Sams Club Quality

I buy meat all the time at SAM's and I am very pleased with the quality. Of course you have to make sure and check what the meat is marked. My two local SAM's only have select packer briskets, but carry Choice certified Angus on whole cryovac Ribeyes and filets (which is what they cut their steaks from). I also like the quality of the pork, lamb, and chicken. All of which equals or exceeds what I can get at Kroger.... There are few idependent butchers around here, but some do offer great cuts, but at a price!!

I have no problem with Sam's, Costco, or RD. My Sam's even carries certain cuts in Prime grade. Just ask the butcher shops which purveyor or meat packer they get their meats from. Bet you will find that many are using the same meat packers as the big box discounters.

Now I am sure you can find a few meat markets that might be locally sourcing with a few farms on beef and maybe some pork, but you can be sure the prices will be reflective of it. We used to get some Duroc sired pork from an Iowa packer that was excellent but it was at least twice the cost of the standard pork at Sam's. And even the prime grade briskets I was getting through Sysco were about 50% more than the choice grade I could get my hands on.

Just depends on how hard you want to look, whether you are close to or in a larger metropolitan area, and how much quanity you need for your use. If you are using the meat for catering purposes, the higher prices will kill you in competition with other caterers.

Look at the brand name at Sam's and compare.

MOST (not all) Butchers are just selling cryovac'd meat, not really "better" meat.

I won a LOT of pork money on the circuit with Sam's Pork, key is look for the brand name.

Russ

I love the Sam's IBP babyback ribs, I try to pick out the bigger packs and have had good luck with their butts.

As the experienced cooks above stated.Comp teams buy the majority of their meats from Sam's for the quality,consistency,and oh yeh the price is often better.Usually,if you have a problem,they give you your money back-and replace the meat.

As a comp team,we often do 1000-1500 mile round trips each week,which can cost multiple thousands of dollars.
You travel to win,not save a few dollars.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom: As a comp team,we often do 1000-1500 round trips each week,which can cost multiple thousands of dollars.
You travel to win,not save a few dollars.

Tom - Trying to figure this one out-"1000-1500 round trips each week"? Did you mean to say 1000-1500 miles? If not, when was the last time you slept?

Sorry about that.Yep,when ya follow the white line that many miles each week on the comp circuit,it seems like a lot more.

quote:

Originally posted by cal:
I love the Sam's IBP babyback ribs, I try to pick out the bigger packs and have had good luck with their butts.

AGREE!! I shop SAM's almost once a week and I always cruise through the meat counter. I check the selections and when I see they are carrying a few "heavy" cryovac loin backs or spares, I know what I gonna have that weekend. You can luck out on some 3 lbs or better each loin backs if you watch the selections or some 5 1/2 to 6 lbs each spares to cut into St. Louis! SAM's is hard to beat on quality and price on whole Ribeyes, mmmm can you say PRIME RIB!!

I'm with you Mike. How can you pass up the larger package of loin backs at Sam's? They're delicious.