Butcher Shop Price differences?

[NRA4LIFE]

I haven't been there in awhile, but Sylvana would sell variety packs that seemed to have pretty decent prices.  I bought a whole T-Loin at Winco one time at a crazy silly price that was pretty good.  My wife and I eat beef now maybe once or twice a month and we buy all our steaks (prime) at Costco.  They have really increased in price though.  I'd say nearly double in the last couple years.

[Alchase]

Ribeye and New York steaks here have gone up between $4 and $5 a pound across all grades.

Grass fed vs grain fed
Grain fed means to be finished the cow on grain for a certain amount of time. (I can’t remember the length of time ) This can give a more consistent marbling over cows grass fed the whole time.
Grass fed usually contains less fat (marbling) then grain fed, making it more lean, and a different flavor profile.

Others who raise cows can add what I missed.

[brew]

Answering your question specifically as to why the large gap in the price of a ribeye is all in grade of the meat.... Prime, Choice, Select...

Part two is going to be the packager or in this case the butcher. Cow prices haven't increases over the last 10 years but almost flatlined. Packaging has tripled however, and in this case the packager is the butcher you are calling. One may have more overhead then the other. $7 difference I would assume half in the grade and half in the packaging/butcher fee.

(I'll take time to note its big packaging that has gotten out of hand and butcher to butcher probably isnt so bad)

No one has said WinCo... felt like they meet or exceeded (were better than) Costco prices.

Mike's Meats in Aberdeen always had stupid good prices and they were partnered I think with someone in Centralia....? Also a lot of turnover in the name, dont even know if they are still open. 7 years ago when I lived there the then owner would sell me the meat he had to freeze before it spoiled... that is how you fill a freezer... get yourself a set up like that where you can buy the meat that's hitting the freezer because it wouldnt sell. They did boxes too where you could buy lots of cuts and get a discount because of the quantity.

Like jrebel said though, just buy yourself half a cow....you wont get a ton of rib eyes as proportionally that will make up idk 5% of the weight probably less, but man is it cheap compared.

Mike's meats is in Centrailia on the one way road outside of town heading towards Bucoda before the skookumchuck bridge.  If you are just looking for burger go to an auction house and buy an old milk cow...they have been fed good but milk cows aren't developed for steaks.  Grass fed to me have a nasty taste.

[NRA4LIFE]

The first hunk of meat we ate off my moose from WA here I thought tasted like grass fed beef.  Very tasty, but just not like slobbery, greasy, Nebraska corn fed goodness.

[pianoman9701]

According to an article I read a few days ago, beef prices are up 20% and chicken up 15% over a year ago. Brandon, Newsome, and Inslee are killing us.

[elkchaser54]

If anyone is around Dayton, a new butcher shop has opened up called Table Rock meat Co and they do butcher boxes variety packs or custom cuts.  Everything is super local, grass fed and high quality.  They do wagyu and Angus cows .  Operated by a couple bad ass ladies too !

[Caseyd]

If anyone is around Dayton, a new butcher shop has opened up called Table Rock meat Co and they do butcher boxes variety packs or custom cuts.  Everything is super local, grass fed and high quality.  They do wagyu and Angus cows .  Operated by a couple bad ass ladies too !

 



Don’t leave Clayton out 

[LDennis24]

According to an article I read a few days ago, beef prices are up 20% and chicken up 15% over a year ago. Brandon, Newsome, and Inslee are killing us.

Yeah in the store, somehow the prices are still in the dirt in the feedlots and the auctions. It's BS!

[LDennis24]

My father has several steers ready for butcher and probably damn cheap if anyone's interested. Just alfalfa fed, not sure about grain finishing. He is near Rock Lake in Whitman County. PM me if interested and I will get more info.

[toothfangclaw]

Anyone have a 2nd freezer in an apartment? That's the issue I have. I just don't have the freedom like people in houses to have multiple fridges, no bbq, no smoking, no fire. 😕

[Stein]

Anyone have a 2nd freezer in an apartment? That's the issue I have. I just don't have the freedom like people in houses to have multiple fridges, no bbq, no smoking, no fire. 😕

I did, still have it but it's in my garage now.  I had a small patio with a very small storage closet out there - just big enough to squeeze a standup freezer in there.

[toothfangclaw]

Anyone have a 2nd freezer in an apartment? That's the issue I have. I just don't have the freedom like people in houses to have multiple fridges, no bbq, no smoking, no fire.

I did, still have it but it's in my garage now.  I had a small patio with a very small storage closet out there - just big enough to squeeze a standup freezer in there.

Ah, that was smart. But no storage or plugs outside for me.

[Timberstalker]

Anyone have a 2nd freezer in an apartment? That's the issue I have. I just don't have the freedom like people in houses to have multiple fridges, no bbq, no smoking, no fire.

I did, still have it but it's in my garage now.  I had a small patio with a very small storage closet out there - just big enough to squeeze a standup freezer in there.

Ah, that was smart. But no storage or plugs outside for me.

Nothing a spade bit and some matching paint for the freezer can’t fix.

[HillHound]

Anyone have a 2nd freezer in an apartment? That's the issue I have. I just don't have the freedom like people in houses to have multiple fridges, no bbq, no smoking, no fire. 😕

Back in the day I lived in a apartment for about a year and I found a small chest freezer that fit in the walk in closet. Not ideal but it was out of the way. If that won’t work just replace a table or tv stand with a Chest freezer. Unless of course your married, don’t think the wife would be down with the decor and hiding it in a closet or bedroom might be a better option

[300rum]

Never ever buy meat from a grocery store, lord only knows where that garbage came from (foreign countries), you might as well eat Spam or vienna sausage. 

If you are looking for "Grass Fed", look for a "Grass Finished" animal.  A grass fed animal is likely finished on grain a "Grass Finished" animal has only eaten grass.  It takes at least two years to finish an animal on grass, you cannot finish an animal on grass in 18 months, you have to take the animal over two winters so you should pay more. 

You are looking for a smaller framed animal on an operation that is irrigated and moves their animal's frequently, once a day.  You want the brisket to be filled out to at least a volleyball or a girls basketball.  You want three wrinkles on the tail head.  You want to see a "ball sack" bulge on a steer and a braided rope like line on a heifer from the girl parts running between her "cheeks".

You should not be giving up any marbling on a grass finished animal.  If you are, its an animal that isn't finished.  It should have a slightly "beefier" taste (unlike a grain finished animal that doesn't have any flavor or very mild flavor) if it is gamey or has a strong flavor, the animal was on bad grass, bad forage, likely unirrigated continuous grazing.  A grass finished animal should be butchered June-August (irrigated).  Do not buy a grass animal butchered in October on.  Be careful in September.