Big supermarkets - Pork Shoulder?

[floydmeddler]

Cheers lads. Well... just back from the butchers. 2.1kg of bone in shoulder cost me £12. Doesn't seem that cheap. Should have shopped around. 2.3KG of brisket cost me £17. Ah well novice mistake I suppose.

Idea of having bone in is to keep it moist on the smoker.

[SmokinBBQ]

I know this is not much good to you, but I pay £9.12 for boned 4kg shoulders. They're spot on every time.

[Swindon_Ed]

Can I ask why you need bone in? To my way of thinking a boneless joint has less waste, the dog may go hungry though.

Normally you should be able to get bone in shoulders for less per kg than boneless as the butcher doesn't have to do as much work to it, and the bone doesn't weigh that much so you don't pay anything for it. Also i find the bone adds more flavour to the meat, it cooks better and i end up with moister meat than when i cook boneless shoulders.

[keith157]

It has alway been an old addage, the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat.

[keith157]

It has alway been an old addage, the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat.

Just read the second part of the bone question. There is a certain satisfaction, I'm told, and theatre about pulling a clean bone out of a properly cooked shoulder. Also the dog would ALWAYS go hungry as they should never be fed cooked bones as they splinter too easily.

[floydmeddler]

I know this is not much good to you, but I pay £9.12 for boned 4kg shoulders. They're spot on every time.

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Nice! I need to find me a cheap butcher.

[aris]

Shop around. I find that Halal butchers are excellent and very good value - except for pork products of course. But for beef and chicken and lamb - fantastic.

For an idea on wholesale prices check out this web page:

http://www.meat-prices.co.uk/

Very much depends on the area you are in of course, but it will give you a general idea of what your Butcher is paying for meat. Keep in mind these are primal cuts, and there is some wastage once they are cut into smaller joints.

Butchers tend to charge what their markets will bear. Try travelling out of your comfort zone to more 'ethnic' areas to get better deals. Every so often I go to Burn Oak near Edgeware. Watling Ave has a load of ethnic butchers (mostly halal), but also a very traditional British/Irish butcher who does pork including all the offals, and some fantastic smoked pork hocks (makes great Boston baked beans). While it is a bit out of my way, it is well worth the trip when i'm buying meat, and vegetables, and even fish (there are some really good fishmongers there). Parking is free too.

Once you find a friendly butcher, get to know him. Tell him what you are up to, and what you want.

If he seems interested, and willing to help, Most butchers are fairly good business people - and know how to take care of their customers. Particularly ones who buy large quantities of meat! My butcher has my number and gives me a call when he has a side of t-bones going at a good price (about 9 pounds a kilo). I typically buy 10-15 kilos off him. He's happy, and i'm happy.

Unfortunately many of butchers seem to 'know it all', and are unhelpful, and unwilling to do anything differently from what they know. Don't waste your time - go elsewhere.

[keith157]

Well said Aris, as you say some butchers aren't what I would term proper butchers, all they do is cut slices from pre-packs. A good butcher is worth his salt as he knows he faces competition from the supermarkets as all most of his customers want is cheap meat. He may even relish the challenge of new ideas.

[aris]

I wasn't referring to the skill of the butcher but rather the attitude. Perhaps i'm being a bit critical - but some butchers just don't want to know anything different than what they have been doing for the past 30 years (and i'm _not_ being ageist here ). You want a butcher who is accommodating, open to new ideas, and possibly well travelled.

[derekmiller]

Aris.
You are not being critical, you are saying it as a lot of us have found it.
I am lucky enough to have found a good butcher, I dont question his costs per lb, I just pay the total bill at the end. I know the meat will be good quality and will be cut as we have discussed. It has taken a few "go elsewheres", but in the end it is worth it.
I hardly buy any meat from a superstore anymore, my butcher knows that and appreciates it. We have a good relationship, and I will work to keep it that way.
Just my 2p.
Derek.