Buying from a butcher

hilstep2000

My butcher is across the road from me. I use him all the time. His meat is a little more expensive than the supermarkets, but he will cut it how I like. He will always tell me what's in season, and what to buy, when. Most are very helpful, try not to go in on Saturday morning, they may be too busy to help then! Ours usually has cooking advice too. If they don't have it in, they'll order it for you. Just ask, I'm sure your local butcher will be delighted to gain another customer!

rlm_3

If you're not sure what quantities you want, have a look next time you go to the supermarket. Make a note of the weight on the packets you'd normally buy and ask the butcher for similar quantities.

Also, you can just tell him (or her) how many people you're feeding and he should be able to tell you roughly how much you need. Our local butcher is very friendly and often offers advice on how to cook the meat.

newlywed

No local butchers near home, but have found one near my work (just 10 mins walk from work) so might contemplate trying that one. Though it's often empty which is a bit worrying!!

Bexstars

wow thanks everyone

There is a butchers about 20 min walk away from us but have never been in and was worried about going in and what sort of questions to be asking and what things to look for. I didnt want to go in and the butcher think I was thick or something lol

I think I will be brave and go in tomorow, might start with something easy and ask for chicken breasts, unless you need to tell them how much weight of those you want, in that case im !!!!!!ed!

FTB83

Butchers are the way to go!

My local butcher is actually cheaper than the local supermarkets on a majority of cuts, he can also tell me where the meat is from, when it was slaughtered, how long it's been hung (if applicable), the best way to cook it and so on. If I only want two rashers of bacon, I can buy just two rashers of bacon (having said that, I know supermarkets do have their own 'butchers' and will probably do this too)...and to top it off it comes wrapped in paper, not vacuum packed in yucky plastic.

I'll sometimes go in not knowing exactly what cut I want, but I just tell him what I'm hoping to do and for how many people, and he always comes up trumps with a superb cut of meat. Honestly don't feel daunted going in without the knowledge, they're there to help and will probably take pleasure in sharing their knowledge (imagine how your OH would feel if you actually asked him to explain how he got to level 10 in his latest computer game, or how a car engine works...;) )

You can get specialist organic butchers, but I'm more in favour of good local produce.

I hope it goes well anyway - I moved out of home last May and have only been shopping for food since then, but being able to pop into various shops for fresh food and a natter is great, and it does feel better to support local business.

You can also get a good rapport going with local independent shops - shop there regularly and maybe £12 will be rounded down to £10, or a bag of bangers thrown in for free...:D that's a good deal in my book!!

Bexstars

oh dear it looks like I said a bad word, I didnt swear

thriftlady_2

Bexstars wrote:

I think I will be brave and go in tomorow, might start with something easy and ask for chicken breasts, unless you need to tell them how much weight of those you want, in that case im !!!!!!ed!

You really don't have to ask for things in weights. I regularly ask my butcher for 13 sausages (2 for me and DD and 3 each for sons and OH) and he doesn't bat an eyelid. Also a decent butcher will be able to advise you on quantities. Ask for 'enough stewing steak for 2 adults and 2 kids', or 'a joint of beef to feed 3 with leftovers for the neaxt couple of days'.

As a general rule allow 4-6 oz of meat per person depending on appetites;)

Also look for a Q Guild butcher as a guarantee of quality and service, although a butcher can be excellent whether a Q Guild member or not.

http://www.guildofqbutchers.com/

V.Lucky

Love my local butcher (well, not literally ). I do admit it's daunting the first time you go in, but after a while they are grateful for your business and offer great advice, as others have said. Perhaps you could get a pound of stewing steak and some chicken breasts to start off with to see what his quality is like. Mine always rounds down with prices too, but I have been using him for over 10 years.

I get a big order once every 4-6 weeks, and he bags it all into however many I want per bag and pre-freezes it too so I have meat ready bagged in useable quantities whenever I need it.

Best of luck - you won't look back, I promise

frosty

I decided to give https://www.freshmeat2u.co.uk a try,the quality is really good if you spend over a £100.00 its free delivery,it comes really well packed with ice packs that were still frozen and a free roll of bags.I asked family and friends if they wanted to order anything so we could make the order worth while,and we shared everything out so we could try everything,we were so impressed we are planning to fill our freezers soon.The barbecue pack was really good value and the chicken breasts were massive.

LJM

our local butchers closed down which i was gutted about they had so many bargains and i got all my meat cheaper as they were friends of my grandparents,there is another one close by may try it out.