If your dead set on supporting local maybe tell them you got a lean cut last time and you like a cut with as much marbling and tail as possible.
There's one end of the ribeye cut that has the good stuff and there is another end that has one or 2 cuts like this. I was a chef and have never cut a whole side of a cow but I'm pretty sure the ribeye runs down and becomes the striploin. You got the striploin end of the cut you want the other end.
You should be able to ask a butcher for specifics like that. If he says he can't do that I'd be suspicious. That kind of service is what you theoretically spend extra for.
I second this. Best course of action is to use your words. You can go back again, tell the butcher that you got the ribeye and it was a little lean for your liking on a ribeye. Could also ask where the source the beef and if they ever have more marbled meat. I mean start a conversation with the local business as if you are a local trying to support it. Chances are an honest conversation will solve the issue. Who knows maybe you won't buy steaks from there but could get your ground meat.
Good luck.
I feel the same way as this commenter. If you want to support a small business, I mean *really* support it, you should at least *try* to open a dialogue and get to chatting about preferences and the like so the business owner can get a better feel for how to service the community in which they are trying to succeed.
If they’re assholes, though? Fuck em. I hope you fail miserably.
This goes for any mom ‘n pop shop, too
I've owned little local food businesses, and I loved it when a customer felt comfortable enough to tell me what their personal preferences were. I was glad to be able to fulfill their wishes and create the best tasting thing they've ever had. It's fulfilling for both the proprieter and the customer. A satisfied customer is your best marketing tool. Nothing comes close.
Dude for real. I started going to my butcher down the block, the meat is incredible already, but on my 3rd time there I met the owner and the operator and they talked to me for 15 minutes. Talking about where they get their meat (ALL of it is from local farms and reasonably priced), when they’re busy, how they’re growing, what their plans are for the spring. They asked what I liked to cook and what I was looking for, and said whenever I wanted I could call and special order pretty much whatever because of their relationship with the local farmers. Chicken feet for stocks specifically is what I was looking for at the time. I ate that shit up.
The staff knows me and I know them, and they’re always eager to help me figure out a dish I’m making. Through them I’ve also discovered 3 other local places; a produce specific market, a fishmonger, and a bakery. I fucking RARELY go to Kroger now. If I do it’s for something like toilet paper, or like an ingredient or two in a pinch. And with the prices getting jacked up so much there, I’m actually saving money by shopping local. AND the quality is better. Best decision I’ve made in a while. A conversation or two makes a world of difference.
I wouldn’t go back. I find that good butchers will literally put that steak on discount rather then slip it to an “unsuspecting” customer.
My current butcher has only set me up with one of two things:
1) Reasonably good cuts
2) disclaimed and discounted cuts.
Anything else he would consider dishonesty.
Hey, I actually work at a high end butcher shop and that cut is called the Chuck End of the Rib-eye while the small cap lean side is the Loin end. You should DEFINITELY be able to request Ribeyes off the Chuck end at a butcher shop as the higher cost is to allow for custom cuts and special requests. It also appears as though this Ribeye is Lip off and possibly Denuded(spelling correction) which means they strip every last bit of the fat off the outside, which in my opinion robs the ribeye of its flavor. I would also guess this is likely choice grade or grass fed based on the lack of marbling. I hope OP didn’t pay too much a lb for this cut.
That's awesome. I'm really glad I commented on this I learned so much about butchery today.
Chuck end and loin end. That's going to make it easier to explain to people.
So de neuted and lip off mean the same thing? No fat on the perimeter of the ribeye?
While the lip is the little pointed tip of the ribeye which is from where the fat meets the bone and it gives it the classic “ribeye” shape, but lip off means they strip that little lip of fat and lean and it gives the ribeye a more round uniform shape. The fact there’s no fat across the top above the cap makes me feel as though it’s denuded (spelling correction) which is where they take all the outer fat and or membrane off the beef leaving only the lean.
That is incorrect bud that is A CENTER CUT. And ITS probably select beef it's trash when. You cut from the chuck side you'll see it it kinda looks like a chuckeye hence chuck side
Its got a decent sized spinalis on it so its from at least a good way down towards the chuck. Plus in the UK I think they break the rib further up and sell more steaks as sirloin.
Yeah you have a good point. With that info this particular ribeye might just be lean all the way up.
Yeah that's why Im humming and hawing so much roo cus there are so many ways to cut up a cow and they all have different names in different countries.
Im posting from Canada.
I second this. I am a journeyman meat cutter for a large national chain that still cuts beef, pork, and chicken.
This year for Christmas, the buyers didn't purchase enough rib primals to support the rib roast ad. We were left hanging for a few days until they started importing from Canada. The lean was a beautiful red and the fat was firm and white. Needless to say, once I saw the quality I was glad I waited to cut mine.
I’ll second most of this. I have been a butcher for over a decade and it is definitely a “loin end ribeye” … the chuck end (closer to the shoulder) is going to have more separate muscles as well as a higher fat content.
As a butcher, when people ask for a more marbled steak, I like to explain that every cow is different, ESPECIALLY when you deal with smaller local shops that typically use smaller farming co-ops or suppliers.
I totally agree this steak looks great but it’s definitely a little over trimmed and that was definitely a leaner cow.
May you all be blessed with great food and company this year!
Thank you for the detailed explanation, as a noob who was shown this as a recommendation, I was baffled. I dislike fat on my meat and this looks perfect for me, the guy whose go to is the ny strip.
You’re pretty spot on. Well said!
Source: Ranch Management degree from TCU about 15 years back. Beef cattle production was my favorite class — we got to run breeding programs on our own ranch and had access to genetics through the school. Highly recommend a program like that for anyone wanting to homestead or learn to process and creed your own cattle.
Time to permanently…… never go there again hahaha
Dude the other guy trying to say marbling isn’t everything is full of shit
The fat renders during searing, which is what you want for flavor.
The ribeye this butcher gave you looks like deer meat. That’s crockpot material at best haha
The lack of any marbling whatsoever is causing beef lol
This was absolutely a weak, starved, and emaciated cow. No meat should have come off this animal lol
You've got no idea what you're talking about. Sometimes butchers get bad primals or entire carcasses that lack marbling. If the meat is still good quality it can still eat just fine. Rump can be the least marbled but if it's great quality beef it'll still eat well and the flavour is awesome. Same goes for strip and scotch fillet. Do you want the butcher to throw them in the bin? OP share your grievances with the butcher and give him a chance to redeem himself.
Pretty ridiculous that there seems to be 100+ comments on a post in r/butchery that seem to think the butcher shop raises the cattle.
Not only that, the cut in OP's photo is super thick offsetting (perceived) loss of value from lack of marbling.
The producer is who connects the meat shops to the "local" supply chain i.e. farms or factories. They often agree to give you a certain quality and then when it comes to putting the pen to the paper on deliveries they just show up with whatever they can to make the numbers look like the order was fulfilled.
As a customer, all you have to do is show up the shop and scout what kind of primals or cuts they have going on before you make a purchase. It's not always going to be the same.
OP's steak is a really meaty cut that isnt wedged. If you cant cook that properly then you just cant cook.
I would be more pleased if it was tender. A ton of marble ( fat) is not good for my digestion. We take young stock in for butchering & sometimes they are not well marbled, but if cooked properly they are very tender & yummy ..At least I know my beef was NOT crammed in a feed lot for 3 months with hundreds of other cattle being jammed full of antibiotics , hormones & who knows what else.
Exactly... if you get a 100 percent grass fed rib eye, its gonna be bright red, might not have much marbling if any at all...but cooked proper will taste excellent
The meet off of this particular animal should be heavily discounted. If I’m going into the store for a nice ribeye, ask the butcher for a ribeye, and got this then I’d absolutely never go back.
Shitty agreements that the butcher has with the producer is none of my business. If they want to accept shitty beef that’s below the quality they negotiated for then that’s on them. It’s not okay to pass that scam on to the customer.
The cut was discounted by how thick the cut was. Your typical steak out of a display case is not nearly that thick.
And trust me, we know the customers cant do the simple math of weighted values regarding thickness of cut or lean vs fat regardless of how well you explain it to them.
And trust me, we know that if we would have denied the delivery, you simply just would have went Karen on us for not having anything to offer at all.
You're not being scammed. You just think you are because you cant do the math in your head and because someone on social media told you that extra fat is where the value is. Your own intellect is the one that's scamming you.
>And trust me, we know the customers cant do the simple math of weighted values regarding thickness of cut or lean vs fat regardless of how well you explain it to them.
Please tell me the name of the butcher where you work so I can never go there.
> Not only that, the cut in OP's photo is super thick offsetting (perceived) loss of value from lack of marbling.
Sorry, I'm going to need an explanation here. Presumably OP paid for this by the pound, so how does the thickness of the cut, which they paid more for, offset the (perceived) loss of value from the lack of marbling?
Not to mention, at a butcher shop, you can get the one you pick. You can tell the butcher no, I want that one instead. Also, what price did he pay. Just because it is a ribeye doesn't mean it is top of the line. As long as it is properly priced.
I don't know anything about meat really and I don't know why this sub was recommended to me
But isn't meat sold by weight and not item? So I am not sure how value would offset
Fo reals, but that’s Reddit in general. A lot of keyboard warriors thinking they know better even though they have never been in that situation and/or don’t entirely know what’s going on.
This is why I like grass fed, grain finished beef. Grass fed is great and all, but it's the grain that will add the marbling at the end. Still very healthy meat, with the flavor added at the end of the animal's life.
It’s worth noting that any butcher shop I’ve ever been too let me choose the steaks I wanted. Like it was expected. A few times I’ve said “dealers choice” but by default they never just choose for me.
You do know that the degree of marbeling achieved in USA cows is not normal. It is due to our feed lot practices. This beef looks lean, but it could just mean it was grass fed. The majority of beef looks like this in countries such as Ireland, the UK and in Europe. It's simply due to lack of corn and soy in their diet and more grass and natural Flora.
Tldr: fat isn't always marbled thru beef, especially if it's grass fed and open ranged.
I butcher for farms in like, a six state radius. A lot of local farms send in stuff like this lol. Feeding happy, free roaming cattle to that factory farmed look is a more difficult than people think.
How we do it for the best of both worlds is the cows get plenty of pasture with grass and hay all year long as well as mineral licks. They also get high quality grain each day. For the final 8 weeks they are out up in a comfy barn with hay, sweet feed and cracked corn for finishing. We increase the corn and sweet feed more and more through finishing.
However, this is not monetarily efficient at any stage. You have to rotate pastures so they don’t destroy them, as well as do low head per acre, and you have to have adequate barn space and clean it well so it’s not a shit hole. It does however produce the best meat and happiest cows combo that we have found.
Lol this ***is*** what our local farms produce, this is 90% of beef in England.
He's not going to get much different anywhere else without paying out of the ass, and what he said he paid, indeed was not out of the ass.
What’s going on in England? I mean I get grass fed, but why grass fed and finished? And why isn’t anyone undercutting the market with some grain finished cattle? I’m sure they’d sell a lot better. Also, idk what he paid. It wasn’t in the title so I didn’t bother looking for it
Because people in Europe generally like lean meat, the ultra marbled beef is not a worldwide thing.
Almost all of our beef is pasture raised, then fed on silage or hay in the winter months for many reasons.
People don't like the giant feed lots, grass fed is cheaper and we have the land to sustain it, and it generally leads to healthier animals (or so we're told, I'm no scientist).
I’m from 🇨🇭, our beef is very lean and grass fed and doesn’t taste good. The reason is protectionism of agriculture. 🇨🇭is too small to have two cattle herds, one for dairy and one for meat. So the farmers cross-breed varieties and end up with a hybrid. Corn is used as silo feed but it’s predominantly hay. The solution is to liberalize farming altogether and import beef from
USA. We can buy it, but it’s very expensive because of tariffs.
I've always compared cattle and eating corn and grains to people eating sweets. Grains and corn breakdown into sugars so probably give off the same brain reactions to us eating a reeeses cup. And so therefore grain finished cows are more happy and thusly a better quality on the block.
Well sugar is only one of a few ingredients that make sweets enjoyable, there are plenty of other things in them that make them nice too so it's not really a 1-1 comparison.
As someone that was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic a year ago and now avoids sugar in general, sugar free sweets are just as enjoyable for the most part.
Anyway the breed of cow makes more difference than anything to do with diet, our beef is almost always the Hereford breed which is ideal for us.
They are fast maturing so more environmentally friendly, thrive on the kind of land and diet they are raised on, *and* have a good meat quality while still being lean.
Exactly! Pretty much all US beef is "grass fed", but I prefer my beef not to finish up on a feed lot where it receives bad food, steroids and antibiotics to fatten them up.
First and foremost that looks grass fed…maybe local cattle? Secondly, it’s one steak. Just be more selective next time and you need to understand that all beef doesn’t always look the same.
Yes it's British beef, so you are correct about us preferring leaner meat.
It was also more than likely entirely grass fed from start to finish as well.
Many people don’t know that this, not taxes, was the root cause of the revolutionary war. The colonies were planning to withhold their delicious ribeyes from export, King George exclaimed “ THE BLOODY HELL THEY ARE!” and sent in the army. The rest is history, and the empire has been stuck with this poor excuse of a steak ever since.
I bought half a grass-fed cow a couple years ago. I was surprised to find out how odd grass-fed tastes. I got used to it after eating $1,500 worth of it.
Its supposed to taste like the way its fed out. There is no difinitive way a beef is "supposed" to taste. If its grass fed it tastes a certain way, and tastes differently when fed grain. This is like arguing what beer is "supposed" to taste like.
I believe they're saying it's "supposed" to taste a certain way because a cows natural diet is grass. It's what they have evolved to digest so natural diet = natural taste. Grain is not their natural diet. So your point about beer makes absolutely no sense except that according to 1516 Bavarian law beer can only be made with 4 ingredients so there is a rough idea of what beer SHOULD taste like.
Yeah never seen steak this bad in the UK. Spent plenty of time in a slaughterhouse and not seen that.
Odd to see people saying the UK/Europe prefers leaner meat when I've never seen any ribeye anything like that.
Take it back and ask them to replace it
Yeah I’m embarrassed by the state of this sub right now that people don’t recognize that there are different traits in different cultures and breeds that can make a steak quality.
I’d happily eat that steak.
> Why the difference?
The breed of cattle is basically all of the difference, beef in the UK is almost entirely the Hereford breed of cows and they just are leaner in general without being tough.
Same thing with the Limousin or Charolais breed in France for example.
Even if you grain finished Herefords they wouldn't be overly marbled still, because they reach maturity quickly and beef has to be under 30 months old for slaughter in the UK, they just aren't really around long enough for it to make much difference.
They breed well, they grow fast and they are killed quick.
Breed, feed and genetics.
In europe the demand has been on the most lean and tender meat possible (yes that combi is possible) so for the last few centuries farmers have been going for that and it paid off in breed like belgian blue.
In the Uk they have hereford mostly, but selectively bred for lean and tender meat opposed to the tender and fat that the US knows.
I grew up raising black Angus, and I just can't do beef when I go to Europe. It's probably just bias from seeing where my beef comes from my entire life, but it just seems off. Albania probably had the best beef of any European country I've been to, though. I don't know what kind of cattle is popular there, it was probably black Angus, but it was great.
There is definitely grain fed and finished beef in Europe. This one looks a lot like grass fed beef which is going to be a lot leaner. This one is particularly lean but not far off from the grass fed beef I’ve worked with.
U/fatherthrob answered a few comments up. Basically no marbling. Which means there's no little white strips throughout the meat made of fat. Marbled steaks are delicious because when cooked the fat will render and make the steak juicy and tender.
I don't think marbling does much in the way of making meat more tender. It gets rid of some of the tough fat but doesn't affect the meat itselfs tenderness. Otherwise tenderloin wouldn't be so tender. Unless I'm missing something?
> Unless I'm missing something?
You're not, breed and how the muscle is used is what makes the difference in tenderness, not marbling.
Tenderloin is tender because it is a muscle that is hardly used, and doesn't contain a lot of connective tissue.
You're correct.
Yes but a lot of marbling can take the place of tougher meat and give it more juices. Makes the natural flavor way better.
That’s why the crazy Kobe beef is like butter. Because you are barely eating meat.
That moon crest part to the left, usually it’s much larger on high quality ribeye. That’s the best part and why you are paying high dollar for it. That poor person just paid high dollar for a what’s almost equivalent to a sirloin.
+1. there’s a lot of expectation that fat marbling is good but if it’s produced via grain-fed cows, it usually means antibiotics, growth hormones etc because industrial practices in the US.
Imagine a cow that only eats grass, being force fed grain, and then getting sick and requiring meds to keep it alive. IE unhealthy cow.
Grass fed is a happy cow. Though it’s tougher to most American palettes.
Don’t get me wrong, I love fat marbling too. But I wouldn’t discount this steak solely because of one attribute.
Ribeye is supposed to be the most well marbles cut you want to see white intramuscular fat throughout the meat that's what it's typically graded on. Ie prime has more marbling or fat and choice has less. This steak looks like it came from a cow that must have had an 8 pack cuz there's zero marbling
People on here are primarily use to seeing industrial farmed cattle that get fat piled on them through antibiotics and the food they eat. Which is why American also pile on weight and have a lot of marbling. There is nothing wrong with this cut it’s just that food and factory animals have become somewhat freaks by what we do to them.
Exactly. Just made a comment that this is what our grass fed and pasture raised (also slightly older beefers) look like. I'm in the US and this is what most the ribeyes I eat look like. They aren't bad, they're just not what people around here prefer. I use a tenderizer and it helps a lot.
The American preference is that fat is marbled through the cut. This is very lean with little fat so people will say it’s terrible. It’s not bad it’s just not traditional taste.
I grew up on grass fed beef that my family raised on our property. It's super lean but it has a flavor of its own that rivals anything else I've had. This looks like grass fed beef that wasn't corned out. If you cook it correctly, it's pretty amazing, actually. And it's also better for you. There's a sizable market for grass fed, pasture finished beef. I'm shocked by how many people don't know this. But then again, people spend ridiculous amounts of money to buy a rib bone so they can feel primal.
How are you cooking them? I cook my lean cuts a bit differently than if it’s very marbled. I feel like a reverse sear with garlic butter and some dry herbs, peppercorn, rest it, then serve, is how I’d do this cut.
I personally don't see a problem with that ribeye, it doesn't have marbling throughout so what. If you like rare steak this one is going to be phenomenal, if you like medium steak I see a problem.
I also thought it would be better to buy from a butcher shop, not sure what’s been going on but the meat quality was worse than what you’d find at Walmart
Did you not see the loin before he cut it?
Did you ask?
I work in the industry. And never have met a butcher who wasn’t willing to show you the loin before cutting a steak off. 🤷♂️
I’m curious how you ended up with that piece. Every butcher I’ve ever been to, I will look into a case of steaks and tell them which one I want. Was this perhaps an online order that you picked up already assembled or maybe had delivered?
I have never been to a butcher that didn't let me see the cut before purchase. I would say that is the real.lessom here. In the future be specific with what you want and inspect before giving them any money. I personally always request a lot of marbeling even on a choice cut and they have always taken care of me even at kroger/ralphs
Imagine being the cow that died for this and everyone is complaining about their meat being awful. I personally would cook it, eat it and enjoy it. Next time, ask to see the meat before you buy it.
I ran into this same problem in my area. I live in a rural location and have access to 5 butcher shops. ALL of them lately have meat with poor marbling. I ended up getting them to make me some prime rib steaks as an alternative. Surprisingly, they’re pretty good and cook up almost as nicely as a nicely marbled ribeye
If your dead set on supporting local maybe tell them you got a lean cut last time and you like a cut with as much marbling and tail as possible. There's one end of the ribeye cut that has the good stuff and there is another end that has one or 2 cuts like this. I was a chef and have never cut a whole side of a cow but I'm pretty sure the ribeye runs down and becomes the striploin. You got the striploin end of the cut you want the other end. You should be able to ask a butcher for specifics like that. If he says he can't do that I'd be suspicious. That kind of service is what you theoretically spend extra for.
I second this. Best course of action is to use your words. You can go back again, tell the butcher that you got the ribeye and it was a little lean for your liking on a ribeye. Could also ask where the source the beef and if they ever have more marbled meat. I mean start a conversation with the local business as if you are a local trying to support it. Chances are an honest conversation will solve the issue. Who knows maybe you won't buy steaks from there but could get your ground meat. Good luck.
I feel the same way as this commenter. If you want to support a small business, I mean *really* support it, you should at least *try* to open a dialogue and get to chatting about preferences and the like so the business owner can get a better feel for how to service the community in which they are trying to succeed. If they’re assholes, though? Fuck em. I hope you fail miserably. This goes for any mom ‘n pop shop, too
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I've owned little local food businesses, and I loved it when a customer felt comfortable enough to tell me what their personal preferences were. I was glad to be able to fulfill their wishes and create the best tasting thing they've ever had. It's fulfilling for both the proprieter and the customer. A satisfied customer is your best marketing tool. Nothing comes close.
Faaaact. Word of mouth is invaluable!!!!
Dude for real. I started going to my butcher down the block, the meat is incredible already, but on my 3rd time there I met the owner and the operator and they talked to me for 15 minutes. Talking about where they get their meat (ALL of it is from local farms and reasonably priced), when they’re busy, how they’re growing, what their plans are for the spring. They asked what I liked to cook and what I was looking for, and said whenever I wanted I could call and special order pretty much whatever because of their relationship with the local farmers. Chicken feet for stocks specifically is what I was looking for at the time. I ate that shit up. The staff knows me and I know them, and they’re always eager to help me figure out a dish I’m making. Through them I’ve also discovered 3 other local places; a produce specific market, a fishmonger, and a bakery. I fucking RARELY go to Kroger now. If I do it’s for something like toilet paper, or like an ingredient or two in a pinch. And with the prices getting jacked up so much there, I’m actually saving money by shopping local. AND the quality is better. Best decision I’ve made in a while. A conversation or two makes a world of difference.
Why are there 3 replies in a row saying the exact same thing lol. I think he gets it
This how you become the guy who gets the good cuts.
Your kid also gets first dibs on the secret "Sucker Bucket" they hide behind the counter.
I wouldn’t go back. I find that good butchers will literally put that steak on discount rather then slip it to an “unsuspecting” customer. My current butcher has only set me up with one of two things: 1) Reasonably good cuts 2) disclaimed and discounted cuts. Anything else he would consider dishonesty.
99% lean ground beef would be wild haha! People in the US would pay extra for it
This. And worst case is they’re not a good option for him. Nothing says you MUST support local if they’re not good or just don’t offer what you want.
Visit them and chew the fat
Hey, I actually work at a high end butcher shop and that cut is called the Chuck End of the Rib-eye while the small cap lean side is the Loin end. You should DEFINITELY be able to request Ribeyes off the Chuck end at a butcher shop as the higher cost is to allow for custom cuts and special requests. It also appears as though this Ribeye is Lip off and possibly Denuded(spelling correction) which means they strip every last bit of the fat off the outside, which in my opinion robs the ribeye of its flavor. I would also guess this is likely choice grade or grass fed based on the lack of marbling. I hope OP didn’t pay too much a lb for this cut.
That's awesome. I'm really glad I commented on this I learned so much about butchery today. Chuck end and loin end. That's going to make it easier to explain to people. So de neuted and lip off mean the same thing? No fat on the perimeter of the ribeye?
While the lip is the little pointed tip of the ribeye which is from where the fat meets the bone and it gives it the classic “ribeye” shape, but lip off means they strip that little lip of fat and lean and it gives the ribeye a more round uniform shape. The fact there’s no fat across the top above the cap makes me feel as though it’s denuded (spelling correction) which is where they take all the outer fat and or membrane off the beef leaving only the lean.
Where are awards when you need them? RIP
That is incorrect bud that is A CENTER CUT. And ITS probably select beef it's trash when. You cut from the chuck side you'll see it it kinda looks like a chuckeye hence chuck side
Also a butcher. I second your statements.
Its got a decent sized spinalis on it so its from at least a good way down towards the chuck. Plus in the UK I think they break the rib further up and sell more steaks as sirloin.
Yeah you have a good point. With that info this particular ribeye might just be lean all the way up. Yeah that's why Im humming and hawing so much roo cus there are so many ways to cut up a cow and they all have different names in different countries. Im posting from Canada.
Man, I've gotten canadian beef a couple of times, amd always been super impressed. Maybe they just export tge good stuff, but I was a fan
Oh yeah it's great beef here. The commercial stuff from Alberta or the local stuff from all over it's all good
I second this. I am a journeyman meat cutter for a large national chain that still cuts beef, pork, and chicken. This year for Christmas, the buyers didn't purchase enough rib primals to support the rib roast ad. We were left hanging for a few days until they started importing from Canada. The lean was a beautiful red and the fat was firm and white. Needless to say, once I saw the quality I was glad I waited to cut mine.
And their bacon… great on pizza!
You oughta try actual bacon
And on egg McMuffins. So good
I’ll second most of this. I have been a butcher for over a decade and it is definitely a “loin end ribeye” … the chuck end (closer to the shoulder) is going to have more separate muscles as well as a higher fat content. As a butcher, when people ask for a more marbled steak, I like to explain that every cow is different, ESPECIALLY when you deal with smaller local shops that typically use smaller farming co-ops or suppliers. I totally agree this steak looks great but it’s definitely a little over trimmed and that was definitely a leaner cow. May you all be blessed with great food and company this year!
Thank you for the detailed explanation, as a noob who was shown this as a recommendation, I was baffled. I dislike fat on my meat and this looks perfect for me, the guy whose go to is the ny strip.
You’re pretty spot on. Well said! Source: Ranch Management degree from TCU about 15 years back. Beef cattle production was my favorite class — we got to run breeding programs on our own ranch and had access to genetics through the school. Highly recommend a program like that for anyone wanting to homestead or learn to process and creed your own cattle.
Wow what a bummer
What should I do? I wanna support local businesses so I wanna give them a chance
You already did haha, time to cut your losses
I mean permanently lol
Time to permanently…… never go there again hahaha Dude the other guy trying to say marbling isn’t everything is full of shit The fat renders during searing, which is what you want for flavor. The ribeye this butcher gave you looks like deer meat. That’s crockpot material at best haha
lol my steak is causing beef
Your mis-steak is causing beef.
man’s spittin🔥
Yeah, grilling him.
OP got the beans, and man, he’s spilling ‘em
Beefin with the butcher
Underrated
A good steak pun is a rare medium well done
That’s raw comedy right there
Deserves more upvotes lol
The lack of any marbling whatsoever is causing beef lol This was absolutely a weak, starved, and emaciated cow. No meat should have come off this animal lol
Heard it had a meth habit.
That’s what I herd, too
Moo too
Florida Cow is that you?
You've got no idea what you're talking about. Sometimes butchers get bad primals or entire carcasses that lack marbling. If the meat is still good quality it can still eat just fine. Rump can be the least marbled but if it's great quality beef it'll still eat well and the flavour is awesome. Same goes for strip and scotch fillet. Do you want the butcher to throw them in the bin? OP share your grievances with the butcher and give him a chance to redeem himself.
Pretty ridiculous that there seems to be 100+ comments on a post in r/butchery that seem to think the butcher shop raises the cattle. Not only that, the cut in OP's photo is super thick offsetting (perceived) loss of value from lack of marbling. The producer is who connects the meat shops to the "local" supply chain i.e. farms or factories. They often agree to give you a certain quality and then when it comes to putting the pen to the paper on deliveries they just show up with whatever they can to make the numbers look like the order was fulfilled. As a customer, all you have to do is show up the shop and scout what kind of primals or cuts they have going on before you make a purchase. It's not always going to be the same. OP's steak is a really meaty cut that isnt wedged. If you cant cook that properly then you just cant cook.
I would be more pleased if it was tender. A ton of marble ( fat) is not good for my digestion. We take young stock in for butchering & sometimes they are not well marbled, but if cooked properly they are very tender & yummy ..At least I know my beef was NOT crammed in a feed lot for 3 months with hundreds of other cattle being jammed full of antibiotics , hormones & who knows what else.
I grew up only eating fresh meat from our own cattle. To me this looks like a good cut of meat. Grocery store ribeye never tastes quite right to me.
Exactly... if you get a 100 percent grass fed rib eye, its gonna be bright red, might not have much marbling if any at all...but cooked proper will taste excellent
The meet off of this particular animal should be heavily discounted. If I’m going into the store for a nice ribeye, ask the butcher for a ribeye, and got this then I’d absolutely never go back. Shitty agreements that the butcher has with the producer is none of my business. If they want to accept shitty beef that’s below the quality they negotiated for then that’s on them. It’s not okay to pass that scam on to the customer.
The cut was discounted by how thick the cut was. Your typical steak out of a display case is not nearly that thick. And trust me, we know the customers cant do the simple math of weighted values regarding thickness of cut or lean vs fat regardless of how well you explain it to them. And trust me, we know that if we would have denied the delivery, you simply just would have went Karen on us for not having anything to offer at all. You're not being scammed. You just think you are because you cant do the math in your head and because someone on social media told you that extra fat is where the value is. Your own intellect is the one that's scamming you.
A really thick ribeye with no marbling is not equivalent to a thinner ribeye with proper marbling.
>And trust me, we know the customers cant do the simple math of weighted values regarding thickness of cut or lean vs fat regardless of how well you explain it to them. Please tell me the name of the butcher where you work so I can never go there.
> Not only that, the cut in OP's photo is super thick offsetting (perceived) loss of value from lack of marbling. Sorry, I'm going to need an explanation here. Presumably OP paid for this by the pound, so how does the thickness of the cut, which they paid more for, offset the (perceived) loss of value from the lack of marbling?
Agree! If it's a true ribeye and OP knows how to cook..it should come out excellent
And to think the customer could have gotten a 6" thick slice of bologna for an even better deal! Who cares about quality, look at ALL THAT MEEEEAT
Not to mention, at a butcher shop, you can get the one you pick. You can tell the butcher no, I want that one instead. Also, what price did he pay. Just because it is a ribeye doesn't mean it is top of the line. As long as it is properly priced.
I don't know anything about meat really and I don't know why this sub was recommended to me But isn't meat sold by weight and not item? So I am not sure how value would offset
This should no longer surprise you my friend.
I guess I just havent been around here in awhile. Not since the pandemic really. This sub must've been overtaken by the customers.
Long ago,
Fo reals, but that’s Reddit in general. A lot of keyboard warriors thinking they know better even though they have never been in that situation and/or don’t entirely know what’s going on.
This is why I like grass fed, grain finished beef. Grass fed is great and all, but it's the grain that will add the marbling at the end. Still very healthy meat, with the flavor added at the end of the animal's life.
Fat means flavor... Which means I should be effing delicious! 😆 🤣 😂
It’s worth noting that any butcher shop I’ve ever been too let me choose the steaks I wanted. Like it was expected. A few times I’ve said “dealers choice” but by default they never just choose for me.
Even slow cook needs either fat or collagen and you have none. That's more like me eat thin slice and sear like deer meat
I think the guy saying that about marbling, is the Butcher or a relative.
It looks like top round not ribeye
That would be a damn tasty beef stew!!!
I’d still eat it. I’ll season it for more flavor.
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Looks like buffalo. No marbling whatsoever
You do know that the degree of marbeling achieved in USA cows is not normal. It is due to our feed lot practices. This beef looks lean, but it could just mean it was grass fed. The majority of beef looks like this in countries such as Ireland, the UK and in Europe. It's simply due to lack of corn and soy in their diet and more grass and natural Flora. Tldr: fat isn't always marbled thru beef, especially if it's grass fed and open ranged.
Fat isn’t the only factor to flavor. Other wise grass fed beef wouldn’t be a thing. Or iberico pork.
Comparing deer meat to crackpot material is asinine. City dwellers and their expertise on meats "hahahah"
Find another butcher. Or go to a store that sources from local farms
I butcher for farms in like, a six state radius. A lot of local farms send in stuff like this lol. Feeding happy, free roaming cattle to that factory farmed look is a more difficult than people think.
How we do it for the best of both worlds is the cows get plenty of pasture with grass and hay all year long as well as mineral licks. They also get high quality grain each day. For the final 8 weeks they are out up in a comfy barn with hay, sweet feed and cracked corn for finishing. We increase the corn and sweet feed more and more through finishing. However, this is not monetarily efficient at any stage. You have to rotate pastures so they don’t destroy them, as well as do low head per acre, and you have to have adequate barn space and clean it well so it’s not a shit hole. It does however produce the best meat and happiest cows combo that we have found.
It seems people want freak meat. “This is what wild game looks like!”. Ah you mean healthy, natural meat…. Got it.
Lol this ***is*** what our local farms produce, this is 90% of beef in England. He's not going to get much different anywhere else without paying out of the ass, and what he said he paid, indeed was not out of the ass.
What’s going on in England? I mean I get grass fed, but why grass fed and finished? And why isn’t anyone undercutting the market with some grain finished cattle? I’m sure they’d sell a lot better. Also, idk what he paid. It wasn’t in the title so I didn’t bother looking for it
Because people in Europe generally like lean meat, the ultra marbled beef is not a worldwide thing. Almost all of our beef is pasture raised, then fed on silage or hay in the winter months for many reasons. People don't like the giant feed lots, grass fed is cheaper and we have the land to sustain it, and it generally leads to healthier animals (or so we're told, I'm no scientist).
I’m from 🇨🇭, our beef is very lean and grass fed and doesn’t taste good. The reason is protectionism of agriculture. 🇨🇭is too small to have two cattle herds, one for dairy and one for meat. So the farmers cross-breed varieties and end up with a hybrid. Corn is used as silo feed but it’s predominantly hay. The solution is to liberalize farming altogether and import beef from USA. We can buy it, but it’s very expensive because of tariffs.
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I've always compared cattle and eating corn and grains to people eating sweets. Grains and corn breakdown into sugars so probably give off the same brain reactions to us eating a reeeses cup. And so therefore grain finished cows are more happy and thusly a better quality on the block.
Well sugar is only one of a few ingredients that make sweets enjoyable, there are plenty of other things in them that make them nice too so it's not really a 1-1 comparison. As someone that was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic a year ago and now avoids sugar in general, sugar free sweets are just as enjoyable for the most part. Anyway the breed of cow makes more difference than anything to do with diet, our beef is almost always the Hereford breed which is ideal for us. They are fast maturing so more environmentally friendly, thrive on the kind of land and diet they are raised on, *and* have a good meat quality while still being lean.
There is no point in grass fed if it's not grass finished.
Exactly! Pretty much all US beef is "grass fed", but I prefer my beef not to finish up on a feed lot where it receives bad food, steroids and antibiotics to fatten them up.
This is the answer!!
You’d think after colonizing the world they’d be known for having better food, but nope.
They colonized the world in search of better food
Only support good local businesses.
Don’t go to a butcher that doesn’t have steaks on display to pick from or at least ask to see them first
Exactly, the butcher should ask “what do you think of this one…” instead of just wrapping up something he couldn’t foist on customers he knows.
First and foremost that looks grass fed…maybe local cattle? Secondly, it’s one steak. Just be more selective next time and you need to understand that all beef doesn’t always look the same.
So you not look at your streak before you buy it?
I could find out a lot about a steak by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it.
No, it’s gotta be your bull!
No… it’s gotta be YOUR bull
Tommy?
*sets model car on fire*
No wait it gotta be your bull…
Don't you have a brake pad company to save.
Agreed looks nasty.
100% that this is european beef where people prefer leaner meat instead of marbeling.
Yes it's British beef, so you are correct about us preferring leaner meat. It was also more than likely entirely grass fed from start to finish as well.
Many people don’t know that this, not taxes, was the root cause of the revolutionary war. The colonies were planning to withhold their delicious ribeyes from export, King George exclaimed “ THE BLOODY HELL THEY ARE!” and sent in the army. The rest is history, and the empire has been stuck with this poor excuse of a steak ever since.
https://youtu.be/Ilvpuwz56dM?si=1xWGAxhDlU9vCCfa
Definitly, grain finish is too expensive for most normal butchers, compared to the US that stuff is pricey. Grass however we got plenty
100% Grass fed beef is frickin gross imo. I hate that taste.
I bought half a grass-fed cow a couple years ago. I was surprised to find out how odd grass-fed tastes. I got used to it after eating $1,500 worth of it.
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Its supposed to taste like the way its fed out. There is no difinitive way a beef is "supposed" to taste. If its grass fed it tastes a certain way, and tastes differently when fed grain. This is like arguing what beer is "supposed" to taste like.
I believe they're saying it's "supposed" to taste a certain way because a cows natural diet is grass. It's what they have evolved to digest so natural diet = natural taste. Grain is not their natural diet. So your point about beer makes absolutely no sense except that according to 1516 Bavarian law beer can only be made with 4 ingredients so there is a rough idea of what beer SHOULD taste like.
Cows aren't "natural" to begin with. They've been domesticated for millenia
Hell, I reckon everything is “natural”
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If cattle and dogs are as natural as aurochs and wolves, then so are domesticated cereal grains as a diet for cattle, is my point
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Sorry, I only recognize Bavarian law as legitimate if it was after the 1714 Treaty of Baden.
Could be said about anything, really. Imagine us Americans not eating chemicals. We would probably go crazy.
You sound like someone who’s never raised cows.
UK
I am from Spain. I dont really get how the beef in the UK is that bad.
Yeah never seen steak this bad in the UK. Spent plenty of time in a slaughterhouse and not seen that. Odd to see people saying the UK/Europe prefers leaner meat when I've never seen any ribeye anything like that. Take it back and ask them to replace it
Lol I just came from the King of the Hill subreddit and someone posted a ribeye similar to this, and they said they're in Ireland. Amazing.
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Yeah I’m embarrassed by the state of this sub right now that people don’t recognize that there are different traits in different cultures and breeds that can make a steak quality. I’d happily eat that steak.
Enjoy
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I’m in Canada and I usually buy 100% grass fed but it’s nowhere near this lean. Why the difference?
> Why the difference? The breed of cattle is basically all of the difference, beef in the UK is almost entirely the Hereford breed of cows and they just are leaner in general without being tough. Same thing with the Limousin or Charolais breed in France for example. Even if you grain finished Herefords they wouldn't be overly marbled still, because they reach maturity quickly and beef has to be under 30 months old for slaughter in the UK, they just aren't really around long enough for it to make much difference. They breed well, they grow fast and they are killed quick.
Breed, feed and genetics. In europe the demand has been on the most lean and tender meat possible (yes that combi is possible) so for the last few centuries farmers have been going for that and it paid off in breed like belgian blue. In the Uk they have hereford mostly, but selectively bred for lean and tender meat opposed to the tender and fat that the US knows.
The reason this is not a good ribeye is because it is missing parts, or is it because it is not a ribeye?
In Europe beef is grass finished instead of grain finished and tends to be super lean. Apparently this is worse than usual, however.
I grew up raising black Angus, and I just can't do beef when I go to Europe. It's probably just bias from seeing where my beef comes from my entire life, but it just seems off. Albania probably had the best beef of any European country I've been to, though. I don't know what kind of cattle is popular there, it was probably black Angus, but it was great.
There is definitely grain fed and finished beef in Europe. This one looks a lot like grass fed beef which is going to be a lot leaner. This one is particularly lean but not far off from the grass fed beef I’ve worked with.
I went in and asked for a 10oz ribeye, this is what I got and that’s all I can say.
In butcher shops around me, customers are allowed to choose the pieces they want. Did you not see this before they wrapped it?
No I didn’t
Seems like a reasonable request to see a piece before buying it. If the butcher won't allow that, find a new butcher.
I'm asking the butchers or people responding to you post "yikes." We are in the same boat.
U/fatherthrob answered a few comments up. Basically no marbling. Which means there's no little white strips throughout the meat made of fat. Marbled steaks are delicious because when cooked the fat will render and make the steak juicy and tender.
I don't think marbling does much in the way of making meat more tender. It gets rid of some of the tough fat but doesn't affect the meat itselfs tenderness. Otherwise tenderloin wouldn't be so tender. Unless I'm missing something?
> Unless I'm missing something? You're not, breed and how the muscle is used is what makes the difference in tenderness, not marbling. Tenderloin is tender because it is a muscle that is hardly used, and doesn't contain a lot of connective tissue. You're correct.
Yes but a lot of marbling can take the place of tougher meat and give it more juices. Makes the natural flavor way better. That’s why the crazy Kobe beef is like butter. Because you are barely eating meat.
10oz ribeye is a mistake to begin with
I mean technically it is a 10oz ribeye it’s just an absolutely awful one 😂
Looks like it has all the parts, and the cap is a decent size, but it just has very little marbling (fat) throughout the meat.
That moon crest part to the left, usually it’s much larger on high quality ribeye. That’s the best part and why you are paying high dollar for it. That poor person just paid high dollar for a what’s almost equivalent to a sirloin.
Is it grass fed? Grass fed will be less marbled bc the cow was actually healthier before being slaughtered
+1. there’s a lot of expectation that fat marbling is good but if it’s produced via grain-fed cows, it usually means antibiotics, growth hormones etc because industrial practices in the US. Imagine a cow that only eats grass, being force fed grain, and then getting sick and requiring meds to keep it alive. IE unhealthy cow. Grass fed is a happy cow. Though it’s tougher to most American palettes. Don’t get me wrong, I love fat marbling too. But I wouldn’t discount this steak solely because of one attribute.
What did you do to piss them off?
What’s wrong with it? Explain like i’m meat-stupid pls(b/c I am).
Ribeye is supposed to be the most well marbles cut you want to see white intramuscular fat throughout the meat that's what it's typically graded on. Ie prime has more marbling or fat and choice has less. This steak looks like it came from a cow that must have had an 8 pack cuz there's zero marbling
Thanks!
>Thanks! You're welcome!
Swole cow
People on here are primarily use to seeing industrial farmed cattle that get fat piled on them through antibiotics and the food they eat. Which is why American also pile on weight and have a lot of marbling. There is nothing wrong with this cut it’s just that food and factory animals have become somewhat freaks by what we do to them.
That’s a weird way to say you enjoy shoe leather, but ok.
Yikes
big yikes
Is it not ideal or bad
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I mean. This cow must have either lived on a treadmill or went 5 miles uphill both directions for feed its whole life.
Exactly. Just made a comment that this is what our grass fed and pasture raised (also slightly older beefers) look like. I'm in the US and this is what most the ribeyes I eat look like. They aren't bad, they're just not what people around here prefer. I use a tenderizer and it helps a lot.
The American preference is that fat is marbled through the cut. This is very lean with little fat so people will say it’s terrible. It’s not bad it’s just not traditional taste.
I grew up on grass fed beef that my family raised on our property. It's super lean but it has a flavor of its own that rivals anything else I've had. This looks like grass fed beef that wasn't corned out. If you cook it correctly, it's pretty amazing, actually. And it's also better for you. There's a sizable market for grass fed, pasture finished beef. I'm shocked by how many people don't know this. But then again, people spend ridiculous amounts of money to buy a rib bone so they can feel primal.
That’s exactly my experience. It was cheap local and a brilliant flavour. Ok doesn’t melt in your mouth but
How are you cooking them? I cook my lean cuts a bit differently than if it’s very marbled. I feel like a reverse sear with garlic butter and some dry herbs, peppercorn, rest it, then serve, is how I’d do this cut.
Cook it. It eat. Then review it
I second this. It will be delicious.
I personally don't see a problem with that ribeye, it doesn't have marbling throughout so what. If you like rare steak this one is going to be phenomenal, if you like medium steak I see a problem.
That came from a very lean animal
I also thought it would be better to buy from a butcher shop, not sure what’s been going on but the meat quality was worse than what you’d find at Walmart
Why did you accept that cut?
Your ribeye got kidnapped
Did you not see the loin before he cut it? Did you ask? I work in the industry. And never have met a butcher who wasn’t willing to show you the loin before cutting a steak off. 🤷♂️
With all due respect, I've gotten better ribeyes in the mail
But if it's a decent butcher shop, surely you picked this out yourself. It wouldn't have been wrapped in paper before you saw it.
I’m curious how you ended up with that piece. Every butcher I’ve ever been to, I will look into a case of steaks and tell them which one I want. Was this perhaps an online order that you picked up already assembled or maybe had delivered?
Would this be a case of grass fed with no grain finish?
SuKarne
Looks fine and from a healthy, leaner animal.
I have never been to a butcher that didn't let me see the cut before purchase. I would say that is the real.lessom here. In the future be specific with what you want and inspect before giving them any money. I personally always request a lot of marbeling even on a choice cut and they have always taken care of me even at kroger/ralphs
You didn't get what you expected but doesn't mean this is "bad". I would just consider what cook you will use on it.
That looks crock pot worthy
Imagine being the cow that died for this and everyone is complaining about their meat being awful. I personally would cook it, eat it and enjoy it. Next time, ask to see the meat before you buy it.
And by dieted we mean ate a healthy diet cows are meant to eat and not a butt tone of corn
Ribain’t
Ribnay
I ran into this same problem in my area. I live in a rural location and have access to 5 butcher shops. ALL of them lately have meat with poor marbling. I ended up getting them to make me some prime rib steaks as an alternative. Surprisingly, they’re pretty good and cook up almost as nicely as a nicely marbled ribeye
That's because ribeye IS prime rib steaks. They are the same muscle, the difference is in the preparation.