I will be opening a new butcher shop in western Pa. Custom cutting- not retail. I'm interested in hearing some suggestions from those of you who use a local butcher. What do you like or dislike about them? Any input will be appreciated. Thanks All!
New butcher shop
- Thread starter sben222
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farm princess
Well-known member
The reason we like to one we use is because of the friendly people. They are also very good about the different options for several cuts of meat you can use. They can walk a person thru the cuts of meat even if the person getting the meat has no clue about what they want. And they are open good hours for the people that work and will work with you if the hours they are open isn't an option for them. I have had no complaints for or from them. Very friendly, they even put up with my father-in-law who can sometimes drive one to the bar!!!!
;-)
;-)
Over vacuum sealing the meat, listen to the customer and do custom farm kills. Don;t hang meat for too long. One of the shops that's about to go broke hangs hogs for 7-10 days. Fat is already going rancid by the time it gets into your freezer
dun
dun
Bullbuyer
Well-known member
Stay open a little later at least one weekday and maybe part of the day Sat. Keep the holding area reasonably clean. When you get rich remember all the people that helped to get you there.
AngusLimoX
Well-known member
Just a few butcher improvement thoughts.
1. Please do not switch the tender young beef steer that I brought you for some 14 year dairy cull cow as my customers say you do.
2. If I ask for steaks individually wrapped, or burger in one pound packages, I should not expect homicidal glares from behind the counter!
3. When my freezer meat customers order and pay for 15 pounds of patties or pepperetes, they truly expect them to be in their package. It should not take an episode of CSI to discover where the missing order went!
4. Please don't compete with me. If I sell beef for 2$ a pound don't put it on for 1.99 using the money I pay you to undercut me!
5. Continue to have the nicest and most helpful folks working up front because they make the other complaints tolerable!
Good Luck with your enterprise, I sure hope you people don't have to go through the crap we do here for disposal and inspection.
Do you run cattle as well? Some of the more profitable ops up here do that.( Small scale OT, not TYSON/CARGILL :lol: ).
1. Please do not switch the tender young beef steer that I brought you for some 14 year dairy cull cow as my customers say you do.
2. If I ask for steaks individually wrapped, or burger in one pound packages, I should not expect homicidal glares from behind the counter!
3. When my freezer meat customers order and pay for 15 pounds of patties or pepperetes, they truly expect them to be in their package. It should not take an episode of CSI to discover where the missing order went!
4. Please don't compete with me. If I sell beef for 2$ a pound don't put it on for 1.99 using the money I pay you to undercut me!
5. Continue to have the nicest and most helpful folks working up front because they make the other complaints tolerable!
Good Luck with your enterprise, I sure hope you people don't have to go through the crap we do here for disposal and inspection.
Do you run cattle as well? Some of the more profitable ops up here do that.( Small scale OT, not TYSON/CARGILL :lol: ).
Vacume sealing would be a great option, our processor doesn't offer it. I would pay extra for it because when I bring the meat home I vacume seal it anyway and have to pay for the bags. Our processor does double wrap the meat, plastic wrap then the waxed paper. They will not package steaks one to a pack, they require a minimum of 2, I would like that also.
My biggest gripe though is them never being able to tell me when it will be ready and in some cases I think they have hung the meat too long. I've gotten a call as early as 7 days and as late as 28.
Donna
My biggest gripe though is them never being able to tell me when it will be ready and in some cases I think they have hung the meat too long. I've gotten a call as early as 7 days and as late as 28.
Donna
TheBullLady
Well-known member
Funny that two of you thought your meat was hung too long! Since we've moved to Texas we've had the opposite problem. We've been through probably 8 or 9 processors to find someone that would hang the meat for longer than 3 days! 14 to 21 is about right, but most places don't want to have your beef taking up the locker room for that long.
We go to a small place in Fairfield that does good. Double wrap.. we'll pay extra for it. Never had the option of vacuum sealing.. but I bet that would be great! Don't leave the round steaks in sizes as big as the truck bed.. cut it in half or quarters.
A lot of people ( me included) don't necessarily know how the cuts all work, so be sure you can explain it. In other words, if I want rib eye steaks, I can't get a certain roast, etc. etc. And if I only want steaks and hamburgers, and the brisket in one big piece, don't give me that evil eye you gave Angus LimoX1
We go to a small place in Fairfield that does good. Double wrap.. we'll pay extra for it. Never had the option of vacuum sealing.. but I bet that would be great! Don't leave the round steaks in sizes as big as the truck bed.. cut it in half or quarters.
A lot of people ( me included) don't necessarily know how the cuts all work, so be sure you can explain it. In other words, if I want rib eye steaks, I can't get a certain roast, etc. etc. And if I only want steaks and hamburgers, and the brisket in one big piece, don't give me that evil eye you gave Angus LimoX1
DavisBeefmasters
Well-known member
Vacuum packed... haven't had good experience with these not "cracking" and allowing freezer burn... we still stick with paper wrapped.
Recommendations:
1. Follow AngusLimoX list
2. Follow the cutting orders you take (or why take them)?
3. An early morning opening once a week, or early Saturday is really helpful
Recommendations:
1. Follow AngusLimoX list
2. Follow the cutting orders you take (or why take them)?
3. An early morning opening once a week, or early Saturday is really helpful
Susie David
Well-known member
We have been using the same butcher for four years now for the following reasons:
1...Same slaughter price if he kills six or I call him out for one.
2...Our live/hanging weights have consiatantly been 61-64% same with with our USDA processor, hang to package 30-33%.
3....steak count always on the money.
4....best man with a knife that I ever have watched slaughter
5...wraps in plastic and then freezer paper.
6...friendly and honest
7...bach to honest...we trust him
Dmc
1...Same slaughter price if he kills six or I call him out for one.
2...Our live/hanging weights have consiatantly been 61-64% same with with our USDA processor, hang to package 30-33%.
3....steak count always on the money.
4....best man with a knife that I ever have watched slaughter
5...wraps in plastic and then freezer paper.
6...friendly and honest
7...bach to honest...we trust him
Dmc
Cowboy 2.0
Well-known member
TheBullLady":3n4lu0pw said:
I like J&S for our emat any other time besides the spring. The get most all of the animals from our county show that are bought and sent to the house, They are super busy and a lot of meat gets mixed up. Other than that, they are great.
bward
Well-known member
Our custom butcher charges ( 10 bucks) extra per side for single wrapped steaks and one pound burger and thats fine by me. Also the meat is boxed when I pick it up.
Farminlund
Well-known member
We have used the same butcher/slaughter house for the past 20yrs.
Reasons: Honest, friendly & they do what you want - we like ours held out of the cooler for ~24 hrs - they accommodate
They offer vaccum pack - the only way to go -1-2 yrs of freezer storgae w/o freezer burn
They do mixed quarters so that you can sell quarters & get a mix of all the cuts in the animial.
They do summer sauage - what a taste delight!
They hang based on the fat coverage - never a question on whether it's too long or too short - its always hung for the right amount of time.
Did I say honest & freindly - a Meninite (sp) operation.
Reasons: Honest, friendly & they do what you want - we like ours held out of the cooler for ~24 hrs - they accommodate
They offer vaccum pack - the only way to go -1-2 yrs of freezer storgae w/o freezer burn
They do mixed quarters so that you can sell quarters & get a mix of all the cuts in the animial.
They do summer sauage - what a taste delight!
They hang based on the fat coverage - never a question on whether it's too long or too short - its always hung for the right amount of time.
Did I say honest & freindly - a Meninite (sp) operation.
