Meat, Butchers, Meat Markets

[svband76]

Was Weiss formerly in Bedford Square 12th Street Sah Side by YEP studio? I recall a green brick building there in the 1980s/90s...


Did Mission Market in the slopes also sell meat?

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by zalewskimm

Was Weiss formerly in Bedford Square 12th Street Sah Side by YEP studio? I recall a green brick building there in the 1980s/90s...


Did Mission Market in the slopes also sell meat?

Mission market was a butcher, they were my go to for years. Unfortunately they closed about 15 years ago.

[Formerly Known As Twenty]

Originally Posted by Catia

I'm pretty bummed out about the quality of meat lately.


My issues won't be the same as those of you who do up your steaks well done.


Recently I learned that *ALL* Costco steaks are blade tenderized.
All. Every. Single. Freaking. Steak.
You have zero choice about it & cannot request anything different.


This simply boggles my mind. Why do this to filet/delmonico/ribeye???


1st let me state, I prefer my steaks 'Pittsburgh rare', or rare.
Medium at MOST, if it's a burger.


For those of you not familiar with the risks of the process, you should google it.
I didn't even know it was a 'thing'.
Commercial blade, needle, or mechanical tenderization, pushes any potentially harmful bacteria from the outside of the meat, where it could be washed or seared off & no issue, to deep within the meat where full cooking to well done is NECESSARY.
Due to assembly line type practices, 1 contaminated portion will infect all of the rest.
Usually the bad bacteria, is limited to the outside, but once you enter in this process, all bets are off.


There is no law that states it must be labeled regarding this process.
Costco voluntarily notes this in the fine print on their steaks, which kudos to them for putting it on the label, which also explains it must be cooked through.


So I need a new place to buy at least my beef, if nothing else.
I also need to know how exactly it works *nowadays*, because I admit, I haven't been to a real butcher or meat market since I was a kid shopping with my mom.


Asking how it works also because:
Recently I went to Weiss Meats, many people I know say they get their meat there. I bought some chuck roasts, lamb, rabbit & other stuff. When I was at the counter, I told the man it was my 1st time there. I asked the man what I needed to do to place an order. I read many of the signs on the wall. Man said "just tell me what you want", & I did.
I got my paper bags & left.
When I got home, I was kind of shocked, none of my meats were wrapped like a butcher wraps meat, you know, in white paper & all, neatly separated.
The roasts were all thrown into 1 clear plastic garbage bag tied into a knot. Same with the lamb. I felt like I did something wrong to get that type of service & I felt a bit confused. The next day, I asked coworkers about it. Two people told me you have to ask for your meat to be wrapped, & there is an extra charge for the service. Another man told me he has never experienced that in all of the years he has shopped there, but that he orders ahead via phone & never specifies needing it wrapped & to his knowledge has never been charged for having his meat wrapped.

Gotta say, as this was my 1st experience with Weiss, I was pretty upset about it, & freaked out enough that I was not sure if I should eat it.

There was nothing I saw written on the wall signs about needing to specify if you want your meat separated & wrapped. I felt like I p*ssed the man off or something when I saw all that meat in a clear garbage bag tied into a knot.

I don't call & complain, if this is not proper practice, I just won't return. I vote with my checkbook.
I'm the type of person who KNOWS never to complain to the people handling my food, the last thing I want is for angry people to handle my food.

So what is the process now? Or what is the real process at Weiss Meats?
Is this how it is now at a real butcher? I'd like to know before I go shopping again.

Recommendations for butchers/meat markets wanted.

If it is customary to need to specify that you want your meat wrapped, & customary for there to be a charge, fine, but I need to know about it, & what to say when I am ordering. It wasn't ever the process 20 yrs ago, but things change & we all know good customer service is hard to come by nowadays.


Sigh. I feel like my grandmother!


Thanks all!

I've never had this happen, but then again, I usually watch while they process and pack up my order. The meat that you purchased should be perfectly fine to eat, though it's odd that they would package your entire order (mixed meats) in one bag. I've purchased things from Weiss in the past and have never had that happen. (Granted, I've never bought that much meat let alone such a variety in one go.)

That being said, there are three places that I go to when I wish to purchase specific cuts of meat. If I'm in my neighborhood, I go to Tom Friday's Market. Great, old-fashioned store and service that's well worth the expense.

In the city proper, my go-to place is Strip District Meats or Jo-Mar Provisions. (Strip District Meats, however, is my preference between the two. Once again, great service and top quality meats.)

At all three places, I ask them for what cuts (or grinds) I would like. The butcher then weighs the meat, packs up my order neatly in butcher's paper, and sends me on my way.

[halocheffer]

here is just a thought cut the steaks yourself. buy the whole tenderloin-strip loin-and ribeye. there are no bones. just need a sharp knife-cutting board and plastic wrap. you will get 6- 8oz fillets out of a tenderloin.8-9 really good strip steaks and the end piece can be used for stew or swiss steaks. rib eyes can go end to end at least 12. wrap and freeze. cutting them fresh and freezing will not hurt the flavor the trim from the tender you can make stroganoff-k-bobs-or stirfry. i am sure there are videos on you tube on how to cut. i know how and have cut them.

[WhiteOak2013]

I’ve gotten my meat at Lamperts https://lampertsmarket.com/
in McKeesport right across fro Renzie Park. The butcher always wraps my order separately in the white meat paper without asking. It’s fresh and tasty and can be cut to order. They also have great freezer specials.

[WhiteOak2013]

Although I have not been there personally, I have a friend that goes to Joe’s butcher Shop Joe's Butcher Shop | Pitcairn, PA in Pitcairn. She loves their meat and says everything is individually wrapped without asking and also gets their special freezer deals.

[dbsteel]

I like Bardines

https://www.bardinemeats.com/

Kind of far out- but not for me out in Murrysville.