About to DO IT, just a few queries!

[jameweights]

I have a butcher near me, and am so close to doing this raw meat thing! I am from the UK, and asked for back fat and the butchers I go to stare at me with a blank face.

A few questions though, the butcher near me  seems to handle all the meat with his hands and puts it into 'doggie' bags .. is this ok? Should I leave it in these bags until I am ready to eat it? Doesn't it need to be aired all the time? Isn't it bad to touch it with the hands etc.

Also Marrow bones, how do I get the marrow out (most recommend roasting the bones)?

What do I need to look out for in terms of the meat, what questions should I ask the butcher?

Also what cuts are most recommended?

Thanks, you guys have been awesome answering questions! As I say I am so close to starting this now, I feel like DEATH.

[TylerDurden]

I am sure that the butcher has relatively clean hands and same with your hands, so no need to worry re bacteria issues which are bogus anyway.

Raw meat does need to be aired a bit. It does not matter if you leave raw meat unexposed to air for  c.2-3 days but if you are planning  to leave it for more, then it should be exposed to the air. Not exposing to the air for long periods eventually can lead to botulinism poisoning.

Re marrow:- No need to roast it, besides roasting harms the food. I always used an oyster knife to poke at the marrow and then I would scour round the bone with a normal knife and get the marrow out that way.

It really does not matter what cuts you buy re health concerns. Therefore always buy the cheapest cuts for reasons of price. I do  not include in this advice,  ground meat/minced meat, as I tend to overeat it due to its ground nature.

Lastly, UK butchers are now so used to idiot customers hating organ-meats that most do not have a clue what many organ-meats are, let alone where they are located.

I hope you are going in for raw, grassfed meats not  raw, grainfed meats?

[jameweights]

I am sure that the butcher has relatively clean hands and same with your hands, so no need to worry re bacteria issues which are bogus anyway.

Raw meat does need to be aired a bit. It does not matter if you leave raw meat unexposed to air for  c.2-3 days but if you are planning  to leave it for more, then it should be exposed to the air. Not exposing to the air for long periods eventually can lead to botulinism poisoning.

Re marrow:- No need to roast it, besides roasting harms the food. I always used an oyster knife to poke at the marrow and then I would scour round the bone with a normal knife and get the marrow out that way.

It really does not matter what cuts you buy re health concerns. Therefore always buy the cheapest cuts for reasons of price. I do  not include in this advice,  ground meat/minced meat, as I tend to overeat it due to its ground nature.

Lastly, UK butchers are now so used to idiot customers hating organ-meats that most do not have a clue what many organ-meats are, let alone where they are located.

I hope you are going in for raw, grassfed meats not  raw, grainfed meats?

I assume from a butcher it would be grassfed? How should I ask? Cause obviously some lie!

[Sorentus]

I assume from a butcher it would be grassfed? How should I ask? Cause obviously some lie!

Don't ask if its fed grain or grass, just ask how they are fed then ask for antibiotic and hormones use.

[CatTreats]

Don't ask if its fed grain or grass, just ask how they are fed then ask for antibiotic and hormones use.

Seconding this. Let them come up with the answer rather than picking from your options. It always seems to get the dark truth to come out hehe.

[jameweights]

Really good tips there .. don't want to accuse them of being liars but maybe they think it's harmless and just a little white lie

[goodsamaritan]

you might want to ask for the penis and balls, tongue, brain, liver...

[eveheart]

I always see grass-fed labeled as such, and I get a direct answer when I ask. I talk to the head butcher. I also find out what ranch or processing plant the meat comes from. The person who orders the meat will know where the meat is from.

[CatTreats]

I always see grass-fed labeled as such

This is true when you go to a butcher or farmers market. I have, however, found "grass-fed" beef in a grocery store, and the people had no idea what that even meant. It was not labelled "100%" or "grass-fed AND grass-finished" so I was very suspicious and asked them. They were like "uhh yeah, I'm sure it's 100%, isn't that all cows eat?" and another guy "I think they just eat grass and stuff" so you definitely have to be cautious.

[TylerDurden]

This is true when you go to a butcher or farmers market. I have, however, found "grass-fed" beef in a grocery store, and the people had no idea what that even meant. It was not labelled "100%" or "grass-fed AND grass-finished" so I was very suspicious and asked them. They were like "uhh yeah, I'm sure it's 100%, isn't that all cows eat?" and another guy "I think they just eat grass and stuff" so you definitely have to be cautious.

That is why it is so important to buy direct from farmers via their farms or via farmers' markets.

[CatTreats]

That id why it is so important to buy direct from farmers via their farms or via farmers' markets.

Yeah, haha very true. I do buy from one "grocery store" here because they are better than average, similar to Whole Foods but without the major marked-up prices, and we know one of the butchers and he takes excellent care of us. He makes sure to keep certain cuts untrimmed because we'll buy it, and saves ALL trimmed fat for us. He's even going to be saving the heads and bellies of king salmon once they start coming in. Love that man.

[sabertooth]

Ask him where the meat comes-from, try to find out, one way or another. If he doesn't know then ask the person who does all the orders, there has to be a paper trail that follows directly to the source. If you cant get a verification on the source then I would seek another source.

If that isn't a possibility then try some of the different cuts of meat your butcher has to offer, and just keep an open eye out for some local farmer to ask about getting it straight from the farm. 

We all must seek out a butcher in our part of the world with a pure and honest spirit and a heart of Gold,

Good luck to everyone in their quest to find Manna of the flesh.