The Butcher, the baker and the massive chain of grocery stores…

“A butcher is someone who prepares various cuts of meat and other related goods for sale. Many butchers sell their goods in specialized stores, although in the Western world today most meat is sold through supermarkets.”

When the grocery store was introduced in the early 20th century, it seemed there was no hope for the art of buchery.  We forget that there was a time when the butcher was the only place to purchase your meat and he just happened to be a trained expert who knew exactly how to cut meat for your specific needs.  Butchers were skilled artisans who often had apprentices for years learning and perfecting the exact science of how to cut meat.  Villages and towns depended on these masters to train the next generation of meat cutters to contiue the trade for the community.

Today, typical butchers at a grocery store know only a few of the basics of how to cut meat and often don’t know the difference between sirloin and top round. And it is sometimes close to impossible to find a butcher who can discuss the provenance or age of the meat he is selling or the best cooking method for a particular cut.

Al Des Lauriers, owner of Save-on-Meats, told the Straight in November that he planned on closing his business after 52 years on West Hastings.

However, recently the art of butchering is making a comeback.

The oldest butcher shop in Vancouver, Jackson meats recently announced that Jackson’s Meats will be returning to serve Vancouver at its original location on W. 4th from when it first opened in 1911. The next generation of the family business, husband and wife Shayna and Chris, will be running the new oldest butcher shop in the city.

So why go to a butcher rather than a grocery store?

1) Butchers have bigger selections and better quality meats

One of the things you’ll notice on your first visit to the butcher is that he has a wider selection of meats than the supermarket does. That means you’ll find not only more types of meats, but more cuts of each and those are the best reasons to use a butcher.

Remember also that you’re often buying better quality meats from local producers instead of the factory farms from which most grocers buy.  Many carry organic meat where the cows are treated with respect.  So in the end, you win for buying better quality products.

2) Count on the butcher’s experience

Your butcher should be your first point of reference when shopping for meats and he can be an excellent resource for menu planning. If you explain exactly how you want to cook a piece of meat or what ingredients you have in a fridge to flavor it, he’ll suggest exactly the right cut for the job.

3) Special orders

Butchers know their meats and they know where to find the meats they don’t have in stock. At Jolly foods you can pre-order your Christmas turkey or goose and get the freshest and tastiest bird you have ever eaten.  Again these are more often than not, organic and purchased from a local farm.  If you become buddies with your butcher, you might also set up a standing order. This way you’ll be guaranteed that he sets aside a T-bone or two for you every Monday in the just waiting to be grilled up.

4) More than just a resource for choosing meats

Butchers aren’t just about helping you choose meats: There’s a lot that goes on in the butcher’s shop that makes your meat-eating experience a little more enjoyable. For example, most butchers age, cure and even smoke their own meats to ensure they’re at their best flavors when you buy them.

The butcher will also cut pieces of meat to your specifications. So, if you want that chicken breast off the bone or your pork chops butterflied, just give the word and your butcher will make it to order. That’s part of the butcher’s job, so don’t be shy.

It’s a shame that most people tend to prefer going to their local supermarket, where the meat is “butchered,” instead of their trusted butcher shop. The butcher brings a lot of extra value to your meat-shopping experience that you just can’t find anywhere else.

So, next time you’re shopping for meats, don’t be shy: Go to your local butcher and make a friend.

This leads me to a little hidden butcher shop right here in North Vancouver.  It is Jolly Meats, a butcher shop and also a place to buy some very exotic meats and groceries.  If you have a scandinavian bone in your body, the shops has a massive variety of Scandinavian goods.  Each holiday season they offer their organic free range birds.  To compare a butter ball with these birds is like comparing Chef-boy-ardee with home made pasta.

Jolly Food Ltd, Scandinavian Food Centre
Street: 111 Charles Street
North Vancouver, bc V7H1S1-
Phone: (604) 929-7937

Also Check out:

3P Natural and Exotic Meats

103-223 Mountain Hwy.

North Vancouver, B.C. V7J 3V3

Hills Food Ltd.

Suppliers of Organic Meats, Game Meats, and Specialty Poultry
Unit 1-130 Glacier Street
Coquitlam, British Columbia
Canada V3K 5Z6
Phone: (604) 472-1500 / Fax: (604) 472-1501

Technorati Tags: 3p, butcher, butcher shop, exotic meat, free range, Jolly meats, meat, Natural meat, north vancouver meat, organic meat, scandinavian

2 Responses to “The Butcher, the baker and the massive chain of grocery stores…”

1. Ainsley says:

   December 3, 2009 at 9:23 am

   great blog, also check out 3P!
2. Billie-Jean says:

   December 3, 2009 at 9:35 am

   I added their link