WHAT TO BUY

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Bruce B

Master Chef
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
6,759
Location
Utica, MI
The vast majority of folks here buy non-enhanced meat, which is getting harder and harder to find, unless you go to one of the big box stores like Sams or Costco or BJs, or a real butcher shop.

Enhanced is "just OK" remember your paying for a certian percentage of a water and salt solution, a brine in other words, which extends that meats shelf life and promotes a jucier product.

If you buy it and use a dry rub just becarefful how much salt is in your rub as it will make your meat way too salty if you use a heavy salt rub with enhanced meat. Others also say that using a salty rub with enhanced meat can tend to make the meat taste "hammy".

Buyer beware!!!!
 
it seems I have to drive about an hour here to find a real butcher. The meat packers up here mostly seem to cut and vac so the stores can just pop it out on the shelves. Even one of the "real butchers" close buy uses exactly what the grocers do, he just keeps a small counter to make it look like the shops you want to see.
 
Real butchers are harder to find in the south. I know of one in the Myrtle
Beach area, which is filled with northern retirees. Wish we had more.
 
At the risk of another cyber lynch mob forming...pumped pork is just fine. I in fact go outta my way to buy pumped ribs. Both Hormel and Kroger brand are normally very good. Tyson and John Morrell aint on my favorites list. On butts...picnics and loins the pumped variety is all I have ever been able to find so it sort of a moot point on that issue. I usually try to steer clear of pumped chickens with Sanderson Farms being my favorite..but have had some good pumped chickens. Pilgrims Pride has a real good pumped version which is typically peddled at Wally World the Butterball brand fryers and roasters are also good. Now pumped beef is for the birds. Aint never found any of that stuff which tasted worth a flip.

bigwheel


brex HUT said:
i rember some talk about enhanced meat . i looked at the store and all i could find was enhanced . do you want it to be or not to be that is my question ?
 
I understand the irony of avoiding pumped meat and then brining.
However, all the pumped ribs I've gotten end up hammy, and that
ain't what I'm shooting for. I'm pretty sure the chicken I've been
buying isn't pumped, although I could see me liking that a lot.
 
Now up here by the future home of the World Champion Detroit Tigers, it's almost impossible to find unpumped chicken unless you go to a regular butcher shop. All the grocery stores and even Sams and Costco carry Tyson which is pumped, not a bad thing though. BW, have heard good things about those Sanderson Farm chickens on other boards, can't find them up here.

All grocery stores here carry enhanced pork, ribs, loins, tenderloins, chops, everything.

The only beef I buy at grocery stores is ground chuck for burgers, like the lean to fat ratio better than what they sell at the big stores.
 
I cant speak for anywhere except where I have lived but in mddle TN I had no problem getting a real butcher. espcially closer to the farm. there werent tons but enough to go around to those that wanted one. here in the communist state of PA though you have to get out toward the Amish to get it fresh.
 
The turkey that I cooked last Friday was enhanced with turkey broth. I was impressed with the taste of it. It came from up around the Detroit area Bruce.......Chef's Pride.

I can not stand Pilgrim's Pride chickens. I usually go to a locally owned Shop Rite for my meats. They are unenhanced and a better price and quality than what I find at Meijer, Walmart, etc. Scott's carries Gold'N Plump and I find those taste a lot better.

I've never bought any Hormel other than those flavored tenderloins. I love the Apple Bourbon and Teriyaki. I haven't tried smoking them but have cooked them on the gasser, in the oven, and on my indoor electric grill.
 
Just check all the local grocery stores. Even different locations of the same stores sometimes carry different stuff. Walmart "X" may only carry enhanced stuff while Walmart "Y" carrys un-enhanced stuff. There are certain stores that will only carry natural / un-enhanced meats. I think Piggly Wiggly is that way.
 
Make some room on that ambulance for a cooler. You travel to Beaumont, Houston and Lufkin how many times a week ? :LOL:

Seriously, Go to Sam's the next time you are in Lufkin and load up.
 
Finney said:
Just check all the local grocery stores. Even different locations of the same stores sometimes carry different stuff. Walmart "X" may only carry enhanced stuff while Walmart "Y" carrys un-enhanced stuff. There are certain stores that will only carry natural / un-enhanced meats. I think Piggly Wiggly is that way.
True, living near the home of the future World Champion Detroit Tigers, I can buy pork butts at Super K-Mart that are not enhanced and at a very reasonable price. Out of all the butts I've cooked they always turn out the best. And if you need socks or something it's shopping all under one roof :D
 
Puff said:
Finney said:
Just check all the local grocery stores. Even different locations of the same stores sometimes carry different stuff. Walmart "X" may only carry enhanced stuff while Walmart "Y" carrys un-enhanced stuff. There are certain stores that will only carry natural / un-enhanced meats. I think Piggly Wiggly is that way.
True, living near the home of the future World Champion Detroit Tigers, I can buy pork butts at Super K-Mart that are not enhanced and at a very reasonable price. Out of all the butts I've cooked they always turn out the best. And if you need socks or something it's shopping all under one roof :D

Butts and socks somehow kinda go together. :shock:
 
Well first, I never knew Bruce and Puff lived in St. Louis, but I learn new things everyday! I'm a lucky person having a resturant depot near me where I we can get resturant quality meats all the time. Never even seen enhance meats there.
 
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