meat from butchers V supermarket

thehappybutterfly

We always notice the difference - the meat from butchers and poultry is always much tastier, juicier and more tender than supermarket carp. I got steak mince from Mr T's the other day and when it was coooked, just mince and tatties, the mince kept it's long, strandy shape. It was horrible! I just need to be more organised and get to the shops on a Saturday morning - the pies and whole chickens go pretty quickly!

And thank you Bearcub - you're right about local shop owners wanting to help. Our local poultry shop is a family run business and the staff are so polite and helpful. Good old fashioned customer service. Absolutely stowed out at Xmas! I just need to find a similar butchers where I don't think I'll be ripped off (that's what I worry about).

Primrose

i can't stand supermarket meat. It's not butchered properly and you can rarely buy exactly what you want in the portion size you want. Our village butcher is superb. The advantage of being a regular customer is that a butcher will get to know your needs and be more accommodating. For example, our local butcher knows we like to make home made soup& risottos from our own stock so he saves us chicken carcasses for free. You have a much better choice of meat too, plus often a more reliable and safer source of supply, ie no more donkey burgers ! You probably will also get better quality beefburgers & sausages if your butcher has made them up himself.

Saturnalia

I'd always assumed the butchers shops would be more expensive than the supermarkets. I feel so silly now. I'll check out the local butcher next time I'm shopping.

bearcub

Try asking around, happybutterfly - maybe neighbours, or work colleagues if you work not to far from home?

thehappybutterfly

bearcub wrote: »

Try asking around, happybutterfly - maybe neighbours, or work colleagues if you work not to far from home?

I'll maybe ask the poultry shop staff. No possibility of me defecting - it would only be for red meat!

bearcub

Good idea! :)

DundeeDoll

Burgers, sausages, mince and pies defo from the butcher. Dont trust the unsupermarkets and it now seems with good cause. bop we could always serve mr t value burgers as Horse d'oeuvre :rofl: neigh? Thought you might say that ;-)

FeistyFidget

When we first moved out (4 years ago) I found it cheaper to buy meat from the butcher and fruit/veg from the grocers.

Then prices seemed to increase and I found out that it was costing me more money (especially after factoring in petrol) to buy it separate from the weekly shop. Perhaps I should re-investigate?

bearcub

Where you live can make a huge difference, FF, doesn't it? We have a large-ish Co-op in the village, and the next nearest supermarkets are 12 miles away. The Co-op is relatively expensive, but we have to drive at least 12 miles to shop elsewhere. That, of course, does have a bearing on us using the local butcher and other local shops. The Co-op's meat is ok, while the butcher's meat is tastier and much better value for money. We just need to walk to the other end of the very long street, but we can just about do that!

flyingmamma

i have an award winning butchers less than a mile away but usually get my meat from supermarket as it is online.....gonna switch to butcher thanks to mr t ,s burger relevation and the positive comments on this thread.... like the thought of supporting local businesses too.thanks for all good info...hoping my cooking will improve with better meat!