Allen Brother's Bone-In Filet Mignon... Holy Cow!

LTH,

I received the newest Allen Brother's catalog a couple of days ago, a drool worthy collection of the finest meats available. As I was salivating over dry-age porterhouse, bone in rib-eye and Kansas City strip I spied a, new to me, bone-in filet mignon.

Steak semantics aside, how can a filet have a bone, this little gem looked delicious. As I was becoming lost in a pleasant daydream of lump charcoal, hot flames, mushrooms, onions and jalapenos charring away I happened to glance at the price. Whoa Nellie, $199 for 4 12-oz steaks and $259 for 4 16-oz steaks, not even dry-age.

Sweet Bessie the Cow, that's a lot of MOO-la for a hunk of meat to cook at home. For comparison Allen Brother's Dry-aged porterhouse are 4 20-oz for $179 and dry-age bone-in rib-eye 4 18-oz for $139. For further comparison's sake my current favorite butcher, Devon Ave Meats, in Morningfield's grocery, sell dry-age bone-in rib-eye for $10 per lb. (might be $10.99)

Every once in a great while, as in every few years, I break down and buy something from Allen Brothers, always fantastic, I've also been extremely pleased whenever I've had Allen Brother's meat in restaurants, but I don't think I'll be having bone-in filet anytime soon. Unless I find one hanging from my Hanukkah garter in front of the fireplace.

Enjoy,
Gary

Allen Brothers
3739 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60609
773-890-5100
http://www.allenbrothers.com

Devon Avenue Meats
800 Devon Ave
Park Ridge, IL 60068
847-825-0478
(Inside Morningfield

Speaking of Devon Ave Meats, last time I asked they were no longer dry aging their meats. People weren't willing to pay enough of a premium to cover the loss.

I know with their bone-in ribeyes they're slicing you a chunk off a standing rib roast, which they may dry age. But they don't dry age the rest of their steaks.

Mind you, the steaks are still superb and an exceptional deal.

-ed

gleam wrote:Speaking of Devon Ave Meats, last time I asked they were no longer dry aging their meats. People weren't willing to pay enough of a premium to cover the loss.

Ed,

This is indeed bad news.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:Ed,

This is indeed bad news.

Enjoy,
Gary

Yeah, I was somewhat disappointed. But, like I said, for prime meat, even if it isn't dry aged, the prices are great.

The butchers are also apparently of the "one steak, one person" school, or at least give recommendations in that weight range without offering the alternate "one steak, many people" option.

So next time I order I'll just have to ask for that porterhouse to be 2" thick, regardless of weight.

-ed

Gary:

I had read your prior posts on Devon Ave. Meats and I decided to make the pilgrimmage to Park Ridge ( from Skokie. ) I can say that I was not disappointed---Their Prime ribeyes were fabulous!

Another shop that you might want to add to your repertoire is the Market in the Glen ( on the former Navy base ) I stocked up on their USDA Prime ribeyes when they had a 25% off sale recently--Cost was $ 11 something a pound, on sale. Great stuff---If you like Devon Meats, you would love these.

They also carry Dry-Aged Prime and Wagyu beef, both at higher prices.(Wagyu was, I think--$29.95/ lb. )