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Post by docwatson223 on Apr 24, 2007 12:28:48 GMT -5
E.g., New Zealand lamb, Berkshire pork, and Kobe beef.
Are there substantive differences in quality for these types that deserve the premium that we pay?
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Post by BBQ Butcher on Apr 24, 2007 14:16:50 GMT -5
E.g., New Zealand lamb, Berkshire pork, and Kobe beef.
Are there substantive differences in quality for these types that deserve the premium that we pay? Tough question, Doc.....I'll try to answer it in two parts. 1) NZ Lamb is about the same price as American lamb, if not a little cheaper. 2) As far as the Berkshire Pork, Kobe Beef and most of the other 'specialty' breeds available today.........in a nut shell, they are raised and fed different than your everyday mainstream run of the mill typical livestock that is offered to consumers. Just for an example, Kobe Beef, and some Waygu, are fed beer and get a hand massage several times a day (heck, I wish I was so lucky!). Personal care and top of the line feed is not cheap, therefore leading to the higher prices. OK I lied, this will be the third part! 3)Do they deserve the "premium" price? Well, that is a matter of opinion. As I mentioned earlier, they do cost more to raise. However, the retail price is driven by the consumer. If there was no market for this type of meat, the prices would be driven down. If they were mass produced, the prices might be lower as well. There is a definite difference in taste and tenderness, that's for sure, but do you really want to spend $40 lb and up for the luxury? Some folks do. No, I don't. I spent $20 on a 1/3 pound Kobe Burger once that I could've made better at home with plain old Ground Chuck. I do like the flavor of free range and organic chicken, but we are only talking a few bux a pound, not a lot.
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