A steak from Walmart?

[Coytee]

Of all pedestrian things, I went out today to buy an umbrella.... yes.... an umbrella. To think you all thought I lived a boring life! [:^)]

So I'm in Walmart getting the umbrella. Decide I need to get a 24 pack of Cokes.... while there, it grew to some chips, pizza crust... I suddenly found myself mosying down the meat isle. Not sure why as I've never bought meat from Walmart.

I've been looking at New York strips at my local grocery store.....and have thus far, been unimpressed.

Curious, I looked for same at Walmart. Hmm... this thing was (if I recall) 'Choice' grade... how's the steak look? Geez, the thing is huge! Good marbling too. $15.00 for the single steak. I've paid that before (for grocery bought) and also spent 3-4 times that while eating out.

I tossed it into the cart.

They have a new provision on not using a grill here so I decided to drag out the cast iron Griswold w/lid. I've not had a steak out of a skillet.... in years. Heck, I'd speculate more than 30 years. They've always come off the grill.

Get dinner ready, get the skillet blazing hot, prepare the steak. I toss it on with the appropriate steam/sizzle....

I once remember reading that it was better to cook on the highest heat like this to seer the outside. So, seer I did. I'll admit I was not prepared for the apartment filling smoke that followed! My windows are still open and the window a/c unit is on to try to create positive pressure in here & push it out. (I also have central a/c)

I'm here to tell you that this steak from Walmart was probably on par with the $45 New York strips I've had at fancy restaurants. Not so sure my formidable cooking skills had anything to do with it. I think I could have cooked this thing on top of a class A amp and it would have still tasted fantastic (if not perhaps made a mess of the amp)

So if you're ignorant of Walmart for good steaks as I was.... here's one thumbs up for them. (in general, I always try to avoid WMT)

[BEC]

You sound a lot like a wal-mart steak commercial.

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7Zjf/walmart-steaks-jimmy-kellys-steakhouse

[Mongo171]

I think I could have cooked this thing on top of a class A amp and it would have still tasted fantastic

I'm sure the steak would've sounded good, too!

[Coytee]

You sound a lot like a wal-mart steak commercial.

Wow...I do sound like the commercial... they're in Tennessee too!

I've got to say...it's true. It was pretty tasty. If I had to compare it to a place like Ruth's Chris (a place that I think is good, but I can pass on) or a place like Flemmings (my favorite place to go)... I've probably left less on my plate than I did tonight. I am fussy about trimming all the fat off when eating it. I've been to Flemmings and had nary a nibble of meat left. I consumed 100%. I can't say I did that tonight so there is still a slight difference but I'm splitting hairs on this point.

[Fish]

It's good you got a good one. Here Walmart meat is considered out of the question, the local grocer much better. It may just be about location.

[JJkizak]

Now is that a Chinese imported steak?

JJK

[T2K]

Now is that a Chinese imported steak?

JJK

It must be imported meat, without all those deadly chemicals that we get for free here.

Keith

[sputnik]

Every fall, we get a side of grass-fed beef from our neighbors. It's always excellent and no chemicals or hormones. A friend of mine is a cattle buyer and he told me that Costco sells some of the best retail beef.

[McMiRA]

Favorite steaks would be bullfish in pigeon forge or their sister restaurants park side or lake side in Knoxville. The black and blue salad is other worldly. But locally here in Jax I buy from the local butcher the pricing is in line with the grocery stores but the meat is 100 times better. I try not to buy from Walmart, would rather support local business even if it is an extra buck sometimes. I watched my small hometown implode when they came to town, it took them decades to recover and even these days it's just not the same.

[rigma]

You sound a lot like a wal-mart steak commercial.

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7Zjf/walmart-steaks-jimmy-kellys-steakhouse

I have had a steak at Jimmy Kelly's twice and was totally unimpressed
both times. I see them as a tourist trap. They advertize heavily in
flyers at hotels and such.

rigma

[CECAA850]

So, seer I did. I'll admit I was not prepared for the apartment filling smoke that followed!

You should have cranked up the Danleys and watched the bass waves bounce around the room.

[jhoak]

As a matter of principal I DO NOT purchase any meat products from the local Wal-Mart.

Here's why: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/winter-haven-wal-mart-rat-infestation_n_1710103.html

[Coytee]

Favorite steaks would be bullfish in pigeon forge or their sister restaurants park side or lake side in Knoxville.

If you get to Knoxville every now & then...you ought to try Flemmings which is located at the Cedar Bluff exit. One of the best steaks I've had in Knoxville.

My understanding is the guy who started it used to work for Ruth's Chris. He quit and had a non-compete. I understand he started some other food chain and after his non-compete was expired, he started Flemmings. Too bad there's not one here in Jax.

http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/locations/

[McMiRA]

As a matter of principal I DO NOT purchase any meat products from the local Wal-Mart.

Here's why: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/winter-haven-wal-mart-rat-infestation_n_1710103.html

if people knew what was really in their food, they wouldn't eat at all. Growing up my mom worked in packing plants and my cousin is currently a USDA inspector. O the stories I have had to hear. never made it to Flemings, heard about it. Ill check it out next time I'm up there. I need to stop off at Irish times and get an Irish breakfast while I'm there also, Good stuff

[Mallette]

Interesting. My son and I had a similar experience with Wally World. We were headed camping and made our last provisioning stop at the Walmart in DeQueen, AR. Always love it not because it's Walmart, but because the staff are all fine Arkansas folk who go out of their way to help. Anyway, found a couple of good looking steaks there and tossed a couple of potatos in the fire and them on top, nice oak and hickory coals, and a legend is born. They were totally fork tender, with that slight taste of saltiness you get from a perfect rare steak. My son still references them as "best ever" and all others are compared...and he's become a steak affcionado.

As to the source, perhaps it's a case of "even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally" but it happened.

One other thing...this year, the steaks were good but not quite to that standard...but, it was the first trip we took our Cobb grill on. I'd been looking at them for a couple of years, and this year they happened to be running a rare special at 129.00.

This is a rare, and unequivable "best in class" recommendation. Not going into all the details as you can look for yourself, but it's a "kitchen in a bag" for up to four people. Did a pan of banana nut muffins in it one morning that were absolutely perfect. Used a small flat bottom wok on it, boiled a pot of beans on it, and, of coarse, grilled on it. Depending on what you are doing, 5-9 briquets gives you two or more hours of perfect heat. This is the first time I've found self-igniting briquets to be cost effective. I bought a small bag, I've used it maybe 10 times and still have half a bag left. Back at home, last use was for some big, thick boneless butterfly pork chops. 7 or 8 briquets, with about a 1" thick 5" inch long piece of apple wood on top, dome on with one turn and they were stunning in a appearance with a wonderful apple smoke flavor clear through.

If you've a need for a small, portable grill that isn't just a one trick pony, this is the best I've ever seen by far both in function and build quality. In full use, you can pick it up and move it and it's barely warm to the touch. All goes in a nice bag for travel or storage. If you have a decent hood vent in the house (I don't...vents into the kitchen...what a DUMB idea!) I'm convinced you could use it inside. Told my wife if I was in the restaurant business I'd just get 8 or 10 of these and put'em under a commercial vent.

Totally cool piece of gear.

Dave

[JL Sargent]

Related to steaks in general: My best friend years ago was the butcher in our small town grocer. He told me the best cut of steak for the money was the chuck eye. For those than don't know it's at the end of the rib eye. The chuck eye steak typically has more marble in it than the rib eye cuts. Anyway I buy the chuck eye steaks which are usually priced a good bit less than the comparable rib eyes when I can find them. Really do like that cut the best.

Our Walmart closed the meat dept. per sey. It was nice to be able get personal service when you needed it. Now the meats are processed elsewhere and brought in. The meat dept. employees are now merchandisers. I will look for Coytee's premium steak recommendation though.

[whamo]

Yeah, chuck eyes are my favorite too. There is just the right amount of fat on them.

[Gilbert]

It's good you got a good one. Here Walmart meat is considered out of the question, the local grocer much better. It may just be about location.

I'll second the location thing with Walmart beef.

We're lucky now that we live in San Antonio, TX, for Beef, Veal, Pork and Lamb we have Bolners meat market. For meat they carry everything under the rainbow and it's top notch quality; beef cuts in Choice, Prime and even Kobe. For Seafood, we have Groomers.

[Coytee]

Let it be known that I'm not a big fan of Walmart. I wanted that out for the record, especially in light of what I'm about to say.

I would personally rather go to a butcher and get something rather than Walmart. That said, the steak I bought looked good. As a bit of history, when I was in high school & college, I spent 5 years at a restaurant cooking steaks. I'm by no means an expert, I just say that to illustrate that I understand how to cook them and marbeling...the steak at Walmart simply looked good.

Fast forward to middle of this past week (Wednesday to be exact). Thursday is a holiday so Wednesday after work I make all efforts to get to a local butcher. I get there before they close. I look at their offerings.

Truth be told, I like a thick cut NY Strip. The strip at Walmart was easily a thicker cut than what the butcher was displaying. I did not ask for anything to be special cut because I wanted to try something out of his disply and it was near closing time. Frankly, I didn't want to bother him with something he might not want to do.

I point at couple strips, couple of thick pork chops and.... a little box of about six oatmeal rasin cookies that I understand they bake. (the cookies were fantastic!)

I get home and make the steak.

Long story short, the steak was indeed very good. The steak was nicely trimmed and looked "well manicured" around the edges. The steak from Walmart had more fat on the outside edge and a larger tip. (not sure how to describe that part) It didn't look as nicely manicured as the Butchers.

Bottom line, since I care more about flavor than looks, I actually think the specific thicker strip from Walmart was better than this specific steak from this specific butcher on this specific day.

What I found interetsting was when I was looking at the strips, he made a comment how they all looked good. Well.... my experience (and understanding) is that when you are looking at the end pieces where the strips are cut, there is some form of tendon or membrane that help attach them. When you see a strip that is more of an end cut, this will be seen as a "line" in the cut. If you rub your finger across this line you will feel it as a firm spot....

My experience has shown this to invariably turn out to be a piece of gristle or something that a fussy eater like me doesn't care for.

He said they all had nice marbling and I smiled.... ignored his comment because I specifically did NOT want those in the case with this 'line' in them. I pointed to two pieces that looked nice without the line and grabbed them.

I might need to try another butcher. I'm certainy not against that. I will say though.... as much as I don't care to go to Walmart, it did make it very easy AND the steak was more of what I wanted than what the butcher was showing in his case.

I do realize it's not a fully fair comparison since the butcher wasn't given a opportunity to cut a piece of similar thickness.

[Mallette]

Well, we are blessed with a truly outstanding butcher just down NASA 1 from here called Dave's. Everything Choice and always first class. Prices fair considering you KNOW what you are getting. The paper wrapped 1 lb burger is as good as it gets and I buy 10 at a time. Prime rib and ribeyes to die for, tenderloins from cows who must have died in orgasm, and other cuts fit for the crowned heads of Europe. Large bin of pinto beans that are FREE, all you want. Bread, one style only, baked in the back each and every day.

Dave's...no relation, but highly recommended. Great BBQ place attached as well.

Dave