Advice for a Canadian friend


 
PeterD

PeterD

TVWBB Super Fan
Hi all,
My best friend in Toronto is hoping to pick up an 18" WSM and experiment with barbecue for the first time, but I thought I'd ask a couple of questions on his behalf before he takes the plunge.

Most importantly, are there good sources for the traditional barbecue cuts of meat in the Toronto area? The only name I've heard mentioned is European Meats in Etobicoke, fortunately very near to where he lives. Are there others? If so better/worse/equal? Cheaper? More expensive?

Also, are the typical U.S. cuts even available up there? Full packers, loin backs, St. Louis ribs and Boston butts? I've read in a few places that ribs in Canada are cut differently that we're used to, and meatier up there than we're used to down here. Any truth to this? Also, what are typical prices for things like ribs and briskets in the Toronto area?

Are there any local resources he can turn to for practical advice in addition to this forum?

Thanks in advance. Hopefully he'll join in to this site as well at some point.
 
Yes you can get most traditional bbq cuts in Canada but you may need to search for a good butcher to get butts and packers. In Ottawa I haven't been able to get tri-tip. As far as I can see if you get things when they are on sale our pricing is very similar to what you Yanks pay.

As far as ribs go we don't usually see St. Louis style ribs here but we do have full sides to make your own. From what I've seen and heard from the forums and photos our baby backs tend to have much more meat on them then what you guys typically get.

Some of the Toronto guys can probably give more specific locations for purchasing meat. If he doesn't mind a bit of a drive my favourite place in Southern Ontario for meat is the St. Jacobs Farmers Market probably about 11/4 hrs from his place.
 
I don't know about Toronto. Out west I can get ribs and whole butts from the neighborhood Real Canadian Superstore (Loblaws). Packers I get from a local meat wholesaler.
Farmers markets are great if you don't mind paying extra for local organic meats.
 
You know you get backs and spares at any supermarket (but on sale--1.99 spares and 2.89 backs).

Beef is priced crazy. Forget about packers in the area. They all want $5-6 a pound for those--if you can find them.

I finally found a market out Stoney Creek way for 3.17/lb for full packers (just recent so haven't tried them yet).

http://www.highlandpackers.com/

Sometimes Skyland Food Mart in Scarberia has it for less but it's an hour (at least) away for me.
 
Hi,
I'm in Toronto, and never have trouble finding any sort of cuts. Basically, the nomenclature is the same as in the US. For PP I use a Greek butcher on Pape Avenue -674 Pape, but all the butchers in the area carry them. Be sure to say you don't want them tied with netting. We also have Costco which has ribs, and such.

The best BBQ store is Ontario BBQ, 3319 Langstaff Rd
Concord ON L4K 4Z8, maybe the biggest in North America.
 
Not sure if you have Costco in Toronto. I was on my way to the mountains of Quebec on a fishing trip and my go to source at home was out. No time to shop around so I went to a Costco in Montreal and got a full case, 3 packs, 3 racks per pack. $ 4.69 a kg. Awesome deal, actually cheaper than what I pay here. When I checked the butcher shops they were all trimmed but anywhere from $9 to $15 a kg.HTH
 
I'm an hour and a half N. of Toronto and I buy brisket here for $3.75 a lb from one location and $4.00 at another. It normally does run $4.99 but there are better deals if you know where to look or talk to the Butcher in my case IGA.
Another great location to buy meat in TO is the St Lawrence Market.
 
I'm in Etobicoke. I get ribs (spares and backs) from Costco 5 minutes away. I get my butts at Sobey's @ Cloverdale Mall, also 5 minutes away. I usually have to order packers from Loblaws, 5 minutes away.

In Etobicoke, pretty much everything is 5-10 minutes away.

There is a commercial meat distributer on The West Mall around Dundas with a small retail store open to the public. You can get anything there but I'm not a huge fan of their meat. I don't know the name of the place.

Outside of that, there are a few butchers here and there but, outside of ribs, they aren't reliable suppliers.

Hope that helps.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by James Harvey:
I'm in Etobicoke. I usually have to order packers from Loblaws, 5 minutes away.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
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