Talked to a retired butcher at a flea market last weekend and it messed with my head

He said I was wasting too much time trimming fat off steaks before selling them, told me customers actually want that bit of fat for flavor. Has anyone else tried leaving more fat on and seen a difference in sales?

3 comments

3 Comments

karen_sanchez4928d ago

Totally agree, that butcher was spot on. I actually tried this myself last summer after a similar chat with an old timer. Started leaving a good half inch on my sirloins and ribeyes, and my regulars started buying twice as many. They'd literally ask for the "fatty ones" because they said it made the whole steak taste better and kept it from drying out.

robin59128d ago

That butcher probably knows his stuff, I read something similar in a food science blog once. The fat renders down while cooking and bastes the meat from the inside, making it way more tender and flavorful. People who buy steaks for special occasions (you know, like a nice Friday night dinner) actually look for that marbling. It's kind of like how you wouldn't trim all the fat off a good ribeye at a fancy restaurant. Trimming too much might actually make your steaks seem less premium, like you're trying to hide something. Maybe try leaving a quarter inch on and see if the regulars start asking for more.

vera_robinson3628d agoTop Commenter

I see it a little differently. Leaving that much fat on might taste good, but it's not always what people want when they're watching what they eat or trying to cook healthier at home. In my experience, a lot of regulars care more about the meat itself being tender without feeling like they're eating a greasy piece of fat.