HELP! Skirt Steak is $7.59 per pound!


 
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Rita Y

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I just (blush) paid $7.59 per pound for skirt steak at Publix in Atlanta. Thought I'd make some fajitas.

I need a little....no, a LOT of advice on getting something more reasonable. Or is it worth the price of the skirt steak to make fajitas?

Or am I off-base with the price?

Thanks,
Rita
 
Hi Rita,

Well, I live in the Seattle area and feel I pay too much at just over $4.00 a pound at a high-end supermarket. If I were you I'd do a little calling around maybe you can do better in your part of the country.

Connie
 
How about flank steak? Or perhaps some of the round cuts...top or bottom, etc. Both of these are much cheaper and would seem to me to work just as well.

I believe the art of fajita making uses a lean cut of beef that has a pronounced grain.

Never made a beef fajita, so not an expert by any means!

Funny how various cuts of beef "change" their status after becoming popular...flank is my fave example. Many, many years ago, flank steak was a throw-away cut and could be had very cheap.....it was my first choice for jerky. Then came the jerky makers, etc. that sent the prices far too high. Skirt steak I think is the same thing.....tough, ugly cut of beef until fajitas came around..now it's more expensive than a strip or ribeye steak!
 
Thanks for the input, everyone.

I'm going to bring it up with the butcher at Publix - it was my fault for not checking the price, unusual for me - they cut it for me and I just put it in my cart - bad move!

Kroger doesn't even have a butcher anymore - all the meats and seafood come in pre-packaged. Ugh!

I checked at Costco about a year ago and they didn't carry it, but I'm going to check again on my next visit.

Rita
 
I've never seen skirt at Costco, but maybe if enough of us ask...

I only occasionally see flank at my Costco.

John W.
 
You're correct, John. I checked at my Costco today and they never carry skirt steak.

The butcher, however, recommended:

Beef Loin Tip Steak (Flap Meat) USDA Choice (#91385, if they call it something different in your neck of the woods) at $4.69 per pound.

It's nicely marbled and cut about 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. He claims it has a lot of flavor and is more tender than skirt steak. Looks like I might need to pound the meat thinner before I marinate it, or at least slice it thinly on an angle after cooking. On the other hand, it will be easier to get medium-rare meat in this slightly thicker cut.

Anyone have any experience with this cut of beef?

I went ahead and bought some, so I guess we'll be having fajitas again this week.....can that be bad?

Best,
Rita
 
Rita ,

I asked my butcher at the local Jewel if 4.99 was a mistake on skirt steak last week and sadly it is not. I find the best prices on this cut from butchers at a Mexican store in a Mexican neighborhood that handles quite a volume of it. I can sitll get it for $2.99/lb there.
 
I found a great place to get beef. I live in Detroit and we have a place called the Eastern Market. I think most large cities have something like this. It's like a big farmers market and there are a lot of stores with wholesale products. One of the stores is a meat packaging plant. I got a prime rib - 17 pounds w/ bones for 5.99/lb. It was great. Anyway, the point is to look around and see what's available in your area. Seems like most large cities would have something like this. I've live here all my life and never thought to look until one day I was searching on "prime beef" and this place came up. They came up with other prime beef locations(like Omaha Steak). Imagine my suprise when I looked at the address and it was right near where I work. Good luck!!

http://www.fairwaypacking.com/
 
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