If you visit your local butcher’s market regularly, you may be wondering what to ask about the meats you purchase. Your local butcher has a wealth of information to share with curious customers, and all you have to do is ask. It’s a good idea to get some general knowledge, so you’ll choose the best cuts for every occasion. Below are several things to find out.

4 Things to Ask Your Local Butcher

1. How Can I Choose the Best Cuts of Meat?

Select meats with a nice amount of marbling or fat lines running through the cut. Roasts and steaks with visible marbling will be juicier and more tender, and the fat helps make the meat more flavorful while it’s cooking. Your butcher will typically advise you to leave a 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick layer of fat around the beef, so that it will retain its moisture.

2. Should I Buy Expensive Cuts of Meat for More Flavor?

Inexpensive cuts can often be very flavorful. When it comes to steaks, flank, hanger, and flat-iron are some of the most economical and tasty cuts of beef. The trick to keeping your steaks tender is having them sliced perpendicular to the grain to prevent the texture from becoming leathery.

3. How Should Meat Be Prepared?

Your favorite spices and marinades will add wonderful aromatics and flavor to your meats, but the most important meat prep to take into consideration is the temperature. Bring your meat to room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling or roasting it. Otherwise, the meat will cook unevenly with the inside being undercooked.

4. How Was It Raised?

Learning about where your meat comes from and the quality of the conditions where it was raised is important if you care about food quality and sustainability. Locally sourced meats will always be an environmentally friendly or “green” purchase and help support your local community.

Choosing the best cuts of meat will be a breeze when you have assistance from the experienced butchers at Butcher & Bird. As the only full-service butcher and charcuterie shop in Honolulu, HI, you can depend on their expert team to offer high-quality meats and reliable service. Stop by their deli today or call (808) 762-8095 to speak with a friendly staff member. Find them online to learn more about their services.