Best butcher to buy a prime rib

[umich]

Preparing a prime rib for christmas dinner. Any thoughts on a good butcher in the West Los Angeles or Los Angeles area. Superior meat on Pico appears to have closed.

[WSB]

Restaurant Depot 5.99 / lb

[Poppy8sd]

Costco??? --A discount national chain that sells speed-slaughtered beef --offers it in "PRIME" grade??? Anyone is free to believe anything they want, it's a free country.

What I know: with the most powerful lobby in the US, beef industry has prevented ALL meaningful changes for 107 years; they screwed with the grades, again, about 15 years ago. USDA is impotent --in any/all things --changing practices, recalls, grading, etc.; that's how they get away with feedlots--force-feeding CORN to cattle, beef loaded with hormones & anti biotics, and speed-slaughtering --even tainted beef CANNOT legally be ordered recalled, thanks to their lobbyists.

TRUE Prime rib is reserved for hotels and some restaurants; the only retail place I know of that has access: Marconda's Meats, in Farmer's Market, one of the last butcher shops left in LA. My family has shopped there for over 45 years. I suggest you call 1st, order ahead. They're fun to talk to, ask for advice.(They will do any meat in any cut, especially nice for traditional dishes, and following long-ago recipes.) http://www.farmersmarketla.com/direct...

Whole Foods: not Prime grade, IMO, vastly over-priced, near-tastless.

[latindancer]

Bristol Farms is Prime.

[Jack Flash]

Get over yourself. The stores can't label and sell something as Prime if it isn't. Including Costco. So, if it's labeled Prime, it's Prime.

[Joe Blowe]

So you're saying that the purple-ink USDA Stamp on the Costco and Whole Foods beef is counterfeit? That they're intentionally breaking the law? And that Marconda's is the only retail store in L.A. that us commoners can buy USDA Prime-graded beef? Do you honestly expect us to buy any of this tripe? You definitely need to do some additional research...

[The Chowhound Team]

Hi-

Please continue the Prime beef discussion here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5818...

[perk]

Costco actually now has its own cattle. Years ago, Julia Child did an interview and said one of her top two places to buy meats was Costco. So, if it's good enough for Julia.....

[DustySlider]

Don't think Costco would lie about this. And if you don't think it's prime, wrap your head around this one:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product....

[bulavinaka]

Grade A5 for $153/pound... still trying to wrap my head around that! :)

[latindancer]

Shhh don't tell anyone :).
It was at a party a few months ago when someone asked how her chef made the crabcakes.
The hostess told everyone a brand at Costco was what was being served.
We all loved them and ever since it's been my choice.

[jkao1817]

If you believe Marconda's Meats is the only place that sells prime then ignorance is bliss. I will leave it at that and buy my meats from How's, Harvey Guss, and Costco. Maybe I can get some USDA Prime labels and afix them on to the select beefs at the grocery and see what happens :o)

[latindancer]

Prime dry aged 28.99/# at Bristol Farm.
Incredible.

[latindancer]

However, having claimed Bristol Farm as my choice, my grandmother would take whatever prime rib was on sale and make the best I've ever had in my life.
Never have had one like the one she made since.

[NYCnowLA]

i've bought from everywhere and my top picks are...

harvey gus
owen's market
vincente market
doheny meat (it's kosher and fantastic)
bel air prime meats (inside the market on beverly glen circle)

[wilafur]

harvey guss

[jkao1817]

Costco has Prime grade Prime Rib in their stores. It is cheaper than even How's and tastes just as good. Make sure to call to see if they have them in stock before you go. They have small roasts as well as whole 8-9 bone roasts

[bulavinaka]

Was at the MdR Costco yesterday, and they had just about everything that you speak of. Bone-in and boneless, three-bone roasts, 8-9 bone roasts, Prime grade and Choice... And as close as it is to Christmas, Costco was had about the normal amount of shoppers. Go in the evenings if you can...

[rainey]

I am a big fan of Costco meats. They're excellent and the prices are too.

I'm getting mine tomorrow when I hope it won't be a madhouse. Then I'll follow Alton Brown's directions for dry curing it until Christmas.

[JAB]

Please link to Alton's directions if you could be so kind.

[Jack Flash]

I assume this is the one. I've used this technique, and it works quite well.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/al...

[islandchef]

We have ordered our Christmas dinner prime rib from Whole Foods. We bought and roasted a small one to test the quality. It was fabulous. The butcher will debone it (but not cut quite all the way) and tie it back for you. He also suggested the ribs from from the small end.
Pricey but very flavorful.

[Barbara Ladden]

Huntington's Meat at Farmer's Market, 3rd and Fairfax. Every bit as good as Superior was.

[BHAppeal]

A second for Huntington's -- we've gotten the Harris Ranch Prime Rib several years running and it is always excellent.

[MiracleMileM]

I third Huntington's Meat. I've gotten a full standing rib roast there for every Christmas over the last decade and before.

[rednyellow]

4th.

[perk]

5 "golden rings".......

[Jack Flash]

You're probably not that close to a HOWS supermarket, which is too bad because it's the best deal on a true prime rib roast.

http://hows.foodmagic.com/fmap/jsphow...

[bulavinaka]

I saw a small ad in the "Food" section of this week's LA Times for Hows - I believe it indicated $8.99/lb, but can't remember the grade.

[condiment]

Prime!