Best places to buy meat?

Mostly pertaining to meats for smoking, but big cuts in general. By "best" I mean balance of price to quality.

 

costco. great bang for the buck.

SAMS i suspect is similar, but i dont belong to their club.

 

I do like the fact that Costco sells Prime brisket... not sure if any of the others do.

 

Costco honestly has some quality stuff. Can't go wrong there.

 

Agreed. I seem to keep going there because all of the others are further away, but I'm wondering if it's worth the trip anyway.

 

I get a good price on brisket at walmart.

 

I buy from HEB and Krogers.

 

I wish we had HEB here...They always had a good selection of Mexican food, and the one I used to go to in Abilene had a tortilla machine working almost all the time!

 

Butcher shop all day long. Oberle Meats, in my town. If you've ever had Oberle Dog(oberle sausage), that's where it came from.

 

Well....late response, I know....

My husband and I have been heavy into smoking and we've been searching for various places to buy meat (and better cuts). Butchers are almost non-existent in my area. The one 'butcher shop' in my area reminded me of someone selling meats at a flea market. I did buy some beef ribs once...it was expensive and not impressive. I think they've since gone out of business.

We belong to both Costco & BJ's and have had luck with some of their meats - but you can't get prime cuts of certain meats. Our sister-in-law had a contact with Ettline Foods. Ettline foods supplies a lot (if not all) the restaurants in our area. They're HUGE and they're prices are really good. Granted - they mostly deal with businesses. We were able to setup an 'account' with them - I'm not sure if my sister-in-law was helpful in allowing that?? I have no idea.... We bought a shitload of food for a July 4th party. Like 4 full briskets (2 were Prime) and 6 pork shoulders. We had to 'pickup' the food from their local distribution point. But that's OK.....

http://www.ettline.com/

Give them a call....maybe you can hook up with a local rep (if they represent your area). Or - find a local restaurant distributor. Talk to your local BBQ restaurant and ask them where they get their meats.

Good Luck!

 

i need to change my answer. i previously said Costco.

since i really tapered off on eating meat, i am tending towards great meat when i do. i found a local butcher. for you Santa Rosa CA people..we are lucky.

we have Sonoma County Meat Company!! holy crap. what a butcher shop. it is super clean..maybe a tad too "boutiquey"..but WTF? their bacon is the best i have ever had in my entire life. i'm gonna grill one of their NYstrip steaks tonight.

 

Military commissary

 

Snake River Farms




(One of these days....)

 

uh not for me....I bought stuff there years ago and the ground had bone chips in it. It also never looked that great of meat--looked like it was sitting too long there. Now that Im retired its too far to make it worth my while anyhow.