Hidden Gem Grocery Store In NJ & PA Wins Award for America’s Best Meat Department
If you’ve ever stood in front of the meat section at your local grocery store feeling a little unimpressed, you’re not alone. Not every store is hitting the mark when it comes to quality meat. But there are a few grocery chains out there that have really raised the bar, and they’re worth seeking out if you care about what’s on your plate.
Some stores go way beyond tossing shrink-wrapped steaks into a fridge. They’re hiring skilled butchers, prime cuts, and even partnering with trusted farms to bring in fresher, better-quality meat.
Walk up to the counter at a place like Wegmans and you’ll find someone who actually knows the difference between a chuck roast and a ribeye. They can also cut it exactly how you want it.
It’s not just about fancy steaks, either. The best meat departments pay attention to everything: chicken, pork, and sausages. It's great when you can find a place that makes its own sausages in-house.
It’s the details that separate an average meat counter from one you’ll actually get excited about. Great meat departments make it easy to feel like you’re shopping at an old-school butcher shop, even if you’re just popping in for groceries on a Tuesday night.
At the end of the day, better meat equals better meals. If you want your steak nights or backyard burgers to taste next-level, it’s worth finding a store that treats its meat department like more than just another aisle.
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The lifestyle site Chowhound examined all of America's meat departments, delving into customer reviews, professional evaluations, and store policies regarding sourcing, feed, and animal treatment.
Based on this, they published their list of America's 12 best meat departments. Most of the butcher counters that made the cut were well-known names, such as Costco. No argument here. Costco is consistently solid.
Whole Foods also got high marks, but with those high marks come high prices.
Really, the only small chain that received a national nod was a grocer that primarily flies under the radar. Maybe that's a good thing.
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McCafferey's operates eight markets between New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The meat department at the hidden gem grocer scored as high as some of the other "big guys" on Chowhound's list, like Wegmans, Aldi, Costco, and Sam's.
Chowhound said:
The chain stocks organic meat in addition to conventional, and it offers custom cuts and beef that's freshly ground onsite each day. About the only negative is that some customers complain about the price. In that Consumers' Checkbook survey, McCaffrey's meat prices were on the higher side when compared with 13 other grocery stores in the Delaware Valley region. Only Wegmans and Whole Foods were ranked as more expensive.
Sometimes it's worth paying a little extra for that quality cut.
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