Beef prices on the rise… From $6 to $10 for prime in 3 months

[BBQandLove]

3 months ago I was buying prime frozen T-bones and ribeyes for $6 per pound. Yesterday I picked up a few T-Bones, ribeyes, and NY strips… all were up to $10 per pound.

OK, I am not complaining… I am bragging. Haha!

Gorgeous steaks! Prime, better marbled than a lot of the prime I see in stores, and individually packaged. Originally destined for a higher end steakhouse chain. (Hint: Broiled at 1,800 degrees.) The name of the chain was on the box label.

It’s good to have friends in the food business.

[Michael_in_TX]

Very cool. We often hear how high-end places get, and pay more for, the choice (I mean, prime?) cuts.

[bbqLuv]

Pictures or it didn't happen.

[BBQandLove]

bbqLuv, there ya go...

[BBQandLove]

bbqLuv seeing these for the first time made me wonder… does [higher end steakhouse] use sous vide?

[bbqLuv]

@BBQ&LOVE " does [higher end steakhouse] use sous vide?"
think some do, but not sure.

[RlsRls]

Lots of high-end restaurants have several sous vide machines , they're set at different temps for different protiens and veggies. Makes it easy to cook a lot of chops, steaks, seafood, to individual temps. The way of the future!

[shify]

I'll take the ribeye standing on its side in the middle of the picture. When should I stop by!

[bbqLuv]

First come first served

[Uncle Bob]

I get a daily beef industry newsletter that tracks many aspects of the supply chain. Feeder cattle are rising in price and shrinking in slaughter weight on their way to the butchering/packing houses. There are spot prices in the super markets currently benefiting from some anomalies in the localized marketplace, but in the broader overview higher processed beef prices are trending up. Folks with freezer space would likely be well served by filling now if they can. By May I'm expecting to see even higher prices.

As an additional observation, I got an ad from Sam's via email yesterday. Prime grade, boneless rib roast is just shy of $20 lb. About two years ago the same product was $13 per. We live in interesting times..........

[Oak Smoke]

Uncle Bob Is that not an old curse? “May you live in interesting times”.

[Uncle Bob]

Oak Smoke yep, attributed to the Chinese.............

[RolfTaylor]

That is interesting. Generic store beef is well past the peak in my area. 80/20 hamburger is almost back to where it was pre-pandemic. Salmon prices were almost there too, but came back up a bit. But it would not surprise me to see some oscillation as supply and demand get back in line with each other. Scientists and engineers understand oscillation is a common feature of complex systems (traffic is a perfect example).

I just hope the annual St Patrick's day Corned Beef sales are good deals as that's my pastrami supply for the year (that reminds me, I need to eat up whatever is in the freezer to make room, it is not a large freezer!

[Oak Smoke]

+1 I load up for the year the day after St Patrick’s day.

[DaveD]

Same here - prices not much different from the Before Times. But I'm sure Uncle Bob knows what he's talking about and that it's only a matter of time before prices start to creep up. Keeping my eyes peeled for sales/specials.