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I Found a Butcher. What Should I Buy To Test Him?

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  • bicktrav
    bicktrav Posts: 640
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    I don't know that I'd get a sirloin.  Like others have said, sirloin is a tremendously tough piece of meat.  I don't think the best butcher in the world can do much to change that.  Asking for something like a pork belly is a good idea.  It's less common for people to ask for the whole belly.  A butcher who has that available tends to be a bit more serious.  Flat irons are also a good suggestion, as are hanger steaks.  They are all more obscure pieces of meat (which happen to be amazing) and butchers that regularly stock them are generally pretty good.  But honestly, the best thing you can do to test your butcher is probably talk to him.  Ask about the farms he buys from.  Ask about how the animals are raised, what kind of feed they are given, how they are slaughtered.  A good butcher should be able to provide very detailed, competent answers to those questions.

    On a side note, I had no idea tri-tip was so rare outside of California.  Sad because that's such an amazing cut.  Those of you who haven't tried it really need to seek it out.  
    Southern California
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
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    +1 @bicktrav .


    However, tri-tip is fairly common in Texas (Houston, Austin).  It's always available at Costco.
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • revolver1
    revolver1 Posts: 372
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    Ask for whatever you and the family enjoy the most.  If you don't like that then you probably won't appreciate anything else.  
    Dan, Columbia,Mo.
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  • SMITTYtheSMOKER
    SMITTYtheSMOKER Posts: 2,668
    edited September 2013
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    Having a good relationship with a butcher is more valuable than a "good" butcher IMO.

    My guy at the local grocery store can order in anything I need with a few days notice, they let me know the freshest meats available each time I want to know.  Getting them to custom cut/carve a cut of meat on their equipment is an added bonus.  Good prices are the cherry on top, seems I can always score a sale price when I ask.

     

    So you may want to "invest" in a good butcher as opposed to simply "testing" his skills. 

     

    -SMITTY     

    from SANTA CLARA, CA

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  • Fred19Flintstone
    Fred19Flintstone Posts: 8,168
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    SMITTYtheSMOKER said:

    So you may want to "invest" in a good butcher as opposed to simply "testing" his skills. 

    My aim was to test his products, not the man.  There has been some confusion here about what I was looking to test.  I wasn't looking to test his skills or his knowledge.  I'm not sure what purpose that serves.  I want to know if his meat is better than that I can get at Kroger or Walmart.
    Flint, Michigan
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  • FireTower
    FireTower Posts: 69
    edited September 2013
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    Ask to see his/her local grass-fed beef selection.
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