Sydney Meat Suppliers - Who understand BBQ cuts

Please post any food related suppliers in this section.
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RoninWC
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue May 26, 2015 1:06 pm
Location: Sydney

Sydney Meat Suppliers - Who understand BBQ cuts

Post by RoninWC »

Hi all,
First post as a member and while I've been a bit of a BBQ'ing dabbler in the past, I've now decided to go in, whole hog so to speak, and recently purchased a Kamado Joe.

In checking around and joining a number of Facebook groups I've been exposed to all sorts of amazing BBQ goodness (in particular the FB page Australasian Barbecue Alliance). However, the one thing I have struggled with is obtaining the right base product - the meat. This seems particularly difficult as a Sydneysider.

A couple of weeks in a row now I've sourced some very decent meat from Dural Poultry and Meats. However, they don't really appreciate the American influenced BBQ cuts that so predominate these discussions. So I've been looking around (meaning the old faithful Google Search) and I've seen the usual suspects:

Vics Meat Market at the Sydney Fish Markets
Feather and Bone at Marrickville
The Australian Meat Emporium at Alexandria

Has anyone experienced or used other butchers who do understand an cater for BBQ fanatics that can be added to that very limited list?

Also, for anyone interested this Fourth of July, The Australian Meat Emporium is offering:
From their FB page
"To get in the spirit we've got some flaming fantastic beef if you want to be your own pitmaster.. Brisket & Ribs are sounding pretty good right about now - and we've conveniently got them on special starting tomorrow wink emoticon #bbqforthewin"

and further information in terms of costs:
Also from the FB page
"The Australian Meat Emporium Hi, 'Bindaree Vintage' packer cut briskets are $14.99/kg & 'Mayfield' beef short ribs are also $14.99/kg."

Link: https://www.facebook.com/17294531951581 ... =1&theater

This seems pretty good value but as a newbie to these types of cuts, what are the impressions on price and quality?

Regards,
WarrenC
RoninWC
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue May 26, 2015 1:06 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Sydney Meat Suppliers - Who understand BBQ cuts

Post by RoninWC »

Thought I might as well add to my original post with my recent purchasing of BBQ meat here in Sydney.
Friday I had an ADO to spend some time with my son during school hols.
First stop was to Vic's Meat Market at the Sydney Fish Market. Thoughts on that (as mentioned in the thread on Vic's Meat Market) was that the meat looked of excellent quality but was expensive. They also had the best range of the american style BBQ cuts - Brisket, ribs, Boston Butt, etc.

Btw, I'm the son of a butcher and have been exposed to meat in 3 countries where my Dad has worked as a butcher - New Zealand, Canada and of course, Australia. I helped out my Dad at a couple of his different shops and also worked summer holidays in Uni at the local meat packing plant. So while I feel I know and appreciate decent meat, I'm very new to the low and slow, smoking american style BBQ'ing.

But due to the higher than expected costs, I decided to make the trek after lunch at the Fish Markets and tasting one of Vic's amazing Brisket rolls for $10 to the Australian Meat Emporium (AME) in Alexandria.

As quoted from their Facebook page, they had the packer cut brisket on for $14.99 a kilo. As I found out speaking to one of the very helpful staff at AME that the packer cut is not a full brisket but a half brisket. They also had all their beef short ribs on for not $14.99/kg but all were reduced to $10.99/kg.
One thing I will say about AME, they had a good selection of every cut imaginable and in each cut would have several different suppliers representing both grass and grain feed beef.

So I purchased a 4kg packer cut brisket and two 2kg ribs. So in total, approximately 8 kg of good meat for $105 which I thought was pretty good value.

However, in hindsight, I wish I had purchased a full brisket rather than the 4 kg packer cut. The 4kg packer must have been a huge brisket to begin with as it was much thicker than the other full briskets they had on offer. This was my very first attempt at a brisket on my Kamado Joe and only third cook overall so I'm still very much have my training wheels on.

The brisket was cooked for 12 hrs at around the 220F mark starting at 12:30 am - but it did dip between down to just under 200F between 5 and 7 am when I checked at 7 am and found it was low and had to make adjustments to get the temp back up to 220F. It did hold the 220F for the rest of the cook so I can only assume that it was because of the cold morning ambient air temperature which was about 5 or 6C.

I forgot to get some wood to add to the charcoal so it was a charcoal only cook so very little smoke.

I think with the brisket that thick, it may have needed even longer, hence why next time I will get one of the 4-6 kg full briskets at AME.

The ribs however turned out perfectly on a 6 hr cook as they joined the brisket halfway through the 12 hr cook.

Anyway, I have digressed but in essence, I would recommend Australian Meat Emporium but I will continue to try others and next time I might give Feather and Bone a try.

Cheers,
WarrenC
RoninWC
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue May 26, 2015 1:06 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Sydney Meat Suppliers - Who understand BBQ cuts

Post by RoninWC »

To update the list based on my own personal experience plus those of others:

I have since tried and can recommend:

Pryde Meats (http://www.prydemeats.com.au/)
Located in the Top Ryde Shopping Centre. Purchased a Wagyu Brisket from them ($17.99 / kg) and it was spectacular!
Whilst they don't display the BBQ cuts, the manager there is very knowledgeable on low and slow cooking and can help. They also stock Cape Grim on the occasion but best to call first.

Dural Poultry and Meats (http://www.facebook.com/DuralPoultryAndMeats)
Whilst they don't specifically have the "american style" cuts for low and slow, the owner Jack can assist with most cuts if you explain what you are after. But there is certainly no denying the quality and range of his poultry and meat offerings.

Wrights Butchers at Alexandria (http://wrightsthebutchers.com.au/)
A good friend and the person I consider to be my "low and slow" sensei, who has been doing this much longer than I, recommends them. Similar but smaller than Australian Meat Emporium and with excellent quality meats. As an example, they are currently running a special on Wagyu Point End Brisket for $15.99 / kg.

Has anyone else other butcher shops they can recommend? As Sydneysiders, are we really this limited in our options?

Cheers!
skuzy
Posts: 631
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:15 pm

Re: Sydney Meat Suppliers - Who understand BBQ cuts

Post by skuzy »

should also add the butchers from orangeville meatco out Camden way
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RoninWC
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue May 26, 2015 1:06 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Sydney Meat Suppliers - Who understand BBQ cuts

Post by RoninWC »

Another excellent experience from Pryde Meats at Top Ryde.

I've purchased two brisket's from them, a Wagyu and a Cape Grim.

The Cape Grim was a 4.5 kg (what I think of as a good size, not too big, not too small) which I purchased for $80 and change as it was $18 / kg I cooked over the weekend. My family commented that it was even better than the Wagyu in terms of flavour and texture.

The flat certainly sliced better and the finger test was a very good pass.

So to the guys at Pryde Meats, thank you!
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