Comments on: House of Meat – Grand Junction, CO

By: Vicki Tanguma

Vicki Tanguma — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:37:07 +0000

My mouth is watering already!!! Thank you for that valuable piece of information. We are driving through Grand Junction, next weekend, on our way to Breckenridge. We plan to do a lot of cooking in the condo we rented and House of Meat is definitely going to be a “stop”. I can just imagine how wonderful one of Sam’s steaks will taste, right off the grill, in that great mountain air.

By: Leon Wildberger

Leon Wildberger — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:12:19 +0000

I’ve been a meat cutter for 48 years, I’m a market manager for Save-A-Lot in Dalton, Ga. I have more and more customers coming to me every week saying I just can’t eat Wal-Mart meat.
What many don’t know about their meat is they contain startling amounts of sodium. A modest 4-ounce serving of a pumped round steak, for example, has 430 milligrams of sodium, or 19 percent of your recommended daily intake. saltwater pumping and gas packaging give ground beef a shelf life of 14 or even 28 days. Meat cutters will tell you it shouldn’t have no more than three.

Leon,the apcowboy

By: Ed Mullen

Ed Mullen — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 16:21:52 +0000

I am so disappointed by the average consumer that purcahses Enhanced Meats. I see consumers with calculators, using them to stay within their food budgets purchasing these products that are charging up to 15% of the purchase price for a smidgeon of salt and water. The meat I see does’nt even look like unenhanced meat. It is pale and shiny with the water and salt. The ONLY reason that Walmart sells this product is greed. These products are sold because the water and salt solution allows the products to sit on the shelf longer. When beef begins to darken naturally it becomes better and tastier this is known as aging. Whenever I shop for beef I always purchased meat that had these signs of aging.

The ignorance of todays consumers astound me. With everyone I know looking for bargains, why would anyone want to pay 15 cents per pond for salt and water. Walmart REDUCE YOUR PRICES FOR THIS SECOND CLASS MEAT!!!!

By: Professor Salt

Professor Salt — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 00:52:49 +0000

Hi CP,

Of the old school American type meat markets, I like:
El Toro Gourmet Meats (Lake Forest)
Celestino’s Meats (Costa Mesa)
Beef Palace (Huntington Beach)

Polka Delicatessen (Orange) doesn’t have a raw meat counter, but a good selection of locally made sausages of the Polish variety. The German focused Globe Deli is in Costa Mesa, but I haven’t been since a new owner took over in 2005, so I need to update status soon.

I like these ethnic supermarkets, too:
Wholesome Choice & Super Irvine (both Irvine, both Persian & both halal meat vendors). Lots of turnover on lamb and goat, so you’ll get good quality. Also non-American delicacies like lamb tongues. Baaaah.
Marukai & Mitsuwa (both Costa Mesa, both Japanese for sukiyaki, shabu shabu, etc)

Northgate Gonzalez Market & Gigante (both Mexican, each chain now has multiple units in the L.A. / O.C. region). Things like beef cheeks and house made Mexican chorizo are available here.
99 Ranch is ok for Chinese & SE Asian meats, including raw, uncured pork belly and Smithfield ham (which is a decent substitue for Xuanwei ham).

Dong Huong and T.K. Food Warehouse (both Vietnamese, both in Little Saigon) are good choices for Vietnamese needs, and great places to get bones cheap for home made stocks. Also, whole chicken & duck w/ the heads and feet on. Not gonna find any of that at Ralph’s or Von’s.

Not local to me and much more than a meat market: Tip Top Meat in Carslbad brings a German perspective to the game. La Espanola Meats in Harbor City is the premier Spanish charcuterie maker in the US, and a leading Spanish food importer. Totally worth the drive for either, IMO.

Between all of them, you should be able to find or order any part of any animal you need. While I do buy quality meats at Costco, these indies fill a void for the nonmainstream stuff the big boxes won’t touch.

By: Chubbypanda

Chubbypanda — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:31:28 +0000

Sounds like a plan, prof. So, what helpful butcher close to us do you recommend? =D

- Chubbypanda