The Meat House - Chapel Hill

[GogglesPaisano]

Driving up Franklin Street (near the Estes intersection, across the street from Il Palio) today I saw a sign hanging on a building saying The Meat House was coming soon.

I wasn't familiar with the Meat House so I Googled around a bit and discovered it is a franchise butcher. Anybody familiar with this chain? Reason to be excited or just meh?

[bbqme]

I have not stopped in yet but they opened this past Saturday. Just in time for grilling season! Open until at least 7PM-- or longer as long as there is staff.

[Rory]

Great, thread as I need your advice. I'm thinking of making my dad pork belly for Father's day, which place would you recommend to get high quality & fatty pork belly? Price no object, my dad rarely eats meat & deserves the best.

[bbqme]

I would chat up the pork purveyors at the Carrboro Farmers Market. I have seen them selling it. The other possibilities would be Li Ming's or Compare Foods.

Having met your dad, I agree, he does deserve the best!

[Tom from Raleigh]

Rory-

I would second the Carrboro Farmer's Market recommendation, specifically I would seek out Ossabaw pork belly from Cane Creek Farms. I made astounding bacon from this kind of pig. I found the pork belly coming from factory farmed sources to be bland in comparison.

[Rory]

Super, I appreciate both of you helping me as I really know zero about good meat & yes it has to have flavour. I know they are making meat very lean these days, which defeats my entire purpose. You are founts of wisdom.
I'm going tomorrow to the Carrboro Farmer's Market & will find Cane Creek & get the Ossabaw. Aw thanks bbqme, I wish the same for you. It's funny as a teenager I hated cooking!

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Farmer's Market Cafe
63 Chattahoochee St, Helen, GA 30545

[brokegradstudent]

you may want to e-mail Cane Creek ahead of time. They don't always have everything at the Wednesday market.

[romansperson]

Definitely try the Farmer's Market - the Meat House won't have what you want.

I stopped in there shortly after they opened. Their meat selection is limited and mostly very expensive. Their real mission is to be a place you stop by after work to pick up pre-made, pre-packaged stuff you can just heat up when you get home. I bought a couple strip steaks and found them to be inferior in quality to what you can get at the local farmer's markets. They also sell a lot of marinated chicken breast and stew meat, which fits into their mission. I got a free stew meat sample and bought some lemon-pepper chicken breast - both were tender but much too salty for my taste.

Whole Foods and Fresh Market are both better places to get meat and the prices are the same or better.

[Tom from Raleigh]

Let's not forget a true local treasure, Cliff's Meats in Carrboro. Cliff's has great service and fair prices. It's the kind of small business I"m proud to support.

[Rory]

Here's my report & so much thanks for all the fab advice: went to the Farmer's Market & spoke with the lady from Cane Creek, she sells a lot of the pork belly to restaurants & said e-mailing her would ensure she'd have it for me on a Wednesday.
So that was spot on, just downloaded the Momofuku pork belly recipe and now I"m golden. You guys are the best!

[Tom from Raleigh]

Rory-
Glad to hear that Eliza took care of you. She knows her pork products. You may want to pair the fish sauce cauliflower from Momofuku. It's not really in season but it always pleases my crowd.

[meatn3]

One opened in Cary a year or so ago, here is a link to a thread in which it was discussed a little:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/683777