Lobel's, Oh My

[sammy]

Has anybody tried the aged steaks and/or the prime steaks they sell at Fairway? I am thinking in particular of the Fairway uptown, where they have a large meat counter. Saw them there the other day and was very tempted. They seemed to be around 22./pound for Prime Porterhouse as I recall.

I haven't but their supposed specialty is the aged ribeye.

[Fat Guy]

Has anybody tried the aged steaks and/or the prime steaks they sell at Fairway? I am thinking in particular of the Fairway uptown, where they have a large meat counter. Saw them there the other day and was very tempted. They seemed to be around 22./pound for Prime Porterhouse as I recall.

They're excellent, and a good value at $21.99 (I think) per pound -- certainly as good as what Citarella and the Eli Zabar stores charge more for. Not as high quality as Lobel's, though -- no way. And Stew's at $13.99 per pound for just slightly lower quality strikes me as the best deal going right now.

[Fat Guy]

Sammy, I have bought the porterhouses at SL previously at the $4.99/lb price, and they aren't deceptive about them. The price is for pre-packaged steaks in the display cases, not for the ones freshly cut by the butcher.

My mistake on the porterhouse steaks. Maybe it's the whole strip steaks I'm thinking of.

Sammy, they definitely do it with the tenderloins all the time, though this is not an uncommon practice (Costco, for example, also sells its tenderloins untrimmed) -- one of the magazines (maybe it was Cook's Illustrated -- or was it Consumer Reports?) did a piece on whether or not these represent good value. As for other cuts, I think they sometimes do untrimmed pricing, but these particular porterhouses were actually $4.99 per pound after being butchered into real steaks. That's a pretty wild deal for fresh high-Choice steaks.

[sammy]

As for other cuts, I think they sometimes do untrimmed pricing, but these particular porterhouses were actually $4.99 per pound after being butchered into real steaks. That's a pretty wild deal for fresh high-Choice steaks.

That is an amazingly low price. How thick are they sliced? Enough for 2? We've found that a single thick cut steak for 2 is preferable to 2 thinner steaks. Will they cut them to order?

[Fat Guy]

They're not thick enough to be ideal; they're maybe 1-1.5 inches. The only way you can get the non-dry-aged/buthcher-counter stuff cut to order at Stew's is if you get lucky or if you plan carefully. They tend to process a whole bunch of one cut in a big batch early in the morning, and then they have nothing left to cut custom for you. But if you show up before they do the cutting or you get a manager on the phone early on, sure, they don't give a damn -- they'll cut them any way you like.

By the way, in order to offset the way they price the tenderloins, Stew's will give you as much as you want of tenderloin fat trimmings for free. This is excellent if you like to grind your own hamburger meat!

[SteveW]

Whatever happened to the NY-based mail order US Prime steaks company called Prime Access? Haven't heard anything of this company for about 2 years. Apparently their dry-aged US Prime steaks(shipped fresh to customers(not frozen)) were comparable to Peter Luger & Lobel's US Prime beef. I remember in taste tests several years ago in a publication, they even beat out Lobel's. David Rosengarten has raved about Prime Access before. Apparently Prime Access has(or had) another division, supplying US Prime steaks to steakhouses. Would appreciate any updated information on this company.

-Steve

Edited January 10, 2004 by SteveW (log)

[Jason Perlow]

This is their web site:

http://www.media17.com/primeaccess/index.htm

Apparently, they also had the BestSteak.com domain as well at one point but now it appears to be owned by some Hong Kong-based Internet company.

[hollywood]

Er, no, he'd be dressed as a bull, unless he'd had a horrible accident at some point. Steers have been castrated.

Is Lobel's a nose to tail kinda place?

[hollywood]

Er, no, he'd be dressed as a bull, unless he'd had a horrible accident at some point. Steers have been castrated.

Maybe his underwear was too tight.

[TrishCT]

Sadly, the Stew Leonard's dude is dressed like a cow... Why Fat Guy picked him to ask about steak is beyond me... Would you ask Goofy how the cabernet is at California Grill...?

Edited January 10, 2004 by TrishCT (log)

[wesza]

With all the Knife Mavens on the Board i'd like to make a suggestion for a project that seems to work well for my daughter and son-in-law.

Shes stops at the Cash Machine and makes picks up some green stuff.

Goes to work early with my son-in-law and makes a stop on a 14th Street wholesalers will call or whatever front of the place spot.

Requests a Whole Prime Aged Short Loin if available, since they know her if the have a Choice only she's sure of the quality, so it's worth becoming aquainted with the guy in charge.

Then she goes to work and my son-in-law also goes to work with the meat kept in the trunk it's okay during Cold Weather.

After he gets the Meat Home he begins boning and triming the Shortloin into: Top Sirloin, Triangle Tip, New York Srip Loin and Filet Mignon.

Takes him about 1/2 hour but he's done this about 12/15 times.

The Result is Top of the Line Sirloin, Strip Loins, Triangle and Excellent Ground Meat or Kabobs at about 40% of the Fancy Meat Markets retail prices.

Considering the Prices charged by the Markets quoted on this topic I checked Fridays NYC wholesale prices and i'll have to adjust the cost to only 30% and this allows for all trim loses.

Something to consider as the volume of Meat in the Finished Product will easily fit into the Average Refrigerator Freezer at Homes or Apartments plus you'll have some great bones for your stock.

Since my Daughters family is 5 plus weekend visitors it doesn't last that long except in the pocketbook.

Try it you'll like it.

Irwin