Meat prices

[attie]

We have just two grades here mostly, "budget" and "prime", then they might say "lot fed" or "grass fed" or sometimes "grain fed"
Our local Meatworks is coming to the end of their season so prices have risen. Rib eye [cube roll to us] is selling for about US$3.50lb for "budget" and around US$10/$11lb for "prime". The vast majority of meat processed here locally is for the US market and because it is a seasonal operation and jobs are plentiful we import most of the workers. I'm not absolutely sure but I think this years' crew came from Brazil.
The cheapest meat by far for us is Canadian pork, this week I see leg roasts going for app US$2.50lb

 

[Bigjim68]

So what are the main differences between prime, choice and select?

Right you are, Andy. The designation to look for if you are looking for graded beef is USDA. There is so much private labelling around, most, in my opinion, designed to mislead, or at best to confuse. Chances are, if it has a private label (Managers choice, Premium, etc) you are getting select grade beef. For many applications, there is nothing wrong with that. It may require a marinade or longer cooking.
Sattie, beef is graded based on marbeling and yield. A DA grader actually examines each carcass and stamps it with a blue label on each breaking cut You will not typically see the grade stamp on individual retail piece. Prime is the top grade, then choice, then select. In general, the higher the grade, the better tasting and and more tender the beef.

 

[LadyCook61]

The store I go to, ShopRite is having a sale on London Broil $1.99 a pound and it is choice meat.

 

[simpleisgood]

Interesting labeling when you consider that chateaubriand is a tenderloin cut, NOT top sirloin. Properly sold, it would go for the $22/lb price of the filet mignon.

Andy, I have also seen tenderloin marketed as chateaubriand, but Darrell Corti, internationally respected food and wine expert who was recently inducted into the "Vintners Hall of Fame" of the Culinary Institute of America, calls his thick cut top sirloin chateaubriand; so who am I to argue?

Here is a link to a picture of Corti's chateaubriand on their website:

Chateaubriand steak at Corti Brothers

 

[Andy M.]

Andy, I have also seen tenderloin marketed as chateaubriand, but Darrell Corti, internationally respected food and wine expert who was recently inducted into the "Vintners Hall of Fame" of the Culinary Institute of America, calls his thick cut top sirloin chateaubriand; so who am I to argue?

Here is a link to a picture of Corti's chateaubriand on their website:

Chateaubriand steak at Corti Brothers

Never heard of the Corti brothers but I would argue with them. If you were to google the term, you would find all reputable references are to the tenderloin.

If you've ever had real chateaubriand, you would feel cheated if you were served top sirloin as chateaubriand. It's not even close to a reasonable substitute. The tenderloin is a very tender and distinctly flavored cut. Top sirloin is tougher and not well marbled cut. The taste is not the same.

Just my take on the subject.

 

[simpleisgood]

Andy, I understand that "Chateuabriand" is most often a name attributed to tenderloin, but when you go to the store, it is obvious that what they call CB is not fillet mignon, and if you ask them what CB is they will tell you that it is a thick cut top sirloin.

Corti. Bros. actually doesn't carry USDA prime fillet mignon very often, but one of Darrell Corti's protege's, David Berkeley, who opened his own store, carries it regularly.

Darrell Corti has been an icon to local foodies and restauranteurs for decades, and is truly an internationally recognized expert. Google Darrell Corti and you can read for yourself.

Here are a few links from 2 of California's most prominent newspapers attesting to his standing. Notice the comments by Alice Waters of "Chez Panisse", and "Gourmet" magazines editor Ruth Reichal:

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-corti10-2008sep10,0,968086.story

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/14/WI37S0R6D.DTL

The LA Times article states, "He is deeply knowledgeable on a wide variety of culinary topics and always willing to share that knowledge. For many food lovers, before there was Google, there was Darrell.

 

[Andy M.]

My issue is that CB is a classic recipe and cut of meat. Assigning the name CB to a top sirloin is nothing more than a marketing ploy to give an air of quality or 'class' to a cheaper cut of meat.

That the Corti Brothers are well known in your area and 'knowledgeable' tells me they don't care for accuracy in food labeling as much as intentionally making something less expensive appear to be something more expensive for their own purposes.

I guess we are going to have to disagree on this issue.

 

[miniman]

I've just got back with my meat order -
a hindquarter of beef - 76.36kg at £4 a kg = £305
half a pig - 32kg at £3.86 kg =£117.76

My freezers are now bulging at the seams.

 

[pacanis]

Pork butt. $1.19/lb!
Oh yeah, I got a couple. I'm going to cut them in half, about 3-1/2 to 4 lb pieces and freeze them :^)

 

[NAchef]

Last steaks I bought were Prime ribeyes at $15/lb

 

[pacanis]

Is that normal for UT?

 

[NAchef]

Is that normal for UT?

Most markets do not sell Prime beef here but when I want a good steak then I will go to the ones that do. Yea, the price is pretty normal for around here.

I will try to post some ad prices soon.

 

[NAchef]

Smiths-
Boneless New York Steak - $6.99/ lb
Pork Butt Roast - $1.69/lb
Pork Loin or Rib Chops - $2.79/lb
London Broil - $2.49/lb

 

[Maverick2272]

Here are the meats I picked up for this week:
Chicken drums and thighs for $1.49/lb
USDA Choice Round Bone Chuck Roast $1.99/lb
USDA Choice Delmonico Steak $2.99/lb
USDA Choice Ribeye Steak $2.99/lb

Is that good? I know for around here that is pretty good for the grocery stores. The butchers have way better cuts but at $3 or more per lb than these so those are a treat reserved mostly for summer, LOL.

 

[AMSeccia]

You got choice ribeyes for $2.99/lb? That's a got darn doorbuster!

I just called in cutting instructions for a mixed quarter of organically raised beef (not certified, but I know the people and am comfortable knowing exactly what I'm getting versus mass market). I'm paying the farmer $1.50/lb hanging weight and $0.40/lb to Maplewood for processing. I asked for as little ground beef as possible, and all the HTF cuts like hanger, skirt, brisket, chuck eye, etc. in addition to the t-bones, rib eyes, t-loins, and such. My family doesn't love roasts either, so I tried to get the most out of it. By the time I got to asking about the Newport cut, she said "Andrea, put the cookbooks away!" LOL

 

[Maverick2272]

You got choice ribeyes for $2.99/lb? That's a got darn doorbuster!

I just called in cutting instructions for a mixed quarter of organically raised beef (not certified, but I know the people and am comfortable knowing exactly what I'm getting versus mass market). I'm paying the farmer $1.50/lb hanging weight and $0.40/lb to Maplewood for processing. I asked for as little ground beef as possible, and all the HTF cuts like hanger, skirt, brisket, chuck eye, etc. in addition to the t-bones, rib eyes, t-loins, and such. My family doesn't love roasts either, so I tried to get the most out of it. By the time I got to asking about the Newport cut, she said "Andrea, put the cookbooks away!" LOL

I was surprised to see that as well, usually they just say "USDA Grade" which as discussed before means less than Choice grade. They only had 4 packages left, so I had a hunch I was stealin em! LOL. Well, assuming they didn't 'mislabel' them that is... I don't think they did, great marbling and nice and thick cut. Marinading now for tomorrows dinner!

That's too funny about the cookbook remark, LOL

 

[Seven S]

My issue is that CB is a classic recipe and cut of meat. Assigning the name CB to a top sirloin is nothing more than a marketing ploy to give an air of quality or 'class' to a cheaper cut of meat.

That the Corti Brothers are well known in your area and 'knowledgeable' tells me they don't care for accuracy in food labeling as much as intentionally making something less expensive appear to be something more expensive for their own purposes.

I guess we are going to have to disagree on this issue.

I totally agree... i simply do not understand why people/vendors/companies choose to "redefine" classic terms and cuts to suit their own purposes and then create these confusions. I can accept getting creative (ie. Certified Canyon Beef) since they arent passing it off as Certified Angus, but to call a Top Sirloin portion Chateaubriand when it is well-known it is the center portion of the tenderloin is ludicrous.

This is almost as bad as "Prime Rib" - a rib roast that is not of USDA Prime is simply not "Prime Rib". As a matter of fact, I think Hardee's (Carl Jr out west) now has a "Prime Rib Sandwich" or something like that. Probably some compressed, beef and water product composed of who-knows-what-else... Prime Rib... I think NOT.

 

[AMSeccia]

Hmm ... here we almost always prefer the tenderloin cut. But given the choice between prime grade sirloin and a lesser grade of tenderloin, I'd go with the sirloin.

Here's a bit of trivia that will likely be debated until the end of time.
Chateaubriand Facts, History and Trivia

 

[PieSusan]

Prime has a lot of marbling and is gorgeous. The marbling makes the meat tender and flavorful
Choice is leaner.
Select is commercial grade--the lowest and finds its way into canned chili and soups etc.

 

[Bigjim68]

I totally agree... i simply do not understand why people/vendors/companies choose to "redefine" classic terms and cuts to suit their own purposes and then create these confusions. I can accept getting creative (ie. Certified Canyon Beef) since they arent passing it off as Certified Angus, but to call a Top Sirloin portion Chateaubriand when it is well-known it is the center portion of the tenderloin is ludicrous.

This is almost as bad as "Prime Rib" - a rib roast that is not of USDA Prime is simply not "Prime Rib". As a matter of fact, I think Hardee's (Carl Jr out west) now has a "Prime Rib Sandwich" or something like that. Probably some compressed, beef and water product composed of who-knows-what-else... Prime Rib... I think NOT.

Misleading grading or implying quality that is not there often works. Example: Certified Angul Beef is not a grade, but a marketing tool to convince the market that Angus is superior to other breeds of cattle. Certified Angul need contain only half or more Angus, and must meet 9 other criteria, but carries little weight. There is no reason that other beef breeds should be of lesser quality than Angus. Check out the definition of Certified Angus.