What happened to the real butchers?

from what i know shoulders and butts are the same, well its a "boston butt"

but im with you, im in Texas and i cant find a real butcher shop anywhere

unfortunately, real butchers are a dying breed. For the exception of few sections of society, like us, everyone wants that one stop shop deal. In my area, we are already at the mercy of whatever Kroger, WalMart, or Sams carries is the only choice we have. My only hope for a whole brisket is at Sams. Kroger carries flats only, and Walmart (at least here) has some questionable quality points. I can get butts at Kroger and they are really pretty good.

Costco had a 2 pack of butts but they didnt have the bone and were some what half cut open

brookshires (grocery store for those who might not know) had a real good 8lb butt with bone in that i swear even coming out of the fridge i look at it wrong and it pulled apart with ease.

havent tried krogers or sams yet.

After searching an trying different butchers i finaly found a REAL butcher.

Here in the Netherlands we have other cuts of meat.

For competition and practice i need USA-style cuts like the boston butt.

I went with some pictures and instructions to the butcher and he cut it just how i wanted it!

All organic pork for a non-organic price because he is raising and slaughtering the pigs himself!

Los Angeles has its problems, but it also has a fair amount of good butchers. Some of these guys are a little pricey and a couple are outrageously priced, but if your ready to spend a little more than big box or grocery store prices, they're there. We've been trimming down on the spending lately so I'm not at those butchers as much as I used to be, but I'm sure glad they're there.

Used to have the same problems - did a lot of shopping around in the Dallas Area.

Tried 2 different butcher shops (both carry wagyu if you get those):
Rudolph's Market & Sausage Factory - good selection and clean
Hirsch's Specialty Meats Plano - good selection and clean

Problem is both are a bit of a drive and prices a little steep for me. Just starting out and wanting to get the practice in that I need without the wife screaming and blowing cob webs out of my wallet. So I went with a KCBS membership and started hitting Restaurant Depot and can say I have not been disappointed. Had to look around their meats a little and if I didn't see what I needed I just asked and they went and found for me. Be careful when you get ribs from RD though - I started getting the full rib and trimming them down myself. Costco is my backup for ribs and brisket. Haven't found a good backup for Pork Shoulder though. Tried Costco and Sam's and of the 5 times (3 Costco and 2 Sam's) I've used them when I get home and get the packages open its been disappointing. Weird cuts had been done to both shoulders.

Andrew said:

Costco had a 2 pack of butts but they didnt have the bone and were some what half cut open

brookshires (grocery store for those who might not know) had a real good 8lb butt with bone in that i swear even coming out of the fridge i look at it wrong and it pulled apart with ease.

havent tried krogers or sams yet.

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GMDGeek said:

Used to have the same problems - did a lot of shopping around in the Dallas Area.

Tried 2 different butcher shops (both carry wagyu if you get those):
Rudolph's Market & Sausage Factory - good selection and clean
Hirsch's Specialty Meats Plano - good selection and clean

Problem is both are a bit of a drive and prices a little steep for me. Just starting out and wanting to get the practice in that I need without the wife screaming and blowing cob webs out of my wallet. So I went with a KCBS membership and started hitting Restaurant Depot and can say I have not been disappointed. Had to look around their meats a little and if I didn't see what I needed I just asked and they went and found for me. Be careful when you get ribs from RD though - I started getting the full rib and trimming them down myself. Costco is my backup for ribs and brisket. Haven't found a good backup for Pork Shoulder though. Tried Costco and Sam's and of the 5 times (3 Costco and 2 Sam's) I've used them when I get home and get the packages open its been disappointing. Weird cuts had been done to both shoulders.

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seems we have the same outlook on Costco's shoulders...

oh my Rudolphs is in downtown, that might be something i check out real soon

i'd agree, they can a bit harder to find but they are out there. when you find a good one be prepared to pony up a little more $$ but you may find the quality to make up for the price. i go to a butcher down town where i live and it's more expensive but i get great meat from them. RD has some good stuff also, and at good prices. i've also had a butcher tell me they only had boston butts and no pork shoulder, this was at a large chain grocery store though. probably some dude that wasnt exactly a "butcher"

I have about 6 really good butcher shops within a 15 mile radius of my house. Also the Festival food store butchers will cut me up just about anything that I want. I went in for a 16# chuck roll and the lady came out with a 20#er...........WOW. I'll take that...Thank You

I buy all of my meat from the local Bells store...I know I've talked about it a good bit on here but it's the only REASONABLE place to get stuff like ribs and butts from. They cut their own meat and wrap it up themselves. I went up to Walmart to get a brisket last night and they were out, had plenty of dino bones but no brisket. Went over to Ingles to see if they had any, and they had mousepad sized flats for about 20 bucks a pop. I had to put my eyes back in my head...

I'm not sure what rank of beef (choice, select or prime) that Bells carries, and I'm inclined to think it's choice because there is indeed some marbling...but the pork they carry is usually always WELL marbled and just fall apart tender.

For any of you in the Athens GA area, there's a little country store out in Statham at the 82 and 211 intersection that has GREAT prices on meat. I bought some CAB top sirloin steaks out there and to this day, was one of the most tender steaks I've ever cooked...which may not be saying alot LOL

When you can't find a whole shoulder in Memphis, it means Hell has frozen over. Or, it's Memphis In May time...

they still are around here in Houston...

but get over it - and go visit your "ethnic" grocery stores - instead of the usual supermarkets..

they often have a real butcher in the back who still sells all parts of the animal..

our Chinese Grocery stores have an excellent choice for all /any parts of the pig, chicken and some beef...

Phoenicia has excellent beef and all cuts of Lamb - even whole Lamb carcasses if you want them..

there's still various places around town that sell whole suckling piglets..

and look for small individual Halal butchers - they still carry all parts of the animal because they slaughter themselves..

and go to Mexican groceries and butchers for Goat meat.. and different cuts of meats etc..

Man, I'm glad I live in KC. We can buy flats, points, packers, butts (bone in or out) picnics, whole shoulders, spares, st Louis style ribs, baby backs, beef ribs,....you get the point. About the only thing I can't find is a tri-tip.

Living up here in northern California I can get all the tri-tips i want but to find a good brisket that i don't have to take a second mortgage out for is damn near impossible.

jketron said:

I go to Ralph's this am and I ask him if he has any pork shoulders, " no all I have is pork butts"

Getting harder to find a store that doesn't keep changing its supplier from month to month. One time I can find IBP the next time I cant

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Stater Brothers Markets in the metro LA area usually have a traditional butcher and good pork. The closest Stater Bro's to Carlsbad would be in San Clemente...Good Luck!

Andrew said:

from what i know shoulders and butts are the same, well its a "boston butt"

but im with you, im in Texas and i cant find a real butcher shop anywhere

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Hirsch's Meat Market in Plano is a great butcher shop.

CD

caseydog said:

Hirsch's Meat Market in Plano is a great butcher shop.

CD

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good to know, sadly its a ways away but i will have to plan a trip, thanks!

I think the question should be; what is going to happen to the real meat cutters?

[ame="http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=deb_1355769233"]LiveLeak.com - Automated Butcher[/ame]

Eric1977 said:

unfortunately, real butchers are a dying breed. For the exception of few sections of society, like us, everyone wants that one stop shop deal. In my area, we are already at the mercy of whatever Kroger, WalMart, or Sams carries is the only choice we have. My only hope for a whole brisket is at Sams. Kroger carries flats only, and Walmart (at least here) has some questionable quality points. I can get butts at Kroger and they are really pretty good.

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I agree that the megamarts are the way of many parts of our country. What I find ironic about Eric1977's post is that he is coming from the heart of bourbon country. I love bourbon whiskey because it is a great American product that has very strict rules for its quality. It must be at least 51% corn (most are 75-80% with rye, wheat, or barley as a 2nd or 3rd grain) Straight bourbon must be aged for at least 2 years (most are 4-8 years, premiums much longer) in NEW charred oak barrels. These strict and expensive rules have turned out a world renowned product with tremendous consistency. Often for a price that is very reasonable.

Think of the work that goes into an eight year old Jim Beam Black as compared to a mid level vodka like Stoli or Skyy. Nothing against vodka but it is distilled a few times, bottled and then it hits the shelf. The bourbon has to be put into the barrels and then they are rotated and stored for all that aging time and then it gets to hit the market. Yet they are very close in price.

I wish we could create some new designations for meat raising, processing, safety, packaging, and sales methods that although they might not be the most cost effective, would set a standard that would create the quality/safety consistency that we want and deserve.

On the other hand, I frequent a butcher who refuses to try to wet or dry age beef, get in prime grade beef, and sells whole huge spares with brisket and chine attached and markets them as "St. Louis Ribs" and generally is not open to any criticism or suggestions from long time customers. I recently tried some prime sirloin from Costco and was very pleased. I want to keep local but the quality and taste of that Costco beef is damn tempting. It's complex.