Teach me about seasonally high-demand meat.
March 26, 2015 7:16 AM Subscribe
I'm hosting a Passover seder next Friday night. (!) One of the things I'm cooking is a brisket. I need to buy a 3.5 lb flat cut brisket sometime between now and Friday morning. What is the risk that the store will run out of said brisket because so many people cook brisket on Passover?
I have very little experience cooking and buying food to cook, and I'm a nervous person, so I need this explained to me like a five year old.
(Let "the store" equal the midtown east Whole Foods on 57th Street, or the Food Emporium on Third Avenue and 63rd, or other stores like this)
I know I can buy the brisket ahead of time and freeze it, but I'd prefer to buy it fresh, say, on Wednesday evening or Thursday evening. I live in Manhattan, in a neighborhood in which many people will be buying brisket to cook for Passover. Do stores typically run out of seasonally high-demand meats?! Is a Passover brisket like a Thanksgiving turkey? Or am I just being overly nervous? Is it possible to reserve a cut of meat?
If it's likely stores will run out, I can buy ahead and freeze, so that is why I'm asking. I'd just like to avoid freezing if possible.
I have very little experience cooking and buying food to cook, and I'm a nervous person, so I need this explained to me like a five year old.
(Let "the store" equal the midtown east Whole Foods on 57th Street, or the Food Emporium on Third Avenue and 63rd, or other stores like this)
I know I can buy the brisket ahead of time and freeze it, but I'd prefer to buy it fresh, say, on Wednesday evening or Thursday evening. I live in Manhattan, in a neighborhood in which many people will be buying brisket to cook for Passover. Do stores typically run out of seasonally high-demand meats?! Is a Passover brisket like a Thanksgiving turkey? Or am I just being overly nervous? Is it possible to reserve a cut of meat?
If it's likely stores will run out, I can buy ahead and freeze, so that is why I'm asking. I'd just like to avoid freezing if possible.
Many stores with a good meat department will do special orders. Particularly for common holiday items they will allow you to walk into the store weeks ahead of time, tell the guy behind the meat counter that you want to reserve [holiday meat of specified size] for pickup on [date] and on [date] you walk back to the meat department, give them your name, they give you the brisket, you pay and leave. This is how a lot of people get their Thanksgiving turkeys, for instance. I can't imagine that anywhere in Manhattan would think Passover brisket any more unusual.
Since you say you are an inexperienced cook, I think the best thing for you to do is to go to your store's meat counter (or if there's a local butcher they will be even more helpful) and ask them. Not only will they know exactly what their store is planning to do with the brisket demand situation but they will also be able to give you good information about freezing and thaw times, if you can reserve or special order something, make sure you're getting the right amount, and may even have suggestions for somewhere else to go if they can't accommodate you. If you don't have a good experience in this conversation, go to a different store. If you're not sure if you have a local butcher, it's Manhattan, of course you do.
Also because of your inexperience and nervousness, and because Passover is hard enough for experienced cooks, I highly suggest recruiting a friend to help you out. They don't have to be a great cook or anything, just willing to be an extra pair of hands and a calming influence and maybe a sounding board. Perhaps you have a friend who is a more experienced food shopper?
posted by Mizu at 7:32 AM on March 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Since you say you are an inexperienced cook, I think the best thing for you to do is to go to your store's meat counter (or if there's a local butcher they will be even more helpful) and ask them. Not only will they know exactly what their store is planning to do with the brisket demand situation but they will also be able to give you good information about freezing and thaw times, if you can reserve or special order something, make sure you're getting the right amount, and may even have suggestions for somewhere else to go if they can't accommodate you. If you don't have a good experience in this conversation, go to a different store. If you're not sure if you have a local butcher, it's Manhattan, of course you do.
Also because of your inexperience and nervousness, and because Passover is hard enough for experienced cooks, I highly suggest recruiting a friend to help you out. They don't have to be a great cook or anything, just willing to be an extra pair of hands and a calming influence and maybe a sounding board. Perhaps you have a friend who is a more experienced food shopper?
posted by Mizu at 7:32 AM on March 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I live with my boyfriend who is cohosting and who will help. I'm not that inexperienced. It's just weird logistical things like this that I'm not familiar with!
Regarding local butchers, I don't really live in a local butcher kind of neighborhood. I live next to bloomingdales. I probably don't want to carry several pounds of meat home on the subway when I can carry it a few blocks to my door as another option.
posted by millipede at 7:37 AM on March 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Regarding local butchers, I don't really live in a local butcher kind of neighborhood. I live next to bloomingdales. I probably don't want to carry several pounds of meat home on the subway when I can carry it a few blocks to my door as another option.
posted by millipede at 7:37 AM on March 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Whole Foods will likely be extremely happy to reserve a cut of meat for you. (Think about it -- it saves them time, too, because they can cut and wrap it when there's not a line down the aisle of impatient customers.) Call or go in and ask.
posted by jaguar at 7:40 AM on March 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jaguar at 7:40 AM on March 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nthing: Reserving a cut of meat is a perfectly ordinary thing to do. It ensures that you get what you want when you want it, and it helps the butcher manage their inventory. Everybody wins!
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:47 AM on March 26, 2015
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:47 AM on March 26, 2015
Our local grocery store (Market Basket, in the Boston area) totally will reserve meat cuts for you. My mother reserves hamburger patties for the 4th of July. Call the meat department of your local supermarkets. They're used to it, and are very friendly.
posted by xingcat at 8:08 AM on March 26, 2015
posted by xingcat at 8:08 AM on March 26, 2015
Whole Foods (at least my Whole Foods which is the flagship in Austin) takes special orders so I'm sure you can reserve.
Also, brisket is delicious the next day so if you get it early, you don't need to freeze it -- you could cook it!
Enjoy your seder!
posted by hrj at 8:33 AM on March 26, 2015
Also, brisket is delicious the next day so if you get it early, you don't need to freeze it -- you could cook it!
Enjoy your seder!
posted by hrj at 8:33 AM on March 26, 2015
Lobel's on Madison/82nd is insanely expensive, but they will special order a brisket for you, so will Ottomanelli's on York and 82nd. However, I ordered a pork butt from Whole Foods for Christmas from Whole Foods in NJ without a problem, so I don't see why it wouldn't be a problem in NYC (My husband's Jewish and I'm not). ;)
Just make sure that when you talk to the butcher department manager, you specify that you want a *first cut* brisket; that's the one with the fat on one side (don't cut it off!). Also, estimate 1/2lb per guest. Cook it however you plan (usually low and slow), but anticipate that there will be fat in the gravy. This is why it's usually suggested that you make it the night before and you refrigerate the meat and gravy; it makes it much easier to remove the fat when it's cold. Rewarm on the stove and slice against the grain before serving. Nom!
Good luck and happy Passover!
posted by dancinglamb at 9:35 PM on March 26, 2015
Just make sure that when you talk to the butcher department manager, you specify that you want a *first cut* brisket; that's the one with the fat on one side (don't cut it off!). Also, estimate 1/2lb per guest. Cook it however you plan (usually low and slow), but anticipate that there will be fat in the gravy. This is why it's usually suggested that you make it the night before and you refrigerate the meat and gravy; it makes it much easier to remove the fat when it's cold. Rewarm on the stove and slice against the grain before serving. Nom!
Good luck and happy Passover!
posted by dancinglamb at 9:35 PM on March 26, 2015
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