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Could it be a bad time of year to buy steak?

I buy a whole strip loin about every 7 weeks. Grade choice, American raised, usually from Sam's. Overall, I've been really pleased with the quality, & at times, been very lucky as I cut into some that would nearly grade Prime.

12 weeks ago, I bought a loin from a well respected butcher shop. I wasn't really disappointed, but unimpressed. It was barely choice grade IMO, & a bit tough. We finally finished it & I was looking forward to go back to Sams, as a several year run of these have been very acceptable.

This one is worse, barely choice grade, or the inspector got greased. I'ts tough, low flavor, just a disappointment. Thinking that's about 3 now that just didn't measure up, & seem to be getting worse.

A poor time of year to buy beef? undesirable cattle being sold this time of year? Just the luck of the draw? Thoughts?

Thats funny.


I would not trust the feeders and packers farther than I could throw them however.



Sounds like they are trying to peddle some Mexican garbage.

I would not think the time of year would matter.

I don't know which part is funny, but not knowing is why I asked.

Thinking maybe cattle are stressed more this time of year, even feeders.

I suppose it seems I've put too much trust in USDA inspectors. Or, the thought that repercussions would be severe if caught selling Mex. as American beef, or advertising choice & selling select or the like. Maybe just like so many other things, crooked as hell. But all that just adds to the confusion as how I've bought very near or easily Prime for a choice price. That doesn't add up.

They selling what the hell ever they please, & calling WTH ever they want? Think I'll call Morgan & Morgan.

No, I was not mocking your post.


Not Funny as in Ha Ha......funny as in Hmmmmmmmm.......


Richard is way more up on these things than I am.....he lives in feeder country. I agree with him that time of year wouldn't matter much.



My guess would be a bunch of inferior beef made it into the supply chain in order to increase profits.


There is no good way to tell where your beef is coming from....unless you buy it from a local producer.


The US imports lots and lots of beef....and we export the good stuff.


On behalf of beef producers in this country....I apologize for the crooked bastards running the show.

I mentioned this awhile back - I have been very disappointed in the beef that I have gotten lately - seems to be very sinewy and tough.

Thanks Jim, maybe I understand a bit more.

I'll need another loin in 2 weeks if I continue our steak every Sunday night thing, but might buy a few single packs so as to better see what I'm getting, to hold us over..

Sure do miss the days of good USDA Choice dry aged beef in the grocery stores done here. Hard to get a really good flavorful steak since it's all wet aged. I do agree some of the choice labeled beef must just barely be choice cause there sure ain't much marbling.

I would never trust the meat from a big chain like that. They are always looking for ways to raise profits.



Funny that you get a lousy loin from a local place though.



We fatten ours the old, slow expensive way. Cracked barley.


I believe the USDA grades have been lowered across the board in the last 20 years.

I am very hesitant to buy anything but single packs.

Many of the small local meat shops here put out select steaks and they are not labeled. Some carry choice and they have a choice sticker on the wrap. I have seen a few that have a sticker "Tender Taste". Not sure what that means but I suspect they just get the best looking selects an slap that label on it. I get the best beef from our local in state chains. Well I actually get the best beef when i visit my buddy that has beef cattle and he dry ages his for 28 days.

A lot of pics on the net of supposedly what select, choice or prime should look like as far a the amount of marble. After seeing how a good butcher shop labels & looking over thee meat its pretty plain.




That's the confusing or disappointing part as I've been buying whole strip loins from Sams for 3 or 4 years, every 7 - 8 weeks like clockwork. I've seen a few ups & downs, but nothing really disappointing till the last couple times.
The whole loin is a dollar cheaper per pound than the pre packaged. Granted, I loose some weight for fat but still save money.

I always look forward to steak night, or used to.

Gunzo, I wouldn't get discouraged, IMO what probably is the reason your beef wasn't tender is a combination of many things. I don't think your eating junk or Brazil cattle it's probably more of the age of the cattle and the number of day on full feed. Just back last Aug. the packers stole cattle for cheap over 1 packing house having having a fire(Tyson Holcomb, KS). It was b.s. but they claimed they couldn't slaughter all the cattle even though the next week when they paid shi$ they slaughtered more than when the plant was running and people feeding cattle lost $100's per head (I know I was one of them) for weeks until the plant came back on line. So after loosing money for weeks, fast foward to today and now the price is(was) back up where some of the fat cattle were making money and everybody sold as soon as they could to make a profit. This means there are cattle going to slaughter that are not what I or you call fat, yes they have fat but not enough age on feed. Right know the feedlots are full as can be so they need to clean out for room, so more cattle go early rather than late and that doesn't help quality either.

The days of hanging meat for 21+ days are over, the packers don't want any shrink on them and even if you get your own beef done at a local small packer once the stamp goes on there's only so many days it can hang in the cooler before they cut it up. One other thing, when they grade the meat there's a guy standing on a little stool with his little hammer hitting swinging meat as it comes by and then stamps it. I watched that one day and thought damn that's the difference between profit and lose a lot of time, what the hell am I feeding cattle for!


I should add that yes packers are crooked as hell and if they didn't pull shi$ like they did when Tyson had the fire at Holcomb maybe we could all get more consistent quality and everyone could make a $ with a cheaper higher quality product to the consumer.

Thumb up.

All reasons to kill and age your own red meat.

Hearing from folks in the business here has really opened my eyes the last few years. We don't buy a lot of beef with a Moose and deer in the freezer but both my wife and I really notice the difference when we go to our local place as opposed to buying at the regular grocery store. The price difference is minimal, the quality difference not.

https://www.jwtreuth.com/locally-sourced

Any given Saturday there is a line out the door.

Eat more possum.

I think I'll stick with beef!

Thank you Kansas. I appreciate your effort to right that explanation.

And Jim, it seems to align with just what you said about a bunch if inferior beef getting into the system.

One more question;

I look over the meat I buy, & the label clearly says American beef. Do they dare misrepresent that ? If so, how do they skirt around it

I believe that beef does not have to be born here to be labeled as American Beef......just has to spend a certain amount of time.


Look for born, raised, fed and processed labels if you can.


Stores can voluntarily label their beef, but are not required.