Buttless in NJ


 
PeterD

PeterD

TVWBB Super Fan
Just wondering if anybody knows a source for butts in northern NJ. Two Costcos, two BJs and no luck. Meat dep't guys say they're not in demand in any local stores. They have pork loins, picnic pork shoulders, spares and loinbacks, and that's it. No brisket either.

I had a headdesk moment with one guy in the Clifton NJ Costco. I told him I needed a pork butt (a.k.a. Boston Butt). After telling me they don't stock them in the district stores he asked me what on earth I'd use a pig's butt for. I politely explained what it was to this guy who works in the meat dep't and that I wanted to BBQ it. He then tried to tell me it wouln't be possible as the heat of a BBQ grill would burn the outside and not cook the inside--after which he tried to sell me pork chops instead. "They really grill up nicely."

The stupid.... it burns.
 
Call BJ's and order them. They carry them in CT and the tr-state area is supplied from the same distribution centers. Just talked to their meat guy tonite as I'll need 6 butts in 3 weeks and he said no problem. The idiots they now hire haven't a clue and don't give a **** to do their jobs right.

Also check Shop Rite and Stop and Shop. They'll order them for you.
 
Originally posted by Bill Meredith:
Call BJ's and order them. They carry them in CT and the tr-state area is supplied from the same distribution centers. Just talked to their meat guy tonite as I'll need 6 butts in 3 weeks and he said no problem. The idiots they now hire haven't a clue and don't give a **** to do their jobs right.

Also check Shop Rite and Stop and Shop. They'll order them for you.
Click to expand...
I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem any other time, but I need to have them in-hand on Sunday for an overnight cook on SmokeDay.
 
Should have tried asking him for some country style ribs that were not sawed up yet.
icon_smile.gif


As suggested, ShopRite has been a source for me. My regular place for butt is Costco in Nanuet NY, which might be a bit far for you.

Corrados might do you good also.
 
I can almost always get them at Wegmans for a decent price too. It's also one of the only places I can find Tri Tip and decent sized Chuck Roast. I also like their store branded lump charcoal. I may have to take a ride. I stil haven't found a source for packer briskets in North Jersy though.

PS: Looks like there's a Wegmans in Woodbridge.
 
Originally posted by Armando:
I can almost always get them at Wegmans for a decent price too. It's also one of the only places I can find Tri Tip and decent sized Chuck Roast. I also like their store branded lump charcoal. I may have to take a ride. I stil haven't found a source for packer briskets in North Jersy though.

PS: Looks like there's a Wegmans in Woodbridge.
Click to expand...

I sure wish we had a Wegman's near here. Woodbridge is a pretty long haul from where we are (about 45 minutes with no traffic). Once a year I go down that way for a meeting and I've passed that store. My default source for "obscure" cuts is Western Beef in East Orange. Quality is generally "meh" and the neighbourhood is downright scary, but availability is generally pretty high.

It would be nice if I had a business license so I could shop at Restaurant Depot - there's one about 5 minutes away in Pine Brook.
 
Originally posted by PeterD:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill Meredith:
Call BJ's and order them. They carry them in CT and the tr-state area is supplied from the same distribution centers. Just talked to their meat guy tonite as I'll need 6 butts in 3 weeks and he said no problem. The idiots they now hire haven't a clue and don't give a **** to do their jobs right.

Also check Shop Rite and Stop and Shop. They'll order them for you.
Click to expand...
I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem any other time, but I need to have them in-hand on Sunday for an overnight cook on SmokeDay. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

My Bad, Pete. You can use picnics which are the shank portion. They smoke and pull nicely. Do you have a Shop Rite or Stop and Shop nearbly?
 
We've got both a Stop-n-Shop and a Shoprite in West Caldwell. The Shoprite had one 7 pounder bone-in but nothing else. The Stop-n-Shop butcher custom-trimmed two for me (one 6.75# a second 8# even) but the price was much higher than I wanted, $1.99/lb. Still better than $4/gallon driving to East Orange and the time involved in doing so.

I'm now curious about the differences in cooking times I should expect between them and how best to handle that issue.
 
Originally posted by PeterD:
We've got both a Stop-n-Shop and a Shoprite in West Caldwell. The Shoprite had one 7 pounder bone-in but nothing else. The Stop-n-Shop butcher custom-trimmed two for me (one 6.75# a second 8# even) but the price was much higher than I wanted, $1.99/lb. Still better than $4/gallon driving to East Orange and the time involved in doing so.

I'm now curious about the differences in cooking times I should expect between them and how best to handle that issue.
Click to expand...

They'll cook the same as the butt portion. so figure 1 1/2 - 2 hrs /lb. $1.99/lb is unfortunately about right these days. Depending on the S&S around here, they range from $1.49/lb to $1.99/b. Shop Rite always has them for $1.49 and sometimes they'll go on sale for $.99!
 
Our Shop Rite here in Bernardsville usually has both boneless and bone in. I picked up 2 9 pound bone in this morning. Not on sale, they were $1.99 a pound.
 
I'm not sure what BJ's you checked but the I get them all the time at the one in Ledgewood. Some times they sell out but they carry them.
 
Just got back from Shoprite in Garwood NJ and they had bone-in butt both picnic and the other (I'm still new t this) for $1.69, but what I was looking for was brisket. Forget getting a whole brisket anywhere but a butcher around here, but they were selling the flat for $5.89/lb.! I thought that was high and they were tiny pieces (cut in half) so I went to the butcher with a 2nd mortgage and bought it there. Turns out it was only 10 cents/lb. more.
 
Yup, finding a full-packer brisket in North Jersey is nigh-on impossible and what few sources there are you'll pay close to $6/lb for Choice and even Select. Restaurant Depot has them for a bit less but they're still nasty-expensive (plus, as stated upthread, I can't get a membership there since I don't have a business license).
 
Western Beef supermarket in Newark near the Orange border (or in Orange, near the Newark border, not sure) has any cut of meat you'll ever want. Packers too but onlyo on the large side...never seen one under 12 pounds.
 
Between the Shoprite and A&P locations near me I can usually score something in the way of Butt, Picnic and of course ribs... but for anything else its the butcher. My go to is Chester Meat Market...its pricey but super solid.

Peter funny you mentioned Western Beef... the NYC location in in the north end of the meatpacking district was my supermarket for 10 years or so when I lived in the city. They always had tons of cuts.. place actually started as a retail operation for a wholesale meat market. But certainly not the nicest of places.
 
Good to know about Sussed Meat. I'll call and see if they sell full packer briskets. To Neil, I mentioned Western Beef upthread. I've been to their Astoria location a few times and it's OK, but the packers are also Select, not Choice-or-better. Much more favourable prices than local butcher shops. That's where I'd have headed if I hadn't found the bone-in butts at Stop and Shop for tonight's overnight cook. Just gotta mix up the rub now.
 
Carlos thanks for that... I almost hit them up last summer for a few things and forgot I wanted to give them a try.
 
I'll second Chester Meat Market. Yes, a little pricey but on the money. AND a true family business which is getting so hard to find these days. Their in store made hot dogs are to die for!!!
 
Yeah, I feel your pain. In the supermarkets it's tough going. I usually find picnics at the Pathmark in Kinnelon Mall (not a fan myself), but I think ordering ahead of time from BJ's or similar may be your best bet, unless you can swindle a membership to Restaurant Depot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top