Did I Answer Everything You Want To Know About Purchasing Steak At The Grocery Store
In this article, we went over all the things you need to know about purchasing steak at the grocery store.
We went over what makes a great steak.
Then we talked about what supermarkets have the best quality meat and how to pick a steak at the grocery store. We also went over USDA meat grades and the differences between grass-fed and grain-fed beef.
Of course, we also talked about what makes one steak better than another.
Then we looked at which supermarkets have the best quality meat and how to pick a steak at the grocery store. We answered all the top questions too, about things like USDA meat grades and grass-fed versus grain-fed organic beef.
Ultimately we answered the question of which grocery store has the best steaks?
My pick for quality, consistency, price, and availability is Whole Foods Market. After all, they operate over 400 stores in multiple countries. While some place like Wegmans on the East Coast also has great steaks, I cant give them the win since they dont operate in most parts of the country.
Small butcher shops, of course, could be well worth checking out too if you have one. But anywhere you can find USDA Prime or at least Choice beef, ideally organically grown and grass-fed, get it! Youll have a great steak!
I would steer clear of buying meat from places that only sell USDA Select beef and also steer clear of places that dont have butchers on staff who cut their meat fresh. Trader Joes and Aldi come to mind there.
West Virginia: The Char
Beckley
Consistently The Char is a solid pick for West Virginia. For 50 years, this family restaurant has served up good steaks with a lake view. Most run in the $30 range. The trick is to come for weekday happy hours, from 3 to 6 p.m., offering significant discounts on salads, appetizers, and other entrees, to and stay for dinner.
Florida: Las Vacas Gordas
Miami
Las Vacas Gordas, recently under new management, is an Argentinean Miami fusion steakhouse that opened in 1996 on Miami Beach. The owner is passionate about recreating the Argentine grill with American twists. The Enrollada steak dish is a beautiful example, and this 1.5-pound serving can feed two people easily for $40.
Don’t Miss: Kansas City Steaks Or Omaha
Best For Game: Fossil Farms
Since 1997, Fossil Farms has specialized in high-quality farm-raised game and all-natural meats. Its selection includes more than 200 different proteins, including bison, elk, wild boar, pheasant, and even exotic meats like ostrich, kangaroo, and camel. Another notable offering: Fossil Farms has a section dedicated to customers with alphagal allergy, the meat allergy caused by tick bites.
The brand is committed to sustainable and humane practices, working with its network of farmers and ranchers to ensure all animals have access to pure water, open pastures, wholesome grass, and supplemental vegetarian grains without animal byproducts. Due to increased coronavirus demand, Fossil Farms is operating at a limited capacity and some deliveries are delayed.
To buy: Starting at $6 fossilfarms.com
Buy Meat From Local Farmers
Buying meat from local farmers directly can be cheaper. You can buy an entire pig, cow, turkey, pig, or an exotic animal for meat.
The upfront cost to buy meat in bundles from local farmers costs more than buying a few pounds each week from the grocery store. For many people, it will come down to cash flow and the minimum bundle size required from the local farmer.
Heres a guide from Kendra Less on how to buy grass-fed beef meat nearby. She explains the following:
- Visiting the local farm
- How to buy a cow for meat
- Difference between hanging weight vs. processing meat
- Price to buy cow meat
- How many pounds is received to be eaten
- Different types of meat cuts
- How many cuts received
Buying from a grass-fed beef farm will likely cost more for higher quality meat, but will still save you hundreds of dollars per year. Grass-fed beef, in many cases, will also be organic.
Buying grass-fed beef may not be for everyones taste. Most Americans are used to the taste of corn-fed beef. Grass-fed has a more gamey taste and texture thats described as more mineral-heavy, fishy, or grassy.
Also Check: 76 Steak And Potato Menu
Cheap Meat : Feed Your Family On A Budget With These Tips
Is meat eating up your whole grocery budget? We’ve got all the tips, tricks, and hacks you need to find cheap meat. Let’s save your supper and your wallet!
If you’ve been following us for a while now, then you know we’re all about frugal living. If you’re new here, yay! Nice to meat you .
Here’s the quick lowdown on our approach to grocery shopping: you should only spend $100 per family member each month.
*Note: When you click the links in this post, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Now, you may be thinking, $100 for the whole MONTH per person? How the heck is that possible?! Fair questions! Here’s the deal: you’re probably overspending on meat, and we’re going to help you fix that. Keep on reading for all the tips, tricks, and secrets you need to find cheap meat.
Best Mail Order Steaks In 2022
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Until recently if you wanted to buy the best quality steak you were severely limited by where you lived.
Luckily we are now spoilt for choice, with a range of specialty butcher shops delivering restaurant-quality steak online.
Even if you live in a small city, these online butchers deliver steak to your door anywhere in the continental United States.
Weve rounded up the best mail order steak companies in the country for buying steak online.
Also Check: Where To Buy Meat For Steak Tartare
Best For Gifts: Omaha Steaks
One of the nation’s first mail-order meat companies, Omaha Steaks has been slicing and sending specialty steaks across the country for more than a century. The brand is famous for its variety of cuts, like top-notch filet mignons, sirloins, ribeyes, and T-bones, but also has a wide selection of other meats, seafood, sides, dessert, and even wine. It also sells tons of gift packages across a range of price points. From under-$60 gift baskets filled with wine and cheese to a Butcher’s Share option that sends 95 pounds of Private Reserve beef in multiple shipments, there’s something for everyone.
To buy: Starting at $10 omahasteaks.com
What Do You Even Mean By Cheap Meat
Okay, right off the bat, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty! How do you even know what to spend on meat in the first place? What’s a good deal, what’s not? Let’s talk about it! We did some research and found the average prices for meat:
- Chicken Legs $1.55 per pound
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $3.41 per pound
- Whole Chicken $1.64 per pound
- Ground Beef $5.60 per pound
- PorkChops $4.05 per pound
- Pork Chops $4.29 per pound
- WholeHam $3.34 per pound
- Steak $8.87 per pound
- Chuck Roast $5.96 per pound
- Whole Turkey $1.41 per pound
These are averages! Prices can vary by location and based on other variables like the time of year, cut of meat, etc. But, keep these baselines in mind as you’re evaluating whether a deal is really a deal!
Pro Tip: Focus on the savings, not just the final price. It’s a great way to figure out how good a deal is!
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Best Meat Grinder Tips With An Attachment
- Clean work area: Clean the work area and equipment
- Cubed: Cut the meat into cubes
- Freeze Meat: Freeze your meat at least 15 minutes before grinding
- Freeze attachment: Freeze the blade and attachment at least 30 minutes before you start grinding
- Twice: Grind the meat twice
- Clean: Run a couple of pieces of bread through the grinder to push out some of the remaining cheap meat and fat
Buy Cheap Turkeys Around Thanksgiving And Freeze Them For Later Or Cook And Slice Into Lunch Meat
In November, take advantage of supermarket promotions like free Thanksgiving turkeys and put those loyalty rewards points to work. Those turkeys will keep, too for up to 2 3 years in the freezer as long as theyre continuously frozen. Or you can cook them and slice them for lunch meat.
via @syvwlch Flikr
You dont need a meat slicer to cut your own deli-quality meat at home .
A frozen Butterball turkey from Walmart is about $3/lb, while 16 oz of sliced turkey is usually $5 or more. Plus, when you slice your own meat, youll skip the high content of salt, sulfites, and nitrates.
You could also buy a pre-cooked turkey breast or ham and ask the deli to slice it for you.
PRO TIP: Uncooked meat slices better after its been in the freezer for about an hour
Read Also: How To Buy Skirt Steak
The Best Places To Order Meat Online In 2022
- Best for Surf and Turf: Chicago Steak Company
- Best Meat Subscription: ButcherBox
- Best for Beef and Pork: Snake River Farms
- Best for Delicacies: D’Artagnan
- Best for Overnight Delivery:
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Bulk and gift options available
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Doesn’t ship outside contiguous United States
If you’re looking to stock up on everything from ground beef and chicken to sirloin steak, pork chops, sausage, shrimp, and salmon, Rastelli’s has you covered. All of the products can be stored in your freezer for up to a year, and you can order in bulk or save money on a subscription.
Items like the Chicken Drumsticks Box, Steak Craft Burgers Box, and Ground Beef Box come with 12 servings so there’s plenty for the whole family. There are also gift box options that are perfect for holiday or corporate gifting.
Started as a one-room butcher shop in New Jersey, Rastelli’s remains a family-run business. All of the meat is responsibly sourced and completely free of antibiotics, steroids, and hormones.
Buy Meat By The Case At Costco To Save 20%
If you know exactly what you want and youre willing to eat a lot of it youre getting 60 pounds of one kind of meat buying meat by the case at Costco will make your meat purchases cheaper by the pound.
How much cheaper depends on the type of meat you buy. The meat department rep at my Costco said the only downside is that you have to do all the trimming and cutting when you buy by the case, but said itll be worth your time.
For best results, call ahead to see if your local Costco has the specific type of meat you want by the case. And then, if you dont have room in your freezer for all the meat, split the bounty with your friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Just double bag your meat with those freezer bags you bought with coupons, and store it in the freezer.
Tip: You can become your own butcher thanks to YouTube. Grab a very sharp knife, the interwebs, and slice up a top of beef or butterfly a whole chicken.
Also Check: Premium Steaks And Seafood Truck Reviews
The Cheapest Place To Buy Meat Online
The cheapest place to buy meat online is from Shipt. Shipt has partnered with various bricks and mortar grocery stores around the United States, like the ones seen below
You simply log into your Shipt account, choose your favorite store and add items to your cart. Youll then schedule your delivery, place your order and Shipt will deliver straight to your door.
You can receive delivery as soon as an hour after placing your order, or schedule it for later in the week.
Does Saving Money Mean You Will Get Less Quality Meat
The simple answer to this question is yes. Organic meat is the highest quality meat, and it is good for you. Buying cheap meat can pose problems that affect the quality, flavor, and healthiness of the meat.
Factory farms: Meat that comes from factory farms is always cheaper. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the animals muscles contain glycogen, which is converted to lactic acid when they are slaughtered, which produces more tender, flavorful meat.
Animals in factory farms are often stressed before slaughter, and they use their glycogen storage, resulting in less lactic acid in the meat. This cheaper meat is often tough and bland tasting.
Antibiotics: Animals in factory farms are given antibiotics to prevent infection and help them grow up to 3 percent more than they would without the antibiotics, which means the factory farms can charge more for their meat.
According to U.S. News and World Report, traces of antibiotics can be found in the meat we consume, which can be harmful to young children. Also, The CDC reports that two million people are infected by drug-resistant bacteria each year, and the meat may be to blame.
Environmental issues: Environmental issues often affect the meat that comes from factory farms. There arent enough crops on these farms to use the waste produced by the animals. When the waste is taken away, it can leak into the waterways, contaminating the animals water. This can make the meat unhealthy and of poor quality.
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Meat Portion Per Person
The cheapest groceries to buy will never include meat, but most people eat it daily. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American consumed over 222 pounds of poultry and red meat in 2018.
American portion sizes continue to grow. Since 1985, the average American adult consumes about 300 more calories per day.
Americans eat and buy more meat per person than any other country worldwide. Even though the United States has only the third-largest population in the world, American portion sizes are the largest.
A survey done by OnePoll, on behalf of Bosch, says the average American throws out an average of $53.81 worth of food waste per week. Thats over $2,700 per year! 43% of spoiled food is meat. Thats over $1,200 of spoiled meat wasted per person.
73% of respondents felt guilty about food waste.
No food waste and proper portion sizes per person will save more at the grocery store. The cheapest way to buy meat is by not wasting it.
There is no correct amount of meat to serve per person because it is based on the age, gender, and appetite of each individual. The general rule of thumb is less than a half-pound per person. You may want to target over a half-pound for a person with a bigger appetite. The meat portion sizes for kids will be well-under a half-pound and also for people who dont eat leftovers.
Where To Buy Wagyu Beef
CONTENTSTimothy Woods
Wagyu beef entered the United States market in the 1970s and became more and more popular as the years went on.
However, not every grocery store or butchery sells this upscale and tender meat.
That means your options are limited. While there are very few places that are strictly a wagyu shop, our expert butchers have compiled a list of the top ten places to get your fill of wagyu beef.
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Wisconsin: Hi Point Steakhouse
Ridgeway
The most expensive steak at the Hi Point is a porterhouse clocking in at 20 ounces that can easily feed two. The steak comes with a choice of potato, side salad, and freshly baked garlic bread. Lots of classic cuts with the house special, a $29 special with a 12-ounce Delmonico cut rib-eye from the heart of the prime rib, plus all the sides.
Where Does Skirt Steak Come From On The Cow
The Skirt steak is well known and has been around since we started butchering and eating cattle. It is part of the plate primal, which is the part of the body that sits just under the rib primal.
Skirt steaks come as either the outside skirt or the inside skirt.
The outside skirt comes from the outside of the chest wall and runs diagonally from the 6th to the 12th rib.
The inside skirt is situated a little further back within the chest wall itself and sits flat across the lower part of the ribs.
The outside skirt being thicker and more uniform means that it is usually sold to and bought by commercial buyers as its easier to present to retail customers.
The inside skirt being thinner, tends to shrink slightly when you cook it as the muscle fibers tighten up, which is another reason why restaurants prefer the outer. Either way, they are both tasty.
For details on many more cuts of beef and where they come from, check out our cuts of beef guide.
Recommended Reading: Where Can I Buy Kobe Steak
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Get An Extra Discount When You Haggle With The Meat Department On Sell
First of all, please dont eat spoiled meat. But sometimes meat has a sell-by date that is, well, questionable.
If you have an inkling that the meat department will be discounting a package soon, go ahead and haggle, girl! This is especially true if there is a surplus of a particular kind of meat and several packages that will go bad before they can actually sell. The meat department would rather sell it to you for cheap than throw it in the trash.
