Noticing a HUGE difference in the choice chuck roasts in the Kroger meat bin. They’ve closed the meat counter because of COVID-19, so we’re forced to sort through the pre-packaged cuts without the benefit of a butcher’s advice. I really lucked out with the first two roasts I picked up by seeing two with beautiful marbling, and the first one, smoked all day yesterday, was INCREDIBLE, tender and juicy at 185. I went to grab a couple more while they are still on sale, and had to dig through all of them to come up with just one more with this type of marbling: 
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All the rest looked something like this, more or less. I know next to nothing about meat cuts, so I don’t know for sure, but here’s my guess, and I’d love to hear from you guys! My GUESS is that the one in the first pic is cut from the very rear of the chuck, in the area of the CHUCK EYE, whereas the rest are cut further forward and down, thus the leaner meat from more working muscle, and those are the "typical chuck". I’m basing this on my observation that the Chuck EYE steaks I get from Porter Road have nearly identical marbling, just like a ribeye, as those are cut from that area at the top/rear of the chuck at the very front end of the longisimus dorsi (sp?) .... that, and the fact that I can only seem to find maybe 2 out of 20 that look like steak marbling.
Let’s hear from you guys that know your way around a beef! -
As I understand it you want marbling that runs through the meat, like the first example, vs just fat without intramuscular marbling (the second). Now, the second would likely make decent ground burger since it's all getting mixed together. But at $6.99....Comment
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rickgregory That’s the point I’m trying to make. I’m buying the marbled ones like the first pic for smoking/grilling, and they are acting much more like ribeye than like typical chuck steak: tender, juicy, delicious, get more chew as you cook beyond well-done.... the bottom ones are what I believe is a typical chuck, and I don’t want that. But if I can load up on chuck EYE on BOGO, I will
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To me the key to finding a great chuckie is patience! As you did, spend the time to go through the bin/rack and inspect every one. And don’t settle! If none are looking right, move on to something else. Just my two cents.Comment
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I’m really beginning to wonder if (maybe?) the well-marbled ones are actually "Chuck Eye Roast", and Kroger isn’t bothering to cut them separately, just selling them as chuck roast with the rest of the chuck primal. With no in-store butcher around, I’ve tried asking the meat department clerks, but they haven’t even heard of "chuck eye", and they don’t stock any labeled as such at my store.Comment
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It doesn't hurt to become buddies with the guys who work in the meat department. Talk Q with them every time you go in. They appreciate someone who knows their stuff and will be eager to hook you up with their best offerings. Often those won't be out in the bin but will have to be cut to order. I know they've closed the meat counter, but someone is back there cutting meat and bringing it to the bin. Hang out and hunt them down, lolComment
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hoovarmin : That’s the problem: apparently the vast majority of it is being cut off-site at a Kroger plant now, and being delivered & stocked daily before opening. I’ve tried for over a month to talk to someone knowledgeable, but the min wage "meat clerks" have never even heard of chuck eye...Comment
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I think the bottom line that we all agree on is that marbled chuckies are awesome... still wondering if those are actually chuck eyes, but I guess it doesn’t matter; if I find more with that marbling, I’m snatching them up on BOGOComment
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Finally caught the meat department manager, and he confirmed the well-marbled ones are indeed chuck EYE, not typical shoulder chuck. Gonna try one today to medium rare, so we’ll see... separate post on this cook, but look at this marbling:Attached FilesComment
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