Buying from a butcher

Debt_Free_Chick

couteaux wrote:

Happy Valentines day :happyhear

I went along to my nearest butchers today full of the joys of, well valentines day I suppose.. Anyway, I first asked for breast of lamb (as suggested to check if he is any good) He said he never gets them as no-one wants them.

I then asked for any recommendations as I wanted to make something nice for dinner, he suggested pheasant; Mmmm I thought, but it was frozen. Not much good for dinner tonight.

I finally just went with some beef to roast, (I was feeling a bit silly by now) It is a small piece and cost 7.51 and was still pretty much frozen. It wasn't until I was on my way back I thought... "wouldn't this cost more being frozen ie heavier?" is that right? Do you think I paid more than I should have?

I so want to find a good butcher as I would much prefer that to buying supermarket meat, but this wasn't overly promising. I don't have much else near me and don't drive.

I think online could be the only choice, though I really love the idea of having a good butcher you can have a natter about recipes with. Ooooh I should have been around in the 50's

:smileyhea

Oh dear .... you have had a bad experience and, as someone who always extols the virtues of a good butcher, I'm a little embarrassed

You seem to have stumbled across (what I call) a meat wholesaler - not a butcher at all. But someone who goes to the wholesale meat market and buys in what's available.

Persevere .... find another butcher. In Surrey, you should have plenty of choice - whereabouts are you? You just need to give us some towns that are convenient for shopping and I'm sure we can give you some suggestions.

Horrid experience .... don't go back!!

By the way .... I think it might have been me (amongst others) who suggested the breast of lamb trick .... it works! Your butcher didn't have it, meaning he didn't buy it at the wholesalers! If he was a "real butcher" he would have had a lamb carcass out the back and could easily have carved off the breast for you. Good trick, eh

Debt_Free_Chick

miacat wrote:

I thought i would give the butchers ago last week but was a bit dissapointed.
there was only me in the shop so felt abit uncomfotable. I made conversation about where the meat came from etc, and fair enough he answered but i felt like he and the other butcher who was very miserable and skuttled off into the back thought i was from animal rights are something.

Don't give up! Yes, they might have thought you were Animal Rights (ALF) .... it's not unheard of for those types to visit butchers, find out the local farms and then go and vandalise them - honest!!!!

If they seemed like good butchers, go back. After a while, you will build up their trust.

Don't be offended - ALF and other "antis" really do cause serious problems! :eek:

couteaux

Thanks everyone for the replies

Miacat, My butcher sounds just like yours, a real misery! Situation sounded very similar.

I really wish I had handed the meat back but I felt rather silly already, I don't know why, but I felt very intimidated there - must get more confident in situations like that! I have had to have the beef in hot water for half an hour to fully defrost.

From the outside the place looks really promising, kinda rustic. Shame he doesn't live up to it. Ho Hum.

Thanks for your post Debt_Free_Chick, it is a great tip re the lamb, I just didn't use it properly. I should have left when he didn't have the lamb (tsk at me!)

Places nearest me for shopping are Wimbledon, Sutton and Kingston. There is a farmers market in Wimbledon on Saturdays I will try too. Wish I could drive so I could really hunt down some good places! I am not so much in rural Surrey, so not so many good places around here.

I am not put off at all though. I have read so many threads about butchers Vs Supermarkets and I really want to stop using the Supermarket. Just gotta find me a butcher now. The search goes on!

lucym

Try R A Bevan & Son on Richmond road, Kingston.

They sell lots of organic/free range. Being in Kingston they do sell some top of the range products but they also do cheaper cuts and bacon ends (these are great for flans, omelettes and so on).

We love their pepper sausage (from the cold meat section) for sandwiches and their dolcelatte torte (okay, not cheap) is to die for.

Debt_Free_Chick

couteaux wrote:

Places nearest me for shopping are Wimbledon, Sutton and Kingston. There is a farmers market in Wimbledon on Saturdays I will try too. Wish I could drive so I could really hunt down some good places! I am not so much in rural Surrey, so not so many good places around here.

Don't know your part of the world, but is East Horsley too far? F Consibee is supposed to be fab - recommended on another foodie board.

suki1964

Whilst you are at the Farmers market in wimbledon theres a good (word of mouth) butchers just around the corner in Leopold Road. Ive not used them personally as I have moved, but have spoken to them on the phone about getting bones for my dog which they do get - means they actually butcher on the premises rather then a wholesalers

Debt_Free_Chick

suki1964 wrote:

Whilst you are at the Farmers market in wimbledon theres a good (word of mouth) butchers just around the corner in Leopold Road. Ive not used them personally as I have moved, but have spoken to them on the phone about getting bones for my dog which they do get - means they actually butcher on the premises rather then a wholesalers

Ooohhhhhhh - that's another good tip! Ask if the butcher can supply brisket bones for the dog!!!!

Brisket bones are soft, so the dog can chew and digest them.

The butcher gets brisket bones by butchering the rib roast cut from the carcass. You get the joint with the "hard" bones (the ones around the spine) and the brisket bones are discarded.

A "not so good butcher" will go to the wholesaler and just buy the rib-roast - the wholesaler will keep the brisket bones!

Thanks suki1964

thriftlady_2

Debt Free Chick your butcher tips are really fantastic.I trust my excellent butcher implicitly,he's a Q Guild butcher and regularly wins awards,he was even mentioned in Rick Stein's Food Heroes book.But if I ever move or shop away from home I'll remember your tips.Thanks :A

anguk

I've just tried a new butchers today that I found on the Q Guild website and I'm very impressed. It's a family run business, they have 3 shops and the nearest is only about 6 miles away so I think we'll be visiting weekly. Today I only bought minced beef, black pudding and an assortment of sausage but I'll definately be buying more next week.

The staff were lovely and helpful, they answered all my questions and even took my email address so the head butcher could email me with all their special offers! OH got 2 of every variety of sausage so he could try them, so far he's had lamb & mint and venison & spring onion (venison comes from the Queens Balmoral estate), he reckons they're the best sausages he's ever tasted. They make all the sausages in the back of the shop and have won many awards for their sausages, homemade ready meals and home baking.

If anyone is in the Durham area I'd recommend trying them:
http://www.coatesbutchers.co.uk/

thriftlady_2

anguk wrote:

OH got 2 of every variety of sausage so he could try them, so far he's had lamb & mint and venison & spring onion (venison comes from the Queens Balmoral estate), he reckons they're the best sausages he's ever tasted.

No, no, no, my butcher makes the best sausages ever!
Seriously once you find the Real Thing in the butcher line you know it.Sounds like a diamond amongst butchers.