Warning: That 50% off deal on meat at Safeway cost me more in the long run

I had a chat with a buddy who runs a small butcher shop in Denver. He said those bulk meat sales at grocery stores look great but the quality drops fast. He mentioned that a cheap chuck roast might lose 30% of its weight in water and fat when you cook it. That means you're paying more per pound of actual meat once its cooked. Has anyone else checked the math on those clearance meat deals?

2 comments

2 Comments

brian86513d ago

I read somewhere that a lot of those Safeway meat deals come from older animals, so the meat has more connective tissue and less marbling. Basically you're paying half price for something that needs a slow cooker for 8 hours to be edible, not exactly a win.

charlesb4213d ago

My Safeway sells chuck roast from animals marked as "young beef" for 3.49 a pound when it's on sale. That's not old cow meat, that's a standard cut from a normal animal. The marbling is fine, I've made plenty of steaks and roasts from those packs without any issues. You can grill a steak from those deals and it comes out tender if you don't overcook it. Slow cooking is great for some cuts but these aren't just gristle bombs like you're describing. I think the rumor about old animals is mostly from people who bought a cheap roast and didn't know how to cook it right.

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