I believe most of us here really enjoy cooking cuts such as briskets, shanks, tails. Not just for the excellent flavours you are rewarded with but because these cuts are (or at least used to be) inexpensive.
Have you noticed the trend (going on for many years already) - the price of these cuts increasing much faster than premium cuts and not being linked to beef price increases in general?
Ox tail is a classic: used to be dog food, butcher would give you a bag for free. However after increased immigration from the Carribean, the demand soared and now you might pay almost as much per lb as you would for bone-in rib steak.
Same with brisket: I used to buy flats from Costco (Canada) not just for smoking , but for stews, ground meat, etc. They were the cheapest cut in the display, yet a nice looking slab of meat. Not anymore. You can buy sirloin for less $/lb now.
Don't start me on lamb. Or soup bones.
Turkey necks? A few months ago they were around $1/lb. Now they are more expensive than fresh turkey leg.
Is this really supply and demand or is it just plain old gouging?
Have you noticed the trend (going on for many years already) - the price of these cuts increasing much faster than premium cuts and not being linked to beef price increases in general?
Ox tail is a classic: used to be dog food, butcher would give you a bag for free. However after increased immigration from the Carribean, the demand soared and now you might pay almost as much per lb as you would for bone-in rib steak.
Same with brisket: I used to buy flats from Costco (Canada) not just for smoking , but for stews, ground meat, etc. They were the cheapest cut in the display, yet a nice looking slab of meat. Not anymore. You can buy sirloin for less $/lb now.
Don't start me on lamb. Or soup bones.
Turkey necks? A few months ago they were around $1/lb. Now they are more expensive than fresh turkey leg.
Is this really supply and demand or is it just plain old gouging?