When checking out meat in grocery stores, you often come across a lot of variety in color and cuts. They’re all labeled differently, too. It can be hard to find the perfect piece that has the right cut and color for your recipe with such disorderly variation.
Even worse, there’s no way to know how it tastes or whether it’s from a quality source. At the same time, the price of good meat remains ever on the rise. As a result, more and more people gravitate towards local butchers, as they are reliable sources that offer quality assurance, compared to meat from the stores.
This article will teach you key things to consider when choosing a local butcher.
Reputation
It’s a rule that if you’re good at something, and maintain consistency, you will eventually earn a reputation for quality.
Although most people prefer local butchers because they offer a wide range of products, it’s still no guarantee that every butcher will provide the best. That is, there will always be an exception to the rule.
That’s why you need to be sure about the butcher’s reputation for quality before subscribing to their services.
Ask relevant questions, look for testimonials, and ask people who’ve patronized the butchers about their experiences.
Ethics
You certainly don’t want to eat an animal that was slaughtered unethically. It might or might not make much of a difference in the taste, but it’s ideal and professional to slaughter animals correctly before they’re sold commercially.
So, before choosing a local butcher, do some research and find out how they slaughter their livestock.
Sanitation
This is perhaps the most important aspect of buying meat from a local butcher. You can’t get this type of guarantee from the products at your grocery store. But, the local butcher can.
However, in some cases, you have to extend yourself a bit to ensure adequate cleanliness is ensured. Slaughtering is dirty business. In the process of slaughtering animals, a lot of organic waste is generated. And, it takes the very best, hygiene-conscious butchers to deliver quality products regardless.
In addition, the butcher’s shop must be pest-free and completely clean, including the counters, slaughtering knives, and cutting surfaces. Also, the workers at the shop must practice excellent hygiene, both personally and in the handling and displaying of the meat.
Meat source
When choosing a local butcher, you need to keep your ears and eyes wide and open, asking relevant questions about the meat source.
Was the animal brought in after being hit on the highway? Is it from pest or illness-infested stock? Also, how fresh is it? What’s the feeding method, grain or grass?
Watch closely for answers your butcher gives to your posers, and you’ll know just how competent they are.
Customer service
Finally, you should consider choosing a local butcher with a solid rapport with customers. After all, it’s food, and the best butchers always have excellent culinary advice to help you transform the raw product into something truly mouthwatering.
At Trio Country Butcher, we have the best all-round service and products for you to enjoy. Get your meats today.