recently purchased ground beef from chain store (wolly world) and could not eat it.......I'm back to our local folks.

 

I agree, both in quality and price, my local guy is the best.

 

Our local guy cost more on the package - less if you don't have to throw it away.......I've never heard of ground beef that you couldn't get tender

 

soylent beef

the local stores have better meat than walmart.

 

I try to stick to our local butchers, I'll never buy meat from a chain store, you never hear of an e coli outbreak from a butcher shop.

 

Support your local small business man! If you don't, he'll be gone and leave you with no other choice than the BIG retailer. Chances are you'll get a better quality product from the little guy anyway.

MR

 

I'm the exact opposite, very wary of corner butcher shops. Some are just one half step away from being overwhelmed by bacterial infestation, mainly due to unsold steaks and roasts now finding their way into the ground beef, aided by lax sanitary practices.

I don't mean to impugn all. I just don't buy ground beef from a small shop I don't know. Look for housekeeping tipoffs in the small details, any strange smells, conditions under the mats in the service cases. If one is very serious about the integrity of the shop a copy of the last state inspection is available on request from the Dept. of Agriculture.

Ground beef sold by chains such as Wal-Mart don't have those issues. The meat is freshly slaughtered, and federal inspectors are on duty 24/7. E coli outbreaks, though extremely rare, are due to the sheer volume of product sold.

 

My local WalMart gets its beef from the local slaughterhouse.

 

Many e coli outbreaks are from cross-contamination. Local shop for me!

 

this discussion can go either way... there are pros and cons to both, and horror stories on both sides of the fence...

 

E coli is present in intestines. Contamination occurs in the slaughtering process if fecal matter is accidently allowed to contact the meat.

Local shops cut beef, pork, and chicken on the same bandsaw, so cross-contamination really isn't the issue, using modern cleanliness standards is.

My wife and I bought 10 lbs of ground beef at a local shop awhile ago and we really enjoyed the flavor. We went back and bought 10 more pounds, only to find the flavor gone. Luck of the draw--we had U.S. choice trimmings the first time, the second were trimmings from cutters and canners.

Anyone serious about flavorful ground beef should consider buying an entire front chuck, U.S Choice or Good, and have your shop grind it and freezer wrap it for you. You will be spoiled.

 

I live in the Heart of Beef country in Alberta.
We have aocal Feed lots & the Livestock Auction mart.

I can go anywhere among 4 places to get AA or AAA beef at discounted prices.

The local meat market has free soup for customer's while they shop.

I can occasionaly buy XXX Top Sirloin Steak for $2.69 /lb.

 

Our local wal mart doesn't cut or package their own meat products. All of it comes pre-cut and packaged from tyson or some other big meat processor. If you look at the label on the beef it says the meat has been injected with 10% water or some chemical enhancing product. I guess that makes it weigh more for a higher profit margin.

I buy all my groceries from the locally owned grocery store. I tell the butcher(s) what I want and they fix me up.

 

I like going to the meat markets. I get a better cut at a cheaper price. Around here the cows they get are range cows, not pumped with antibiotics and fed animal byproducts. Range cows are happy cows. They just walk around and eat grass all day. The major stores charge too much for low quality and I hate when they try to sell me a rib roast as prime rib.

 

If you want quality beef, buger or steaks, go with a branded product like Certifed Angus or any of the several other branded products that stand behind their product. You should at least insist on a minimum of USDA Choice. My local wally world only sells USDA Select which is almost devoid of marbling therefore devoid of flavor. Most all big retailers, restaurants and butchers get their beef directly or indirectly from major packers like Tyson and Exell who sell diferent quality grades to satisfy a broad consumer base from the guy who doesn't know or care what quality his meat is because he is going to smother it in steak sause anyway, to the conisore at the $100. a plate restaurant ordering steak tar tar. I am fortunate to be able to feed out and butcher my own steers.