Buying your meat from your butcher has a slew of advantages. From the importance of supporting local businesses to the need to make more sustainable food choices, enjoying tastier meat and ensuring better animal welfare. But buying meat from a local butcher can be intimidating if you’re used to picking up packets off the shelf, and you may not understand all of the terminologies or know exactly what to ask for. There are numerous advantages to purchasing meat from your local butcher. A butcher has been trained for many years and will have a wealth of knowledge about the product you are buying, from the cut of meat to how long to cook it for or at what temperature.
- Find A Good Butcher
Try everything your local butcher has to offer. Let each store know you’re a potential new customer and hint at a long-term relationship on your first visit. If you aren’t an expert, state so. Explain, however, that you are willing to pay a reasonable premium for high-quality meat. Inquire about the origin of the meat and whether the store sells any unusual items. If the quality of the meat falls short of your expectations, even after describing them, move on to another butcher without hesitation! When you find a butcher you like, tell them your preferences and they will take care of you.
- Customer Loyalty Is Essential
Inform the butcher if you are dissatisfied. Don’t just vanish, never to be seen again, because he’ll never know what disappointed you. It could be a misunderstanding or a minor quality control problem.
- Get Educated By The Butcher
You can learn about good meat from your local butcher. Bright red beef, for example, is not always the best. A darker red indicates a more matured beef cut. Matured beef has a depth of flavor that fresh red beef does not have. A good butcher might tell you that the shoulder of lamb is less expensive and more flavorful than the leg of lamb. Although you save money, the butcher earns your trust. Butchers with a passion for food often have recipes and cooking tips they’d love to share with you. This type of added service is often provided by enthusiastic butchers. Keeping up with the latest food trends demonstrates that they care about their product and how it is consumed.
- Purchasing Locally
A good butcher will try to purchase from local farms where the animals are slaughtered locally. This has a direct impact on the quality of the meat. Animals that travel long distances before slaughter experience a great deal of stress. As a result, the meat can be tough and flavourless. Take into account the environmental impact of long-distance deliveries as well. Locally sourced and sold meat consumes less fossil fuel and is, therefore, more environmentally friendly. Buying locally supports your community’s economy while also ensuring higher quality meat.
Therefore these tips will help you greatly in buying meat from the local butcher. As small neighborhood butcher shops take pride in knowing where their meat comes from.