Chinatown Butchers

[fendi_pilot]

I've done some searching and haven't been able to find any reccommendations for specific butchers in the Chinatown area - specifically somewhere that sells pork belly.

I called a lot of the more popular butchers in New York, Lobel's, Ottomanelli, Florence, etc.. and while a lot can special order it - none have it. The Whole Foods on Bowery sometimes has it from Niman Ranch but I was there yesterday and they don't have it and don't have any shipments this week.

So I am thinking Chinatown - Any reccommendations ?

[weinoo]

You can think Chinatown, or I saw belly last week at Jeffrey's in the Essex Street market...click here. Call and see what they've got.

In Chinatown, there is a pretty good butcher on Grand St. and Forsyth St. - on the NE corner. Hong Kong Supermarket on Pike and East Broadway. Catherine St., east of East Broadway probably has 3 or 4 butcher shops, all of which should be able to supply your needs. Sorry I don't know the names of these places.

[ewindels]

If by butcher you mean general vendor of a wide variety of dead animal products, my never-fail store is at 122 Mott Street between Grand and Hester. It's on the east side of the street. If it has a name I've never found it, and probably couldn't pronounce it even if I did. Excellent quality, a huge range of offerings, including what looks like killer pork belly. Also a great place to go for chicken and beef parts for stock: big ags of wings and necks and backs for ¢50 - ¢75. Plus a big selection of pre-made dumplings and such, and a big offering of cooked items up front.

[raji]

I'm partial to Deluxe - and it's huge -

http://www.yelp.com/biz/deluxe-food-market-new-york

I got GREAT pork belly for making buta kakuni at both Esposito's Pork Shop and Big Apple on 9th ave near 42nd -

Chinese sausages is another issue

[Luckylies]

I got GREAT pork belly for making buta kakuni at both Esposito's Pork Shop and Big Apple on 9th ave near 42nd -

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Esposito's is my go- to meat people these days...I got belly there for bacon...

[banquo]

The grocery store in K-town (on 32nd) always has pork belly. I find it superior to what I've found in Chinatown. The latter tends to be less well butchered and less substantive than the K-town product.

[fendi_pilot]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like Esposito's will be my next stop. I live in Brooklyn and don't usually go above 34th St. but you gotta do what you gotta do.

I went to Jefferies today and got a pork belly there but the belly wasn't all that well butchered. I'm going to be doing really small portions of it as a small plate so it wasn't something that was crucial or that I can't fix myself at home but I don't like it when people can't do their job well.

On another note, this one has the skin still attached where the ones I have gotten from Niman Ranch have had that removed. If anyone has a good method for leaving the skin on and getting it really crisp, please let me know as I will be experimenting for Thursday.

[raji]

I think you'll find that if you hit up Esposito's, International Grocery, Sea Breeze fish market, Big Apple, and Stiles, all within a 4 block stretch of 9th, (that's my normal routine) it will be quite a revelation and you will have enough money left over to take a car service back to

Brooklyn

[devinl]

I'm partial to Deluxe - and it's huge -

http://www.yelp.com/biz/deluxe-food-market-new-york

I got GREAT pork belly for making buta kakuni at both Esposito's Pork Shop and Big Apple on 9th ave near 42nd -

Chinese sausages is another issue

←

I'm not fond of Deluxe. I don't trust the quality of their meats. The butcher I've used for years is on Mott St. About two stores away from Deluxe, towards Grand St. It's a little butcher shop but I've always felt that their meat was pretty good quality.

If you're not satisfied with what they have on display, you can also ask them to check the back for more cuts.

[ned]

I use two different butchers in Chinatown. One is the Catherine Street Meat Market or Butchers or whatever. It's on Catherine street and East Broadway just off of Bowery. The other is under the Manhattan Bridge and is part of a fantastic and comprehensive mostly chinese grocery store.

[fendi_pilot]

I just wanted to say I really like Esposito's for the record. Curious to try a Chinatown one next.

And if you're curious, here's a pic of the pork belly dish I did last week:

Here it is

[raji]

I've always felt that, at equivalent prices, the butchers and fishmongers of sub-42nd 9th Avenue offer much better quality than Chinatown.

I braised a buta no kakuni from pork belly I bought at Esposito's for 5 hours and damn was it good -

http://recipes.egullet.org/recipes/r1108.html

I also had them sell me a whole cow tongue as well as slice a bunch of pork and beef razor thing for a yakiniku party I had. holy shit was that tongue a revelation - but I sliced that at home on my own slicer. short ribs too

Edited January 24, 2008 by raji (log)