pork prices

[7outof10]

i called the meat market of my highvee store to day to check prices out i am going to be doing 60 pounds of pork shoulder latter this month any ways they wanted 1.79 per pound for shoulder in the bage not touched by them at all .......i called 4 other places and they went for 2.49 and 2.19 so is that 1.79 really as good of a deal as i think it is if so ill by all the meat this week and freeze it .....and one other thing all of theses priecs are for bone in .....is bone less any good for smoking its all going to be pulled in the end

 

[supervman]

Can't help you much on the smoking but I know from (at least in Minnesota) law states that "Union Workers" in this case Butchers MUST charge extra if they put a blade to the meat. So a lil work on yer part saves big coin. EXCELLENT way to buy whole tenderloins and large chunks of meat.

 

[justsmoke2]

I recently purchased 4 butts where I used to pay $1.49lb but they went about $.30 more a lb. In Feb. I purchased 12 buts at $1.09lb. If you have freezer space maybe look at buying a case. On the other hand meat is rising in price I get sticker shock every time I look. Try a Sams club or Costco if you have a big chain outlet near you. Sometimes by buying by the case the savings will pay for your membership card on your first purchase.

 

[seboke]

Lots of folks say that bone in is the best, and I agree, but you take those boneless babies up to 160*, then foil and take to 200* and they'll pull just fine! Probably won't notice a difference in flavor.

 

[audioxtremes]

Where I buy my butts they are 1.39 a lb. With bone in.

 

[supervman]

(Just The QUALITY of meat at those places is EXCELLENT PLUS.
FANTASTIC Meat!
You know, there is a difference in USDA Prime meat. (All grades of meat have different levels)
There is a YIELD Grade added on top.
Yield grade 1 is the lowest grade of fat content and Yield grade of 5 is highest with a "yield grade of 6" would bump it to the next level. "Restaurant Grade" (in the case of Prime) - (Choice #6 is actually bumped to Prime #1) - Restaurant, which if you can get your hands on it is worth EVERY penny, but EXPENSIVE.

I HIGHLY suspect the Yield Grade of the meat at Sam's and Costco is at the 4-5 level.
REALLY GOOD MEAT, and a surprise too, quite frankly. I guess it's the buying power. I've found here, the folks behind the counter don't have a friggin clue what yield grade is because they can not answer my question, (as to what the yield grade is, AND it should be on the shipping box) but it's darn good meat.

It's all about the level of marbeling AKA FLAVOR.

SKOL
V

 

[ronp]

Sam's Club had them for 1.60+ and they are boneless (Cushion Meat) as they call them, a better deal as I see it. I haven't tried it yet, (my next smoke). You will save time, resources, and in the long run cheaper price. The bone would have to add weight = longer smoke time.

I'm sure there will be other opinions on this though, and that is good. We all learn from one another.

Oh another thing, with the gas prices, get used to food and everything else going up. Just paid almost a dollar a pound for bakers,(Potatos) YIKES!!!

 

[7outof10]

thanks for all the info .....he said that maby next week he could do boneless for 1.60 but ill have to wate and see if i get like 80 pounds maby he will give me a better deal

 

[seboke]

Here's the way I understand it, but of course I could be wrong. Bone in adds a tremendous amount of flavor to the meat that directly surrounds the bone (probably due to the marrow seepage?). But there really ain't that much meat, if you consider the size of the whole butt, that actually touches the bone. It also assists a little in cooking, as the bone will absorb and radiate heat, thus giving a little cooking action from the inside. And the bone, maybe weighing a whole 3 ounces, doesn't really make it a worse deal. Still not saying avoid the boneless, though paying someone to carve out a bone that I'd rather have remain is more of a waste IMHO. I'm military, and in the base commissary I can get bone in butts for cheaper than what most folks can find anywhere else on the planet. So, get the most bang for your buck, smoke that sucker silly and enjoy the spoils of your "labor"!!!

 

[richtee]

Plus for the "is it done yet?" challenged... when you pull on that bone and it pops out...it's done. LOL!

 

[white cloud]

Sorta pop out timer bone. or visa versa LOL

 

[7outof10]

thanks for the info i think i will go bone in