It still hasn’t become real for me that Rick’s Quality Meats is done and over with. The last few days have found me teary eyed over the fact I’ll no longer find my fancy teriyaki marinated beef ball-tip roast (marinated for 5 days +) for an easy & luscious weekday meal. In spite of myself, life goes on. I must find another neighborhood grocery and meat counter to visit each and every day on my way home from work. Today’s adventure lead me to El Cerrito Natural Grocery.
If you ain’t hip, EC Nat is known for being, for the most part, really expensive. You may hear a comment about the great prices they have on Clover dairy products, but it’ll be summed up by how expensive everything else is.
Okay, so all I need is a little meat and some veggie. No big deal, I can handle this.
The parking lot in the rear was a mess, so I parked on the street and hiked in. Dang this place is busy at 4pm, tons of people and 3 registers open. I waded my way to the left through all the aging grey haired mothers with toddlin’ toddlers. Most weren’t sportin’ any other face than a scowl and were bent on making their way though whatever it was they thought was so serious. I knabbed my broccoli on the run, baggit and go. Next stop, the meat counter in back. There were two indecisive people in front of me. They wanted to SEE the skinless chicken breasts, then wanted a half pound more. Each item they asked for was in a tone that was going to be all. But just as the guy gave parting words, she errupted, “AND ONE QUARTER POUND OF EXTRA LEAN GROUND TURKEY.” Goddamit. While this all transpired I was perusing the selection. Sure as hell better than it was 2 years ago.
I spied a badass tritip roast, the tag read, “Organic Prairie”. I don’t know that means and didn’t feel like talking to the guy behind the counter about it. He looked to me to be a propane grill trumpeter. Anyway, this tritip was different from most. It was quite slender at 2.75 pounds and had an exceptionally long tail. This told me to cook it at a low temp to a rare finish. A 400 degree oven would turn that tale in to jerky in 20 minutes. I need one other meat product and noticed they had made their own meatloaf in 2 pound tins. It was ready to go, all beef. Gimmie.
I won’t mention the long wait to get my 3 items out the front door, not even once. Goddamit.
Okay, so here’s where I need some help from you. Here’s what I got, a 2.75 pound tritip, brocc & 2 pounds of premade frozen all beef meatloaf. My grand total came to just under 42 dollars. Do you think this a wise place to shop on a daily basis to feed a family of 4 all using a single paycheck? Goddamit.
All that being said, this was easily one of the two best oven roasted tritips I’ve ever had. Both kids and Mama did a face plant on the plates and tore in to this beast with both hands and two feet. After the meal I put my plate away and stood over the roast and cut a few more slices, dredged in juicy and ate. Ready to get cooking?
Preheat oven to 325, lower rack.
I pulled the chilly roast out and rubbed it liberally with extra virgin. S&P, onion powder, Chilebrown’s fancy garlic powder, dried thyme & paprika. What you put ON the roast isn’t as important as the quality of the meat and the careful roasting procedure. This thing must have been a foot and a half long, too large for my cast iron fry pan. So I yanked out the turkey roaster and laid the beefy hunk right there on the turkey rack. It sat out until the chill came off the meat, maybe 25 minutes or so.
Install in to the 325 oven for a half hour, then spin to 350. Check in 30 minutes and pull when it’s done to your taste. I pulled this one at 130 or so. Tent lightly with foil and let it rest 10 to 15 minutes. Slice, serve & enjoy.
Biggles
$42 bongo bucks………..
Hard to say if this was too much or too little to spend.
Depends entirely on regional location, Henge.
Up here in Sonoma County, I can spend $42 bongos on 3 items and have nothing the next day!
I shop primarily at Raley’s. They are expensive, but their packaged meat is quite decent.
I could shop at Whole Foods, but then I would go into bankruptcy.
If you are satisfied with the tritip, that it cooked properly, tasted perfectly and the fabric of the meat was exact, then, I say, you got an even swap of product for price.
Heck, Henge, it was the bagful of broccoli that ramped up your tab!
Hey, that trumps the $4 roast we got at Safeway and grilled on Labor Day. See what trouble we get into when you have PLANS? I figgered that’s whats great about grillin’: it makes crappy meat taste fancy! While Meathead found it a bit chewy, it faired much better as rare sammich beef for the next four days. FOUR DAYS of food. And breakfast this morning is the last little end nubbin I’m eatin’ like a meatcicle.
I’m my brother’s sister.
Hey Biggles. Been a while, I know, but the first grueling year of law school is over, and I’m determined to start posting and reading again regularly. Your site looks as fantastic as ever. DC has no shortage of great restaurants and grocers, but your blog makes me wish I were in SF. Hope all is well.
Cheers.
-KM
Sounds a bit pricey, but a good place to splurge on the weekends, maybe.
How was the meatloaf, or is that another day?
Hey Mrs.,
Yeah huh. I think I should have gone down your path. Although, I will keep it in mind for fancy gatherings though!
xo
KM,
YEAH, DUDE !!! I just knew you’d come back. Just knew it. It’s really good to see ya and welcome back. I hope we’ll see more of you around an junk.
Other than school, been up to anything tasty?
Biggles
Hey P Chef,
The meatloaf actually turned out pretty good. But it wasn’t worth ten dollars for 2 pounds. Meatloaf really isn’t that tough to make, feh.
Biggles
$42 doesn’t sound to bad but here in South Florida we have Penn Dutch meats. It’s a supermarket size butcher shop with real butcher, who will custom cut your meat at no extra charge. thanks for all the recipes and good luck to us all with the high price of good food.
Hey Jeff,
Whoa hang on there Tex, let me get something clear right now. I love excellent food and have NO problem paying for it. In fact, I go out of my way to spend my money at such places. I feel I have an obligation to help out my local ranchers and farmers. But not every day.
Dude, that’s 588 dollars a month for just meat. That’s okay with you? As I stated in my post, we’re on 1 paycheck to feed 4 people. I absolutely refuse and not only that it isn’t possible.
There are 2 great Mexican markets around the corner, I’ll have to go pay them a visit and take a closer look.
Biggles