| it comes to Americans, there are two things that we | | | | close to a month before they are shipped to |
| are very serious about; our money and our food. In | | | | customers like grocery stores where they again sit in |
| the meat and potatoes society that we live in, we | | | | a refrigerated cooler before a consumer finally |
| expect top quality meat for our hard-earned dollar. | | | | purchases it. |
| Unfortunately, with the changing times the old school | | | | Back in 2004, mayhem ensued when a major |
| method of purchasing quality meats at your local | | | | corporate meat distributor in Oregon processed beef |
| butcher are long gone. Today most Americans | | | | from a dairy cow infected with mad cow disease. |
| purchase meats at the local conglomerate grocery | | | | Mistakes like this can happen more often in major |
| store that purchases its meats from large corporate | | | | meat packing plants than in a small business that |
| meat distributors. The majority of the time, we | | | | specializes in the personal touch. |
| don’t want to take the time to make a | | | | Smaller meat and steak companies have the luxury |
| second shopping trip to a neighborhood meat market, | | | | of better tending to their products than larger |
| if there even is one in the vicinity. Thankfully, there | | | | companies. For instance: |
| are now online micro meat purveyors that will | | | | • Cows are often raised on a farm or some |
| provide you with meat so fresh that you would | | | | other synonymous natural setting. |
| swear it was cut at a neighborhood meat market | | | | • The animals are not given any hormone |
| and it’s available from the comfort of your | | | | shots or antibiotics so the meat is in a natural state. |
| home with just the click of a mouse. | | | | • The animals are under the care of certified |
| The Comparison of Meat Packers and Micro Meat | | | | veterinarians to ensure that they are raised in good |
| Suppliers | | | | health for consumer consumption. |
| Of course, it is easy to assume that the meats | | | | Micro meat provisioners also have a fresher take on |
| purchased from a mega meat distributor are top | | | | meat processing. The meats are generally hand-cut |
| quality for your dollar. However, let us not assume | | | | like a classic butcher and are stored using |
| before making some comparisons. First let’s | | | | temperature, humidity, and air flow to dry age the |
| take a look at the source of the meat: | | | | steak to perfection, which results in flavorful |
| • In meat packing companies, animals are | | | | tenderness. With micro meat and steak companies, |
| often raised in a factory setting. | | | | time and great care are taken to deliver a quality of |
| • The animals are often injected with | | | | meat that one cannot expect to purchase from a |
| hormones and antibiotics at the distribution centers to | | | | meat packing facility assembly line. |
| ensure larger cows for heartier beef portions. | | | | So, whether your dollar is better spent with a |
| • The cows do not receive the care and | | | | corporate meat packer or a specialty supplier boils |
| medical testing from veterinarians that is required to | | | | down to quality versus quantity. All of the meat will |
| ensure their good health for processing. | | | | certainly meet FDA requirements. So, if you |
| • Cows are slaughtered violently. | | | | don’t mind ingesting factory-cut meats that |
| • The meat is cut in an assembly line. | | | | have been injected with hormones and stored in a |
| • If an aging process is used, cuts of meat | | | | meat locker for months, then you can definitely |
| are all packed into an aging box for three weeks and | | | | purchase more for your buck in a grocery store. |
| then removed at the same time with no individual | | | | However, if you want the meat you place on the |
| concern. | | | | family dinner table to have a higher nutritional value, |
| Meats are also often stored in large meat lockers for | | | | be more natural, succulent, and savory, an online |
| an undetermined amount of time which makes the | | | | micro meat purveyor can offer great quality and |
| meat lose flavor and nutritional value. Most of the | | | | pricing for the value of your dollar. |
| time meats have been stored in these lockers for | | | | |