Premium Meats on 5th Ave

jetshark · February 2009

I love a good butcher. Someone who will honestly recommend what is fresh for you and give you some tips on cooking it. A butcher who cares about what you are looking to cook and how it will turn out.

That being said, I stopped into Premium Meats on 5th a couple days before Superbowl Sunday to buy a ham. I was looking to make a coca-cola braised ham and needed what the brits call a semi cured gammon. I have never seen this cut before and inquired about what would work in it's place. The guy behind the counter then tried to sell me on buying a half of a Boars Head deli ham. When I said I didn't think that was going to work he became a little bit irritated with me and insisted that it was the same thing. He got his knife and was about to cut the ham in half when I stopped him and told him that I was going to continue looking.

I ended up buying a bone in smoked ham from the grocery store and it came out great. As I was serving it up to my guests I imagined what it would have been like to serve a glazed deli ham to them and got really angry at the butcher again.

Be forwarned....

pastoralia · February 2009

Is this the store on 5th around 4th st? The new A&S meats that just moved?

jetshark · February 2009

Yes. I couldn't remember the name.

longtimesloper · February 2009

:roll:

pitu · February 2009

LongTimeSloper wrote: :roll:

I concur.

(If this is obscure to anyone, I suggest you got to M & S on Fifth Ave near 2nd/3rd St and beg them to sell you a sandwich that includes their housemade fresh mozz. Yum Yum Yum.
Don't talk sh*t about my pork store.
Although in truth, I get my smoked pork products at the Park Slope Food Coop 'cause I care about all that free range organic stuff.)

jetshark · February 2009

If your pork store is the one I mention above, I do indeed talk shit about it.

longtimesloper · February 2009

I just don't get the "forewarned' thing. So, the guy didn't have the type of ham you wanted and even you didn't know what it is called, he tried to sell you some other type of ham and he was pushy about it (hmm, salesmen tend to be pushy) and you didn't buy it and left. Why the ominous 'be forewarned", it all doesn't sound that bad to me, sheesh

j0518 · February 2009

I cannot believe we are allowing such blasphemy on here!

carmen · February 2009

i cant believe this post is becoming heated over.... a ham.

longtimesloper · February 2009

Hey, some of us take our pork products seriously! LOL Besides, I am bored stiff and need something to amuse me.

jetshark · February 2009

The point of the warning is this. In my time of ignorance and need (desperation for ham) I asked an expert for his advice. Instead of being honest and saying "we do not have anything like that" he tried to sell me deli meat.

It's like him saying, "we're out of Italian sausage, but these hot dogs will work"

mougar · February 2009

The only ham I ever really get is ham hock. Super cheap and great for making collards, hoppin john, broth, etc...

bkchickie · February 2009

Isn't there the new A&S and another store known as Premium Meats. Are we talking about two different stores? I really can't imagine anyone from A&S or M&S or whatever it's called now offering you that advice.

Anyway, a little research tells me that a bone-in ham will work fine for the above-mentioned recipe.

nykittyny · February 2009

I also had a negative experience in that store.

I went in to buy a pork shoulder, which is one of the cheapest cuts of meat around. Since I buy it often, I know that it can range anywhere from .99 - 2.99 a pound, give or take a few cents. The guy got me one out of the back, and proceeded to try and charge me $9.99 a pound for it. My eyes got wide when I saw that the price was around $70, and I told him he must have made a mistake. He said, "oh, you are right", and then rang it up again at $7.99 a pound. When I protested again, he told me that it was "a really good cut of meat". I told him that we must have gotten our signals crossed somewhere, and that I know that pork shoulder doesn't sell for that, so maybe I should just leave. He then had a 5 minute conversation with the boss man, who I overheard tell him "give it to her for $3.99". Still more than I would normally pay, but within reason. I paid for it, but couldn't help but feel that I had been sized up as someone who doesn't know what the right price should be.

longtimesloper · February 2009

BKChickie wrote: Isn't there the new A&S and another store known as Premium Meats. Are we talking about two different stores? I really can't imagine anyone from A&S or M&S or whatever it's called now offering you that advice.

Anyway, a little research tells me that a bone-in ham will work fine for the above-mentioned recipe.

It is one and the same, I am pretty sure they now call themselves M&S Premium meats.

lo kee · February 2009

Carmen wrote: i cant believe this post is becoming heated over.... a ham.

My only question is did you see any in that cooler?

jetshark · February 2009

NYkittyNY wrote: I also had a negative experience in that store.

He then had a 5 minute conversation with the boss man, who I overheard tell him "give it to her for $3.99". Still more than I would normally pay, but within reason. I paid for it, but couldn't help but feel that I had been sized up as someone who doesn't know what the right price should be.

Exactly my original point. A good butcher is someone you can trust.

ljnd · February 2009

This is disappointing. I loved A&S, loved the guy behind the counter - he took good care of us. If their management has changed, and they're not trustworthy, that's a shame.

longtimesloper · February 2009

I don't think the management has changed, i still see the same faces in there and they still have the sign in the window about learning to make mozzarella from the same guys. I must admit though, that the couple of times I have been in there since the move-they did seem to be pushing more amounts of meat, more pricey cuts, etc..

Premium Meats on 5th Ave

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