Support Your Local Butcher – They’re a Rare Breed

I’ve already written about my distain for the big supermarkets like Tesco and their poor quality of produce. A particular bug-bear is the quality of their meat and their mass-produced sausages and burgers all of which taste, how can I put it?– Shite! Then there was the horsemeat scandal and unidentified Halal meat, are we really sure that they’re selling us what they say they are? I’m not convinced.

So with our trust in processed meat and supermarket supply chains weakening there’s no better time to consider independent butchers. It’s National Butchers Week in a couple of weeks so now’s a good time to support your local economy and in particular, your local butcher.

Quality Meat

There are many reasons not to buy supermarket meat, not least the lack of distinction between different cuts from the same area of the animal. Butchery skills and details of information really are seriously lacking in supermarkets. With most of the major supermarkets now pushing unlabelled Halal meat on the unsuspecting public and horse meat (with which I have no problem if labelled) finding its way into the food chain, the quality of supermarket meat is increasingly questionable.

Go to your local butchers, most will be able to tell you where they source their meat from. They all usually make their own sausages, mince meat and burgers.  Just ask them if they make it themselves - most do. I’ve watch mine mincing beef after I’ve asked him for it, I saw the piece of meat that went in and know exactly what was in the mince that came out.

There is only one way to know that you are actually getting high-quality meat from a healthy animal that has lived in a field and that is to buy it from a trained butcher that you know and trust. It's not necessarily more expensive than supermarkets' deluxe ranges and you only have to look at the meat to see the difference. Supermarket beef looks moist, flabby and pallid. If it is aged at all to develop the flavour, it is "wet-aged", which means it sits around, usually for just a few days, in sealed plastic bags so that it doesn't lose any weight through evaporation (which costs money). Even supposedly premium, "dry-aged" products do not look right. They don't look dark and dry.

Buying from your local butcher also means that the meat they provide you with will also have travelled less and so will be better for the environment. Much of the meat that you buy at your supermarket has been imported from overseas, which as we all know, massively increases its carbon footprint. This is avoided by eating locally sourced produce.

At my local butchers, one of the young butchers, is being trained by his father, a senior butcher with years of knowledge, you know their quality control is high as it’s their business and their livelihood that’s at risk if its not. I genuinely think that knowing a decent butcher makes your life better. The key point really is that the meat tastes better. Thick pork rib chops bought locally, for example, make a delicious and inexpensive supper. They seem to have the essence of pig.

But It’s More Expensive Isn’t It?

The meat at your local butchers isn’t necessarily cheaper than the supermarket but the quality and level of service are leagues ahead. The key though is that it isn’t more expensive either. Fresh chicken breasts at my local butchers cost about the same as at the local Asda, but they’re twice the size, local, free range and full of flavour rather than water so definitely better value.

A big element is that visiting your local butcher puts money back into the local economy. You will be supporting a local business run by people from your community, who in turn buy products from local suppliers and farms. Visiting your high street butcher will show support for your own area.

One of the problems with the major supermarket chains often cited by producers in the UK is that they push farmers harder and harder to provide more food more cheaply. Indeed Tesco are currently being investigated for this. Local butchers are more likely to be paying a fairer price to farmers for the produce they sell , this meat is totally different from supermarket meat and is supplied by people who take a pride in serving people individually. Any extra you pay is not great, but the difference in product quality is.

I must say my local butcher, K&S Platt in Culcheth are way cheaper than the local Sainsbury’s and the meat, sausages and burgers are much better - as is the banter!

Personal Service

As I’ve said, your local butcher buys meat directly from particular farms and takes pride in high standards of preparation. This is all for your benefit, the staff therefore build a relationship with the customer based on trust. This is a two way street. One of the main advantages of shopping locally is that you too will be able to build a relationship with your butcher over time. Unlike the spotty teenager straight out of basic training at the supermarket, he or she will have a lifetime’s experience of working with meat and so will be able to advise you on the right cuts of meat, how long to cook them for, what to cook them with, and also valuable information about what’s in season and when different meats are at their best.

if you care about what you eat, you’ve got to shop there. Don’t be intimidated to go to your butcher just because you may not be familiar with all the different cuts of meat. A good butcher will help you decide what cut of meat is best for you and how to cook it. So if you want a steak but not sure what kind, tell him/her what you like in a steak, i.e. whether you like to cook it well done or rare; whether you like a bit of fat or no fat; if you want to make a stew or roast. A good butcher can suggest a good cut. If you just see a piece of meat that looks good, they will be more than happy to suggest ways to cook it.

Go Try

Supermarkets do make life much easier. You can get everything you need in one go, and they are often cheaper than smaller, independent businesses. The price you pay though isn’t worth the product you take home. So if you’re buying meat this weekend, make a detour to your local butcher - you won’t regret it.