5 Things Your Butcher Probably isn’t Telling You

• 1 Dec, 2022

Beware Of Your Neighbourhood Butcher: 5 Things He Isn’t Telling You

A posse of your friends are coming over for dinner and you’ve promised them that you’re going to bring it to the table. But you’re out of meat! What do you do? Order meat online or run to your local neighbourhood butcher?

Now, let’s say, in order to save time and because you’ve been going to him for ages, you choose the latter option. Have you ever thought twice about the meat he’s giving you? Is it fresh enough? Is it the right cut that you want? Is it pure lean meat or just chunks of cholesterol?
Meat can be complicated and it’s time we throw some light on 5 important things your neighbourhood butcher might be doing to “cut” corners. Also, meat isn’t cheap, and with the current economy and booming inflation, we want to make sure that you’re getting the best cut for your buck!

1. Is your meat fresh off the…carcass?
You’ve seen the gory carcasses hanging outside, giving you the impression that the meat is still fresh. Butchers do a lot of ‘window dressing’, as we’d like to call it, flipping brown meat over, trimming off the fat, and dabbing away that dreaded red liquid. Meats typically last in the refrigerator at a temperature of 30 or 40 degrees and not more than 3-5 days. Also different meats – lamb, chicken, beef, have different shelf lives. So you need to ask yourself if the meat is fresh off the carcass.

2. Is it Halal cut?
For those of you who adhere to the religious norms of eating only meat that is ‘Halal’ cut, it is of extreme importance to know for sure that your butcher is giving you the same. The truth is you never will know for sure and he’s probably just promising you Halal cut meat to cut a deal!

3. Are you really getting the cut that you want?
It’s easier to know that you’re getting the exact cuts that you want with chicken and lamb, since your meat concierge is cutting it up in front of you, but what about pre-packed meat?. And when it comes to beef, you want to make sure that you’re getting the right cut for grilling up those juicy steaks! For example, a chuck steak or Denver cut should come from the shoulder; shanks and briskets come from the leg and breast respectively. A rib-eye steak should come from…no points for guessing…the ribs, and so on. You do the meat math!

4. What’s going on behind the scenes?
Bad enough you have to stand in long queues waiting till it’s your turn till you get to the counter, but do really know what’s going on right at the back of your butcher shop? How clean is he keeping it, what new strains of deadly bacteria are being born in the back of your butcher’s lair…Ok, maybe we’re overdoing it a tad, but cleanliness and hygiene should be at the top of every butcher’s priority…and if it’s not, well, then, you might be dead meat!

5. Something’s fishy
It’s not just meat that you need to be careful with while buying but seafood as well. Ironically, you should never get a “fishy” smell while selecting fish of your choice; it simply means it isn’t fresh at all. While buying whole fish, the eyes should be bright, shiny and full; cloudy (or milky) sunken eyes are dead giveaways it’s been sitting out for too long.

Which is why, when it comes to buying meat, you need someone you can count on, someone who gives you the freshest, highest quality meat without you having to worry about getting E.coli or salmonella! Everyday Meat sells prime quality cuts of Meat and the freshest Seafood delivered straight to your doorstep. No more waiting in long lines at the butcher shop swatting away flies and arguing for choice and quantity. You can order meat online from the comfort of your own home with one click of a button on the website or on the Mobile App. Why Everyday Meat you ask? Well, that’s easy. We simply believe we’re a cut above the rest!