Texas A&M Retail meat market

[fifi]

In Cooking, we were discussing availability of suet. I am having a hard time finding good pork fat. Our friend jsolomon sent me a link to the Texas A&M Retail meat market. I had no idea that this place existed. I am going to call them and ask about suet and pig fat but it looks like they have some pretty good deals. I am almost curious enough to embark on a road trip.

Has anyone bought from them?

[Kent Wang]

I heard about it before. Are the meats the product of their science experiments? That would put me off a bit. Even if they're completely safe, I'd want to know what kinds of experiments were conducted. If it was the "how to produce the most marbled ribeye" experiment, then that would be great. But if it was the "how to grow beef the fastest with no regard for quality" experiment, then I'll pass.

[fifi]

Well, they have this description of their beef.

All beef - retail cuts, sides, hindquarters, and forequarters - is from grain-fed cattle. Most of the carcasses would grade U.S. Select or U.S. Choice. Our beef is Extra Trim (less than 1/4 inch), and approximately 95% of the cuts are boneless, giving our customers a high percentage of edible portion and low "plate waste." Carcasses are naturally dry-aged to increase tenderness and to give the beef a rich and "beefy" flavor.

I thought the dry ageing was interesting. I would like to try a brisket.

[Bill Miller]

I'll check it out, probably next week.

[chemprof]

I was a grad student at A&M from 1984-89..I used to go there all the time. There is a class at A&M where you start w/ a live animal and end up w/ cuts of meat (it's an animal science or a range science class, I can't remember). So some of the cuts of meat are inexpertly butchered. I had a friend who left the chem dept and moved over to food science where he did his dissertation on "sausage" (I know he got a job w/ Jimmy Dean after graduation). I know they sold some of his thesis work there.

At any rate, I'd recommend it highly. Any "experiments" they might sell are edible. They also made some killer brats as well! And don't forget the Creamery for the best milkshakes! I love me some land grant school creameries (NCSU and Clemson come to mind).

Anne

[Bill Miller]

I was a grad student at A&M from 1984-89..I used to go there all the time.  There is a class at A&M where you start w/ a live animal and end up w/ cuts of meat (it's an animal science or a range science class, I can't remember).  So some of the cuts of meat are inexpertly butchered.  I had a friend who left the chem dept and moved over to food science where he did his dissertation on "sausage" (I know he got a job w/ Jimmy Dean after graduation).  I know they sold some of his thesis work there. 

At any rate, I'd recommend it highly.  Any "experiments" they might sell are edible.  They also made some killer brats as well!  And don't forget the Creamery for the best milkshakes!    I love me some land grant school creameries (NCSU and Clemson come to mind).

Anne

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Washington State makes "Cougar" cheese in several forms. It is really outstanding. Regards, Bill

[fifi]

No definite timing yet but the next time we need to go to the country place at Chappell Hills we are going to time it for a detour to College Station.

I do intend to try the cheeses. I had a conversation with these guys a little over a year ago when I went to the Spec's Cheese Festival. They have had a long relationship with A&M and they make killer cheese. I suspect that there are some goodies to be had.

Yes, Cougar Cheddar is outstanding. I have a friend up there that has sent some as a gift. Maybe I should call and remind him that he missed my birthday and Christmas is upon us.

[jsolomon]

I heard about it before. Are the meats the product of their science experiments?

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Kent,

I found this story about the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Meat Sales. I'm sure Texas A&M's is remarkably similar.

"The animals come to us alive," Schrock said, "We then harvest them by USDA humane standards and break the carcasses down."

University of Nebraska Meat Store

I can vouch for the high quality of their meat.