Restaurant Depot

Photo Egg

Made a very quick stop at RD and grabbed this strip primal. I have never seen this packing company in stores before. 

“Slaughtered According to Islamic Rites”…no idea what this means but I might now be on a FBI watch list.
But it was on sale for 25% off so 4.90 a pound.

fishlessman

Have a halal butcher near me, took a pic of a white van with the back doors open. Filled to the top with lamb head on with the tongues sticking out and the eyes looking at me😝 the driver went insane.  Lambs were stacked to the top

Botch

Arizona is having their deepwell water pumped by the Saudis to grow alfalfa, which is then baled and shipped to the Middle East, fed to cattle there, slaughtered, and the meat shipped back to the US.  
Admirable they kept the cost so low [/sarcasm].  

Photo Egg

fishlessman said:

Have a halal butcher near me, took a pic of a white van with the back doors open. Filled to the top with lamb head on with the tongues sticking out and the eyes looking at me😝 the driver went insane.  Lambs were stacked to the top

I remember you mentioning this in a past post. Still paints a vivid picture…lol

caliking

Halal is to Muslims as kosher is to Jews. Animals are slaughtered per a certain protocol, overseen by an imam. IIRC, a hallmark of the process is bleeding the animal vs. lopping its head off in one fell swoop. 

More importantly, how do you get access to RD?  

HeavyG

During COVID  RD started allowing anyone to get a day pass. Not sure if that is something they still do or will continue now that COVID is "behind" us.

CTMike

caliking said:

Halal is to Muslims as kosher is to Jews. Animals are slaughtered per a certain protocol, overseen by an imam. IIRC, a hallmark of the process is bleeding the animal vs. lopping its head off in one fell swoop. 

More importantly, how do you get access to RD?  

If you join the KCBS ($40/year), you can walk in to any RD and get a day pass by showing your KCBS member card. 

caliking

CTMike said:

caliking said:

Halal is to Muslims as kosher is to Jews. Animals are slaughtered per a certain protocol, overseen by an imam. IIRC, a hallmark of the process is bleeding the animal vs. lopping its head off in one fell swoop. 

More importantly, how do you get access to RD?  

If you join the KCBS ($40/year), you can walk in to any RD and get a day pass by showing your KCBS member card. 

I did that one year, back when KCBS membership was $25/yr. When I went to RD and asked for the day pass, they didn't know what I was talking about. Took a manager, 2 other employees, and me showing them the website to figure it out. 

Thanks for the intel @HeavyG. I may swing by to see if they are still giving day passes without a business affiliation or KCBS membership. 

ColtsFan

My wife has a 501c3. We used that to get a membership. When I need a 40 pound box of chicken thighs that’s where I go. Also great cheese choices for cold smoking. 

CGS

RD has a big and varied selection, not your typical grocery store meat dept.

I'll visit you in Huntsville, kinda in the middle between us anyway........

t   

nolaegghead

I’m working on my third sack of Italian Tipo 00 flour.  25 Kg is usually runs around $28, probably higher now since it’s been a while

GregW

We have a RD in Birmingham Al. It is comparable to probably the worst grocery store you have ever seen- Dirty, rundown, meats tend to be low quality.
The Birmingham location has always been free to shop in- no membership required.
Apparently this location is a exception to the other stores- 
I wish we had on of the better stores- but sadly we don't. 

Photo Egg

GregW said:

We have a RD in Birmingham Al. It is comparable to probably the worst grocery store you have ever seen- Dirty, rundown, meats tend to be low quality.
The Birmingham location has always been free to shop in- no membership required.
Apparently this location is a exception to the other stores- 
I wish we had on of the better stores- but sadly we don't. 

I have probably been to 6-7 different RD stores over the past 15-20 years. The cleanliness and quality of the store varied tremendously. The store close to my parents in north Minneapolis is dive bar quality. The store in south Houston/Pasadena a couple days ago was very nice. And they easily offered me a day pass because my account, even showing them my membership card, had dropped from their system because of lack of use. I will renew it with my dba paperwork in hand. There is no cost to join.
I remember a store that had a fresh meat and seafood counter. We have at least 3 in the Houston area. 2 are pretty good. Sorry your store is not one of the good ones.

WeberWho

Photo Egg said:

GregW said:

We have a RD in Birmingham Al. It is comparable to probably the worst grocery store you have ever seen- Dirty, rundown, meats tend to be low quality.
The Birmingham location has always been free to shop in- no membership required.
Apparently this location is a exception to the other stores- 
I wish we had on of the better stores- but sadly we don't. 

I have probably been to 6-7 different RD stores over the past 15-20 years. The cleanliness and quality of the store varied tremendously. The store close to my parents in north Minneapolis is dive bar quality. 

Yeah, the RD in Brooklyn Center doesn't require a membership. It's always packed and unorganized. The one in St. Paul that requires a membership is much more quiet and orderly. 

nolaegghead

Personally, I couldn’t give a rat’s ass if the store is messy as long as the products are good.  Our store is super busy and it’s common to have produce particles scattered about from carts overflowing with cases of food.  It’s a warehouse not a HEB Central Market.  Smells like a market because it’s a market and seafood doesn’t exactly smell like roses and potpouri

that said, a badly managed or under staffed store is not enjoyable

TechsasJim

@Photo Egg

the one out in Spring/Tomball (249) is a good ways from you but always very tidy and has great personnel.   

alaskanassasin

nolaegghead said:

Personally, I couldn’t give a rat’s ass if the store is messy as long as the products are good.  Our store is super busy and it’s common to have produce particles scattered about from carts overflowing with cases of food.  It’s a warehouse not a HEB Central Market.  Smells like a market because it’s a market and seafood doesn’t exactly smell like roses and potpouri

that said, a badly managed or under staffed store is not enjoyable

Florida Grillin Girl

If you own a business, it's easy to get the membership... I stated "vending" as the business type... having a state tax ID# is key (at least in here in Florida).

GregW

nolaegghead said:

Personally, I couldn’t give a rat’s ass if the store is messy as long as the products are good.  Our store is super busy and it’s common to have produce particles scattered about from carts overflowing with cases of food.  It’s a warehouse not a HEB Central Market.  Smells like a market because it’s a market and seafood doesn’t exactly smell like roses and potpouri

that said, a badly managed or under staffed store is not enjoyable

How would you feel about seeing a rat run down the aisles?
Also in this location, there are people trying to get me to give them money- this is both inside and in the parking lot. The manager actually threw a guy out for this when I was in the store once, but there are enough of those people trying to get it, that they can't keep them all out- a certain percentage make it through the doors everyday.
FWIW- this is not in a bad area of town- but it is in a strip mall that tends to attract lower end retailers and their clients.

nolaegghead

Yeah, pan handlers and beggars have turned me off of some locations here.  Really sad we have this here.

caliking

@Photo Egg - how'd it turn out?

Photo Egg

@caliking

Life got in the way for a week, I mean I decided to wet age another week.
I think this might be a good testimonial for getting what you pay for.
Broke it down into 9 really nice, thick steaks. I cut a thin piece off one end to even it out. I flashed it, with just salt, on a hot stainless pan. Great beef flavor but way too thin  of a piece to judge tenderness. Tomorrow I will cook one up the right way, yet to be determined.
Color and texture looks similar to lean grass fed beef. Fat marbling is choice grade at best.  Maybe sous vide tomorrow for several hours then sear.
Sorry for delay.

Photo Egg

.

I Sous Vide for about 3 1/2 hours at 134. Then seared in cast iron. Great flavor and texture was not bad but definitely a tougher steak. Will go 14-18 hours Sous Vide next time.

caliking

Looks good from here!

Photo Egg

caliking said:

Looks good from here!

I’m better at taking pictures than I am at cooking steaks. Ha Ha

caliking

Photo Egg said:

caliking said:

Looks good from here!

I’m better at taking pictures than I am at cooking steaks. Ha Ha

Whatevs. I might believe that if i didn't know you