# How are beef prices in your area?



## Bud9051

How are beef prices in your area?

*"Slaughterhouse closures spread after cyberattack on meat producer"*

Slaughterhouse closures spread after cyberattack on meat producer

It's early but my guess is prices will be going up, how much is unknown. Like all supply and demand products it doesn't take a lot of disruption to shake things up.

Bud


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## chandler48

I have never, ever seen an "action" that has brought product prices spiraling downward as fast as lumber prices, and possibly beef prices have in the near past.


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## wallmaxx

It almost feels like all of this is planned to constantly keep us scared. When can we just have a normal month of boring life?


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## Nealtw

wallmaxx said:


> It almost feels like all of this is planned to constantly keep us scared. When can we just have a normal month of boring life?


Fear and panic keeps hate alive.


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## John Smith_inFL

*How are beef prices in your area?*

bad enough to start exploring other food sources.
a 10 pound bag of chicken quarters, boiled down, meat taken off the bones.
make small frozen bags of chicken for soups, rice, BBQ, yada yada yada.
strain and freeze the broth for other meals down the road.
and it is yellow rice & chicken for supper tonight.


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## User02

Wife just came home with ground beef for $1.79/lb. 

We buy food when its cheap, freeze it, can it, and freeze dry it..... when prices go up, we just eat what we have in house. Saves money, also provides a bit of food security since we have about 2 years worth in storage.

We keep a dozen or so chickens roaming around as well.. not hard to make more chickens.. keeps the tick population down and we get free eggs. Every few years we grow hogs as well.


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## Longshot_HN

It sure feels like I moved to a 3rd world country sometime after covid started. Toilet paper, gas, beef, summer riots, highly contested elections... check.


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## rusty baker

Buying 95-5 ground beef for $2.99 a lb, They grind the whole beef.


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## wooleybooger

Prices seem unchanged or even up a little here.


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## John Smith_inFL

Shopguy said:


> We buy food when its cheap, freeze it, can it, *and freeze dry it..... *


do you mean dehydrate it or actually freeze dry it ?


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## User02

John Smith_inFL said:


> do you mean dehydrate it or actually freeze dry it ?


We have a Harvest Right freeze dryer machine that spent the first 2 years of its life running 24/7.


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## J. V.

First time in years I left Costco without any steaks. I bought fish instead.
NY Strip were $11.99 a pound. They are usually $8.99 a pound if my memory is working. And ribeye used to be $9.99 a pound. 
I got cod and monk fish. Almost half the cost of the steaks.


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## Bob Sanders

Got a couple of t-bones today $18/KG (about $9/LB)


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## BigJim

Rib eyes here usually go for about $13 a pound, hamburger is never under $5 a pound at Walmart. Chattanooga is a tourist town and prices are always high here. We have several racks of ribs and three or four boston butts in the freezer so we are ok there. We can eat vegetables if necessary, no problem there, we love beans and taters.

Just checked, 72 23 or something like that is $3.36 in prepackage, that is cheap here.


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## turbo4

BigJim said:


> Rib eyes here usually go for about $13 a pound,


I can get a whole ribeye and cut it myself .$7.49 Iv picked up beef tenderloin for $5.99 from time to time. Drumstix are the cheapest 55c lb by the 40lb case.


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## BigJim

turbo4 said:


> I can get a whole ribeye and cut it myself .$7.49 Iv picked up beef tenderloin for $5.99 from time to time. Drumstix are the cheapest 55c lb by the 40lb case.


I haven't checked in a while but I probably will in a week or so.


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## Fix'n it

boneless strip steaks, 20oz, $12


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## CaptTom

Not sure why this thread was resurrected, but it's probably a good time to check in. Whatever shutdowns were happening back then should have worked through the system by now.

But, I'm still seeing prices on cuts of meats at our local supermarket are 20-30% higher than they were before. In other words, what used to cost $10/lb is now $12 or $13/lb.


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## turbo4

CaptTom said:


> But, I'm still seeing prices on cuts of meats at our local supermarket are 20-30% higher than they were before. In other words, what used to cost $10/lb is now $12 or $13/lb.


That is correct ,i was buying whole ribeyes not long ago for $5.99,now $7.50 to $13 . Pork shoulders for $1.69, those are closer to $3 now. Chicken wings have doubled and tripled. Huge price difference between bone in thighs and boneless ,must be the labor.


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## rusty baker

Still buying 95-5 ground beef from a farmer for $4.50 lb.


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## turbo4

Base food prices are not all that bad actually. But take out has doubled. Our once a month run to our local italian pizzeria went from $35-40 to $70 .Same with our local Chinese place . Last order was $70 for what we paid $35-$40 for not long ago. Must be labor costs and a little on the raw materials.


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## rusty baker

turbo4 said:


> Base food prices are not all that bad actually. But take out has doubled. Our once a month run to our local italian pizzeria went from $35-40 to $70 .Same with our local Chinese place . Last order was $70 for what we paid $35-$40 for not long ago. Must be labor costs and a little on the raw materials.


I don't eat at McDonalds but my grandson said an egg, sausage, cheese biscuit is $5. I ate there back when I was working and they were $2.


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## turbo4

Its hard to pay $70 for a couple take out meals when i can still buy 10 lbs of Ribeyes for that. Or 125 lbs of Chicken Drumstix.


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## Old Thomas

Beef prices are up in western NY. We still have filet mignon once per week. I don’t like paying more to buy it but it will have to go a lot higher to get me to stop eating it. We go to Restaurant Depot and get a box containing 14-6 oz. filets, then we wrap them in bacon and grill them.


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## turbo4

Old Thomas said:


> Beef prices are up in western NY. We still have filet mignon once per week. I don’t like paying more buy it will have to go a lot higher to get me to stop eating it.


Once a week is nice. Often times not the most expensive cut because although It is super tender it sometimes lacks flavor due to very little fat. I guess thats why they sear it with a generous pat of butter. Iv been experimenting with different marinades on it. Ribeye edges it out on the flavor side.


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## Fix'n it

REAL good on taco's !!!!


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## Old Thomas

Since filet has little fat, we wrap it with two layers of bacon. When the meat is about 3/4 cooked, I remove the bacon and finish cooking it while the filets finish cooking. Leaving the bacon on makes it rubbery, taking it off makes it the best bacon ever. Not supposed to eat a lot of red meat, but a weekly 6 ounce low fat filet and a lunch trip to Outback for a 6 ounce sirloin are it. Everything else is made with ground turkey.


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## turbo4

No doubt the drought out west is affecting beef prices as well. Pretty widespread. Beef cattle need lots of water and lots more to grow the hay and grain they eat. Something like 2000 gallons for each pound of beef.


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## BigJim

Bought groceries today, walmart Lean hamburger is $6.90 a pound. Regular ground beef is $6.45 a pound. Ribeye steaks $19 a pound.


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## iamrfixit

Every year I buy a quarter or a half from a small local farmer that raises a few head for butcher. He delivers to the locker where it's slaughtered and hung, then processed per my order. Wasn't able to get one last year because the locker was all booked up. He actually had to sell the animals at auction because he couldn't get in at the processor. This had never been the case in all the years he's raised beef, so at that time he made sure to reserve processing dates for this year.

Two years ago I paid $1.85 per pound for hanging weight, this year it was $2.05 and the half weighed 416 lb. Processing runs me about $350. Had about $1150 in this half, only about $80 more than it would have been two years ago. Don't have the exact finish weight but it's around 225-250 pounds, approx $5/lb average, that's steaks, roasts and burger.


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## huesmann

Fix'n it said:


> REAL good on taco's !!!!


Filet?


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## turbo4

BigJim said:


> Bought groceries today, walmart Lean hamburger is $6.90 a pound. Regular ground beef is $6.45 a pound. Ribeye steaks $19 a pound.


Wall Mart has the highest prices for beef here too for some reason, by a mile.


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## turbo4

iamrfixit said:


> . Don't have the exact finish weight but it's around 225-250 pounds, approx $5/lb average, that's steaks, roasts and burger.


And not just the great price but you know where its coming from.These local guys have the best beef . I know cuz i used to raise my own ,Chain store gr beef could have meat from 1000 different cows in it.


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## turbo4

huesmann said:


> Filet?


I use my smoked Ribeye to make cheese steak sandwiches. Even burgers. The local store sells ground Prime Rib in burger form. For those who want the best burgers. Seems to be popular.


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## Fix'n it

huesmann said:


> Filet?


oh-yeah. these are "melt in your mouth" gourmet tacos. the local mom&pop tacos places around here have junk meat compared.


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## Old Thomas

My father used to raise beef cattle so we started off getting a side of beef then went to getting a whole cow. The kids are out of the house and it is just the two of us. We don’t eat much ground beef or stew meat, so we only buy the cuts we want. And my father died, so the supply chain was broken.


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## huesmann

Fix'n it said:


> oh-yeah. these are "melt in your mouth" gourmet tacos. the local mom&pop tacos places around here have junk meat compared.


I guess if you're gonna season it up anyway with taco seasonings, the fact that filet has so little flavor of its own isn't a big deal.


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## Fix'n it

huesmann said:


> I guess if you're gonna season it up anyway with taco seasonings, the fact that filet has so little flavor of its own isn't a big deal.


yep. whatever steak i have, i put something on it.


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## Bud9051

Just enjoyed a nice boneless NY Sirloin last night, got them on sale for $4.99. Will pick up more this week before the sale ends. Very tender.

Bud


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## Fix'n it

Bud9051 said:


> Just enjoyed a nice boneless NY Sirloin last night, got them on sale for $4.99. Will pick up more this week before the sale ends. Very tender.
> 
> Bud


if any are left. good and cheap goes fast.


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## Bud9051

Hannafords has 6 stores within a 10 mile radius so it lets me select the better steaks and their sale is for the entire week, ends Saturday.


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## BigJim

Bud9051 said:


> Just enjoyed a nice boneless NY Sirloin last night, got them on sale for $4.99. Will pick up more this week before the sale ends. Very tender.
> 
> Bud


I would be on them like a duck on a June bug. Stock up big time.


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## Bud9051

I'm guessing 20 but will se what they look like.


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## J. V.

turbo4 said:


> I can get a whole ribeye and cut it myself .$7.49 Iv picked up beef tenderloin for $5.99 from time to time. Drumstix are the cheapest 55c lb by the 40lb case.


Trimmed? I have purchased untrimmed tenderloin and strip and much of it was waste. Not throw away waste, more like use in another dish waste.
I saw leg quarters yesterday for $1.89. 10 pound bag. I picked one up.



turbo4 said:


> That is correct ,i was buying whole ribeyes not long ago for $5.99,now $7.50 to $13 . Pork shoulders for $1.69, those are closer to $3 now. Chicken wings have doubled and tripled. Huge price difference between bone in thighs and boneless ,must be the labor.


We had a going away party for my grandson going off to college. He wanted ribs. His father said he would get them but I offered to buy and smoke on grill.
Bid mistake. I ended up paying double what the price was before. I think it was about $100 for 6 racks? They come three to a package.



BigJim said:


> Bought groceries today, walmart Lean hamburger is $6.90 a pound. Regular ground beef is $6.45 a pound. Ribeye steaks $19 a pound.


Its crazy!



turbo4 said:


> I use my smoked Ribeye to make cheese steak sandwiches. Even burgers. The local store sells ground Prime Rib in burger form. For those who want the best burgers. Seems to be popular.


Do you smoke whole or half ribeyes or steaks? I could never expose this cut to any smoke unless it was a fire directly below the meat. Hot, fast and rare.
Or unless I was making a prime rib roast. I do those in the oven.



Bud9051 said:


> Just enjoyed a nice boneless NY Sirloin last night, got them on sale for $4.99. Will pick up more this week before the sale ends. Very tender.
> Bud


We pay more for top sirloin that that. I don't know where you live, but you have the best meat prices I have ever seen. I remember you said you paid under $2 a pound for corned beef around St. Patrick's day. I paid almost $4 a pound at Costco.
I have not seen these low prices for years. Many years.


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## BayouRunner

Just paid $4.00 a lb last week for half a cow. Last year it was $3 a lb


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## rusty baker

Buying 95-5 hamburger from a farmer for $4.50 a lb. The 73% stuff is $4.99 at the store.


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## mark sr

Paid $5.99 a pound for extra lean ground chuck the other day


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## huesmann

I suspect part of the increase is transportation (same as everything else), and part is supply. When Covid hit, ranchers had to reduce their herds because restaurants weren't buying meat (or anything else).


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## turbo4

Walmart has the worst ,highest prices in the area.Same with sams club. Best prices are at local meat markets and local supermarkets.


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## jimn

Let see..... Certified Angus Rib Eye steaks, 18.99/lb, Strip 15.99 , top round 9.99, chuck roast 5.99, Tenderloin 24.99 (this is all choice certified Angus beef, hand trimmed). If someone was selling you extra lean ground chuck then you paid for someone to remove all the fat in chuck . That takes a lot of time as it is fatty cut (and why it tastes so good). Usually extra lean is that horrible ground bottom round which has no fat (and not much flavor either) . My local stores grind their own beef. 80/20 ground chuck 4.99, 90/10 ground sirloin or top round 5.99. 95/5 ground round .. go figure 6.99. I think the are playing on "the healthy choice" here. A chuck roast is a buck more than the ground chuck . The sirloin steak is a buck more 6.99 but a a bottom round or eye of round roast is 3.99 lb. So they grind this tough bland piece of meat and charge 3 bucks more per lb than the cut it came from.


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## J. V.

I cannot see buying very lean ground beef. For burgers I like 80/20. Costco sells a leaner grind at about 12-13% fat.
We buy it all he time as we use it for many things beside burgers. Lean ground beef is fine for uses like chili. But its to lean for burgers or hamburger steak IMO.
In fact it can be so lean I have added fat to it in the form of lard. A couple Tbs per pound. It is amazing and much better.
Now if you like a rare or medium rare burger, leaner is fine.
But lean ground beef can get dry very easy if cooked to long. Unless its simmering in a pot with other ingredients.


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## turbo4

J. V. said:


> I cannot see buying very lean ground beef. For burgers I like 80/20. Costco sells a leaner grind at about 12-13% fat.


Mixing it with a little pork sausage or bacon fat work wonders also butter.


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## J. V.

turbo4 said:


> Mixing it with a little pork sausage or bacon fat work wonders also butter.


When making Italian meatballs, I use Italian sausage as part of the meat mixture. Or ground pork.
I don't see any three meat packs much anymore. I did see a package of beef, pork and veal at our local store but the date was the same day and I passed on it.
I did pick up some veal scallopini. Its expensive but the packs are around 1/2 - 1/3 Lb. You get about 6 very thin slices and its always available.
I also like lamb chops but could not eat them for about 15 years. Long story, but I got my courage back up and I now buy them every time I'm in Costco. The only knock is they cut them very thick. 2"-3" guessing. Good thing I like mine medium rare to rare.


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## Two Knots

I paid 2.49 lb. for 80/20 chopped beef a couple of weeks ago…bought 5 lbs. ( store limit)
Then last week the repeated the sale and I bought another 5 lbs.
They also had Jimmy Dean bacon 12oz for 1.99 limit 4 pkg’s …they were out - on the first day of the sale, so I got a rain check.


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## wooleybooger

I watch for meat that's tagged "Manager's Special". That meat that is on it's last "good" day for sale. That stuff will have a hefty mark down, almost to a normal price. Picked up a couple lbs. of 80/20 ground chuck yesterday for $1.99/lb. I didn't have freezer room for more.


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## huesmann

Around here the manager's special discount is usually 30%, sometimes 50%...probably depends how many days it has left.


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## turbo4

Just came from Sams Club. Beef tenderloin is now $20 a pound. Oysters were $7 a pint,a few months ago now $11. I can still buy a whole 12lb Ribeye for $7.29 lb at the local butcher shop so thats the route ill take. Even single steaks are just a dollar more Lb.


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## de-nagorg

Was buying a few steaks Saturday, there were several packages to choose from.

Some were packed Thursday, for $5.98 lb, some were packed Friday, for $6.49 lb. 

I took home the $5.98 ones. 

Now have Steaks enough for 3 months.

ED


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## Fix'n it

the 1/same day expiration date manager specials = if frozen right away are they still good to use a week or 2 later ? we have those here, and they can be 60% off .


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## de-nagorg

Fix'n it said:


> the 1/same day expiration date manager specials = if frozen right away are they still good to use a week or 2 later ? we have those here, and they can be 60% off .


 Must be frozen ASAP, if left lying in the fridge for a week, It might go rancid.

ED


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## huesmann

Yep, and if you want to freeze, don't forget to accommodate any defrost time if you plan to do it in the fridge. If you defrost in cold water or something, that'll only take a couple hours (but then your meat is wet).


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## Nik333

huesmann said:


> Yep, and if you want to freeze, don't forget to accommodate any defrost time if you plan to do it in the fridge. If you defrost in cold water or something, that'll only take a couple hours (but then your meat is wet).


Put the meat in a plastic bag then put it in water.


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## Nik333

Fix'n it said:


> the 1/same day expiration date manager specials = if frozen right away are they still good to use a week or 2 later ? we have those here, and they can be 60% off .


"According to the FDA , you can keep cuts, like roasts, frozen for anywhere from *4 to 12 months* and steaks for 6 to 12 months. Ground beef should be frozen for no more than three to four months."Jul 10, 2018
How Long Can You Safely Store Meat? - Healthline
https://www.healthline.com › health › can-i-still-eat-it-meats

According to the FDA, cooked poultry dishes and cooked fish can be kept in the freezer for *four to six months*, whereas other cooked meat and leftover meat dishes (such as beef, veal, lamb, and pork) shouldn't be kept for longer than two to three months.Mar 23, 2020

*How Long Does Frozen Meat Last? - Good Housekeeping*
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com › cooking › how-lon...


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## Fix'n it

de-nagorg said:


> Must be frozen ASAP, if left lying in the fridge for a week, It might go rancid.
> 
> ED


no matter the date, if we don't use it in a day or so, it goes in the freezer.

ok, looks like the cow parts are covered. how about chicken ?


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## turbo4

Fix'n it said:


> no matter the date, if we don't use it in a day or so, it goes in the freezer.
> 
> ok, looks like the cow parts are covered. how about chicken ?


Chicken spoils FAST. Beef can go for weeks but not chicken.


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## Fix'n it

turbo4 said:


> Chicken spoils FAST. Beef can go for weeks but not chicken.


i know, but just how much ?


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## turbo4

Fix'n it said:


> i know, but just how much ?


I just bought a 40 of drumstix yesterday $23. About 59c Lb. I cured and smoked about 10lb right off the bat. Wings are nuts ,about $130 a 40. Down from $160. Thighs are still pretty cheap $31.60 a 40 or79c lb . I make "hot legs " instead of "hot wings"


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## Fix'n it

Fix'n it said:


> i know, but just how much ?


edit = just how fast does chicken go bad ?


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## Nik333

Fix'n it said:


> i know, but just how much ?


Apparently chicken can successfully be frozen longer than beef. See second link I put up with the first.

"—* but it's important to remember the difference between "safe to eat" and "good to eat.*" " 😄


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## Fix'n it

thanx, Nik. my question is. if i buy a chicken breast/whatever, the expiration date is the same day i buy it. is it to late to freeze it, and it still be good to eat a week or so later. or, cook it today or throw it away. or ?


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## Nik333

Fix'n it said:


> thanx, Nik. my question is. if i buy a chicken breast/whatever, the expiration date is the same day i buy it. *is it to late to freeze it,* and it still be good to eat a week or so later. or, cook it today or throw it away. or ?


No.

I would wash it, though, & check for a sulfur smell. Don't buy a puffed package. Bacteria can grow in the refrigerator.

Are you reading the links?


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## turbo4

Fix'n it said:


> edit = just how fast does chicken go bad ?


I process it or cook it or freeze it the same day i get it. Iv had some already smell "off" before the use by date. I wouldnt buy any unless at least several days or more before the use by date.


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## Fix'n it

Nik333 said:


> No.
> 
> Are you reading the links?


ok. 

i read the chicken part of the one link.


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## Fix'n it

turbo4 said:


> . Iv had some already smell "off" before the use by date.


somebody puts it in their cart, walks around for an hour, then decides not to buy it. it then sits where ever until it gets put back on the cold area.


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## Nik333

I was asking a butcher once about if the chickens were fresh, because, I got migraines from the tyramine in old chicken meat/ & preserved cheeses & meats. He said the only way you really know if a chicken is fresh is to kill it yourself. 🤣


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## huesmann

Nik333 said:


> Put the meat in a plastic bag then put it in water.


Most plastic bags will take on water. You need a vac seal bag to be waterproof.


Nik333 said:


> I was asking a butcher once about if the chickens were fresh, because, I got migraines from the tyramine in old chicken meat/ & preserved cheeses & meats. He said the only way you really know if a chicken is fresh is to kill it yourself. 🤣


He ain't wrong!


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## Mike Milam

Detour back to beef. The wife was at Costco yesterday and a 4 lb pack of ribeye was 72.00 (18.00 per pound). Had a sell by date of 10/27/2021. I have a feeling they are going to be tossing a lot of meat.


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## turbo4

Mike Milam said:


> Detour back to beef. The wife was at Costco yesterday and a 4 lb pack of ribeye was 72.00 (18.00 per pound). Had a sell by date of 10/27/2021. I have a feeling they are going to be tossing a lot of meat.


They will just mark it down or freeze it. Beef does not spoil easily or quickly. Never had any go bad. Pork tends to get slimy then starts to smell. Chicken i dont take chances with ,that stuff wants to spoil fast.


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