Wednesday, August 15, 2007 12:32 PM
Cook's dilemma: Skeezed out by raw meat?
Q: I know I’d save a bundle by buying bigger cuts of meat, and I’m definitely not afraid to eat meat, but I get grossed out de-boning, skinning or cutting it up to cook. What’s a squeamish cook to do?
A: I have the same love-hate relationship with meat…love to eat it, not so crazy about touching it in its raw state. I make a killer oven-roasted pulled pork, but the thought of cutting away the skin
from an untrimmed pork shoulder (a.k.a. Boston butt) makes me a little
dizzy. That’s how I met Alberta, my favorite butcher. She knows how to
trim just the right amount, and never bats an eye when I ask her to tip chicken wings or cube a small roast. She calls me Ms. Pork, which coming from
anyone else would sound offensive, but I know it’s a term of endearment
from her.
A box of disposable rubber gloves helps when Alberta isn't around, but I highly recommend getting chummy with the butchers behind the counter in the grocery store you shop. Seriously. Drop by and introduce yourself. Remember their names. Cruise the counter and ask, “What looks good this week?” You might think all of the meat that lands in the refrigerated section simply shows up in plastic-wrapped foam trays, but the store butchers cut and package most of it.
So when a whole ribeye roast is on sale, but you don’t want to cut it into steaks yourself, guess who will? If you want to buy a whole chicken to make soup, but the thought of hacking it into soup-sized pieces makes you queasy, who is your new best friend? Instead of buying pre-cubed stew meat (which they charge a premium for), you’re better off buying a whole lean, inexpensive cut (think: bottom round or sirloin or a chuck roast) and having the butcher trim and cube it for you.
The best part is, it’s FREE. I’ve never encountered a store that charges extra for the service, and some even offer free marinades.
I also love the fact that getting to know the butchers (and the friendly guys in the produce department) makes me feel like a “local” in my grocery store, despite the fact that I live in Chicago and hundreds of people pass through the store on a daily basis.
Does anyone else have good grocery store tips—for saving dough, or choosing melons, or finding out when deliveries happen so you get the fresh stuff? What do you love (or hate) about your grocery store?