was different, but the Krogers, and big box stores have run the butchers out of town.

deb415611 · May 30, 2009, 04:38:41 PM

I have one meat market near me & do go there some occasionally but it's not as convenient to get to as Costco, BJ's or the grocery stores. One grocery store , Shop Rite, has a decent selection of meat - sometimes they even have fresh hams or pork belly.

zzzippper · May 30, 2009, 04:39:29 PM

Quote from: Caneyscud on May 30, 2009, 03:05:20 PM
Ditto, about the butcher shops. There is one meat company, I buy my clods from, and some small sections of spares, and a big chuckie, but everything else is Sam's or Wallyworld. Wish it was different, but the Krogers, and big box stores have run the butchers out of town.

Wow, there hasn't been a Krogers in St. Louis for years. The two local giants drove them out years ago. There are two or three butcher shops in reasonable distance. I guess I'll support the little guys. I could go to Costco but with only two of us in the family we'd be eating the same ribs for months.

Gizmo · May 30, 2009, 04:45:19 PM

Where ever they have a sale for the best quality of meat.
Costco is a good place for everything but brisket for me. They only carry Choice and Prime grades here. Both are much cheaper than at a butcher shop. This is not to say I don't mind picking up a good thick Tbone or Ribeye at one of the Iowa Meats places here. Their bacon is also great. One of the shops will actually cook Prime Rib for you and is extremly good.
The regular grocery stores have good sales but here they vary greatly from store to store depending on the size of the store and how new it is.

Smokin Soon · May 30, 2009, 07:42:24 PM

I have found Costco prices to be a little high on things like pork butts and briskets. The ribs are just average. For pork butts I go to a food4less which is owned by Kroger I think and get great buys on huge twin packs of pork butt. Have bought the big packs for 99 cents a pound. For Ribs I hit the Asian market that brings in fresh ribs daily. Trust me, a full sized rack of spareribs that has never been frozen or cryovac wrapped makes a huge diff in taste. Who knows what they inject in that stuff? I really miss a good local butcher shop myself

Tenpoint5 · May 30, 2009, 08:30:33 PM

Gizmo I have looked and looked and I can't find a IOWA MEATS store anywhere!!!

Zipper I usually get pretty good deals at the local locker plants, but I also buy cases of butts at Sam's when they are on sale.

tsquared · May 30, 2009, 09:45:11 PM

We have a good local butcher here that I get brisket from once in a while. He is out of the way from my work to home route or I would use him more often. I get my butts and chicken from an Asian owned grocery store for a good price. Fish--I catch myself!
T2

JimmyDreams · May 31, 2009, 10:45:14 AM

We have a German Jewish butcher down the road from us that has a deli/restaurant, and a full butcher shop. I go in there occasionally for meat, but now that I have my OBS, I'll be eyeing their meat counter with a WHOLE new attitude! (and they're open 7 days a week!!) ;D They (being German) really like their sausages, so while I probably won't make my own, I'll certainly get some of theirs and smoke them.

I'll be stopping in there on my way to work this afternoon to see what I can pick up. They claim themselves to be 'North County's last great butcher shop". mmmMMMMMMmmm!!

NePaSmoKer · May 31, 2009, 10:52:14 AM

I have a butcher by me Heintzelmans and B&M meat provisions in Allentown, they can get me just about anything. http://www.bandmprovisions.com

nepas

Gizmo · May 31, 2009, 08:20:28 PM

Quote from: Tenpoint5 on May 30, 2009, 08:30:33 PM
Gizmo I have looked and looked and I can't find a IOWA MEATS store anywhere!!!

Then you must have forgotten where you live cause every one you walk into is an Iowa Meats. ;D

Tenpoint5 · June 01, 2009, 07:44:30 AM

Quote from: Gizmo on May 31, 2009, 08:20:28 PM
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on May 30, 2009, 08:30:33 PM
Gizmo I have looked and looked and I can't find a IOWA MEATS store anywhere!!!

Then you must have forgotten where you live cause every one you walk into is an Iowa Meats. ;D

;D ;D ;D I know that but I have never heard of a Iowa Meats Store before.

smokeitall · June 01, 2009, 07:55:15 AM

I buy the majority of my meat from the Sams in St. Charles, MO, not to far from you zzzipper. On memorial weekend I bought 35lbs of Pork but for $0.98 per pound. Going to make some brats and pulled pork before my Wisconsin vacation next week. I also buy my flank steak from sams for jerky, I have bought 15 lbs over the last week (been doing a lot of 2-3 lb batches to dial in the taste I am looking for)

If you ever get out towards Eureka MO there is Zerna's meats, they're on hwy 100. That is a great place (expensive though) but if you feel like spending $35 for a lb of jerky thats your place. My neighbor just told me about another butcher I am going to check out this week just off of 270, I will let you know how I like that one.

Gizmo · June 01, 2009, 08:42:36 PM

Quote from: Tenpoint5 on June 01, 2009, 07:44:30 AM

;D ;D ;D I know that but I have never heard of a Iowa Meats Store before.

Here is their website. Check out the Steak Basics link. They have some great descriptions of the different cuts and the grading system.

http://www.iowameatfarms.com/

Where do you buy your meat?

NePaSmoKer