JE Anderson extrapolated from data available...


>
> Actually that is a fallacy, at least in Alberta. I pay about a 10 -
> 20% premium for buffalo meat at my butcher. I can get it for less
> from a direct supplier. T-bone buffalo is about $23.00/kilo, T-bone
> beef is about $19.00/kilo on an average day. Not counting grocery
> store sale prices on the beef of course.
>

"Everyday" TBone (the standard "sto-bought" market grades below prime)
rarely exceeds $7 a pound (about the equivalent of your $19 a kilo
considering lower Canadian dollar), and can be bought on sale for as low as
$3.99 a pound. I've not seen buffalo in local markets but a local premium
meat service carries it frozen and like everything lese including the
better sins it can be bought in Austiin....TBone in the $12-15 a pound
range with tenderloin appreciably higher.

I "harvested" a surplus one with a friend from a nearby ranch last year and
got a hindquarter, tongue (smoking) and section of the hump, great for slow
barbecue. Because buffalo, at least around here, walk more, the hindquater
was pretty sinewy compared to your basic year old fattened calf called beef
sold at the market.

TMO

"Olivers" > wrote in message
...
> JE Anderson extrapolated from data available...
>
>
> >
> > Actually that is a fallacy, at least in Alberta. I pay about a 10 -
> > 20% premium for buffalo meat at my butcher. I can get it for less
> > from a direct supplier. T-bone buffalo is about $23.00/kilo, T-bone
> > beef is about $19.00/kilo on an average day. Not counting grocery
> > store sale prices on the beef of course.
> >
>
> "Everyday" TBone (the standard "sto-bought" market grades below prime)
> rarely exceeds $7 a pound (about the equivalent of your $19 a kilo
> considering lower Canadian dollar), and can be bought on sale for as low
as
> $3.99 a pound. I've not seen buffalo in local markets but a local premium
> meat service carries it frozen and like everything lese including the
> better sins it can be bought in Austiin....TBone in the $12-15 a pound
> range with tenderloin appreciably higher.

That definitely is a huge price difference! I realised as I read your
answer that I appeared to be challenging your price experiences - sorry
about that. We are so used to it being relatively cheap here that I forget
it is not so available elsewhere. We can buy almost any cut at the butcher
(frozen unfortunately) and the local Save-On Foods grocery store carries the
ground meat on a regular basis.

>
> I "harvested" a surplus one with a friend from a nearby ranch last year
and
> got a hindquarter, tongue (smoking) and section of the hump, great for
slow
> barbecue. Because buffalo, at least around here, walk more, the
hindquater
> was pretty sinewy compared to your basic year old fattened calf called
beef
> sold at the market.

Lucky, lucky you! How did the tongue turn out? Did you brine it first? I
have only ever experience corned tongue which I enjoyed greatly. Buffalo do
spend a lot of time roaming up here as well and I imagine a great portion of
the carcass goes for stewed or braised product than on a steer. I grew up
relatively poor and am used to eating cheaper cuts and lots of braised or
boiled beef, perhaps that is why I prefer buffalo now...

> TMO

Thanks for the clarification on your market prices.

Janet

JE Anderson extrapolated from data available...

How did the tongue turn out?

Good to Excellent, simply not enough of it....

Cleaned it up, then into a marinade of sour red wine and salt for a couple
of days, then wrapped it in bacon. Slow smoked at about 160F for about 5
hours. Removed bacon and used it as a flvoring for beans. Chilled, sliced
tongue paper thin, served with mustard sauce.



Did you brine it
> first? I have only ever experience corned tongue which I enjoyed
> greatly. Buffalo do spend a lot of time roaming up here as well and I
> imagine a great portion of the carcass goes for stewed or braised
> product than on a steer. I grew up relatively poor and am used to
> eating cheaper cuts and lots of braised or boiled beef, perhaps that
> is why I prefer buffalo now...

>
> Thanks for the clarification on your market prices.
>

We grew up on grass fed "ranch beef", the best of which came from my
Uncle's down on the Gulf Coastal Plain where the pasture's pretty salty,
and the beef doesn't have the sweet taste that corn gives it. The reason
for "Chili", "chicken fried steak", etc., the traditional recipes, was that
not much of the beef was tender enough to grill/broild.

TMO