When you step up to the counter in a meat market for the first time, it can be an intimidating experience if you aren’t prepared. Knowing how to speak to the butcher makes completing your order much simpler. Here are five meat-buying tips from the butcher that will help your next purchase go more smoothly.
Ask Questions
The best thing to do in a butcher shop if you aren’t comfortable with what you’re ordering is to ask questions. A skilled butcher should be able to alleviate your concerns about how to properly cook and prepare your food. They can also help you identify any substitutions if the cut you need is out of stock.
Make Special Requests
In a meat market, a butcher is available to help you with any requests you might have for your meat. They might be willing to slice larger cuts of meat down into smaller ones to suit your budget or family needs.
Consider Your Cooking
When ordering meat from a butcher shop, you obviously need to know what meat you’ll be preparing. But what if your butcher can give you a recommendation for a cut that will be less expensive and better tasting? You should also consider how you need to cook the meat. If the recipe calls for you to cook the meat well-done, you should skip the expensive cuts for something more budget friendly.
Check Your Dates
You’ll want to make sure you have the freshest meat available. Checking the dates on the meat at the butcher shop can help you find the right meat for the job.
Learn the Meat Grades
Each store might offer a different adjective to describe their beef, but the only thing you should be looking for is the USDA grade of the cut. There are eight different grades, but most meat markets stick to only the best. Be on the lookout for prime-grade beef; other grades to look for include choice, select, and standard.
For more meat-buying tips from the butcher, stop into our shop to get it from the horse’s mouth. Vincent’s Meat Market is the premier beef, chicken, pork, and wild game butcher shop in the Bronx.
