Prime Beef in Santiago!

cobraboy

cobraboy

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We visited the new El Encanto just south of Rafael Vidal on the Autopista in Santiago (where the bowling alley used to be) Wednesday afternoon. We hadn't been in before. The store is nice but looks bigger on the outside than it is on the inside.

Browsing the meat department---initial impression was "meh" compared to Supermercado Nacional---I took a peek in a frozen food end cap and got quite the eye-rubbing, double-take shock:

Prime beef! Ribeye, bone-in rib roasts, sirloin, filet, churrasco and a few other cuts!

And next to it, were Choice grade beef packages!

Frozen in tight vacuum packages!

The Prime was spendy, around RD$600-700lb. I considered pulling the trigger on a 3lb. rib roast, but wasn't sure we had space in the freezer.

I have not seen Prime beef in the DR. Maybe it's here, but I haven't seen it. Good Choice cuts, yes. Prime, no.

More choices for consumers!
 
J

Jaime809

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Aug 23, 2012
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Iberia (at least here in Bavaro) has pretty good beef tenderloin. They grill up into a pretty tasty filet mignon. The whole piece is usually around $2000 rd.
 
AlterEgo

AlterEgo

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One of the things I miss in DR is the availability of good steaks and roasts. Some US cuts don't even seem to exist.
 
W

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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AlterEgo said:
One of the things I miss in DR is the availability of good steaks and roasts. Some US cuts don't even seem to exist.
Click to expand...

I had a neighbor pick up what he thought was filet mignon at Price Smart. Turned out to be shoe leather that only a pressure cooker could tame.
 
C

Commander Ooh La La USN

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cobraboy said:
We visited the new El Encanto just south of Rafael Vidal on the Autopista in Santiago (where the bowling alley used to be) Wednesday afternoon. We hadn't been in before. The store is nice but looks bigger on the outside than it is on the inside.

Browsing the meat department---initial impression was "meh" compared to Supermercado Nacional---I took a peek in a frozen food end cap and got quite the eye-rubbing, double-take shock:

Prime beef! Ribeye, bone-in rib roasts, sirloin, filet, churrasco and a few other cuts!

And next to it, were Choice grade beef packages!

Frozen in tight vacuum packages!

The Prime was spendy, around RD$600-700lb. I considered pulling the trigger on a 3lb. rib roast, but wasn't sure we had space in the freezer.

I have not seen Prime beef in the DR. Maybe it's here, but I haven't seen it. Good Choice cuts, yes. Prime, no.

More choices for consumers!
Click to expand...
I cant understand any of the cuts. They are all so thin and look like pork to me when its raw and like roofing tiles when it is cooked.
 
J

jd426

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Dec 12, 2009
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Prime Beef in the DR ? would be a first for me.

yeagh, I would need to see this with my own eyes to believe it..

I'm more than willing to pay $15 a lb for Prime, that is in fact the right price, but it has to be the real thing, with all the marbling
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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ricky11 said:
really, do you believe everything you read? prime is either dry/wet aged for a minimum of 30 days. (the longer the better) and the store you said was very small inside so where do you think the beef was aged (on the campo)?
just another dominican way to steal from the gringos. and you will never find prime for 13. a lb.
Click to expand...

jd426 said:
Prime Beef in the DR ? would be a first for me.

yeagh, I would need to see this with my own eyes to believe it..

I'm more than willing to pay $15 a lb for Prime, that is in fact the right price, but it has to be the real thing, with all the marbling
Click to expand...
I know my beef.

Unless they put on marbled tattoos, it's Prime. And with Choice next to it the additional marbling is obvious. BTW: the Choice also looked good.

The store---El Encanto---is NOT small. It just seems smaller on the inside compared to the outside. In fairness, the clothes department is upstairs, so it it was one floor it would look significantly larger. The store is brand new.

El Encanto has been around for many, many years with their huge store downtown.

I suspect the beef was packaged & frozen in the states then shipped like some of the better rib slabs, seafood and bacon are done, and NOT aged, packaged and frozen in the DR. There are numerous beef outlets that sell frozen Prime beef, pork & seafood in the states and ship it to you.

This tells me that Prime beef may be showing up around the island since some importer is obviously bringing it in for distribution...unless El Encanto does it themselves in smaller volumes (which I doubt.)

william webster said:
try Carnes Selectas... in SD....

Good beef......... and she ships by Caribe Tours
Click to expand...
We've bought from them often. Good beef (and killer Italian Sausage) but not Prime, and I ask every time we're there.

Next trip to Santiago I intend to buy a big Prime ribeye for three to take one for the team...
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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AlterEgo said:
One of the things I miss in DR is the availability of good steaks and roasts. Some US cuts don't even seem to exist.
Click to expand...
Supermercado Nacional has good imported Choice beef, mostly in slabs. Shop on Wednesdays when they have their meat sales. I stock up when they do their 20% discount. Choice sirloin for RD$260 cut as you like? A whole Churrasco for RD$350? What a deal!
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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windeguy said:
I had a neighbor pick up what he thought was filet mignon at Price Smart. Turned out to be shoe leather that only a pressure cooker could tame.
Click to expand...
I'll buy a whole filet from Price Smart and cut into thick 3" steaks and wrap with bacon. It's the only domestic beef I'll buy. It grills well, is tender & tasty---not like US Choice filet but passable---but I prefer ribeyes & strips to filet any day.
 
K

Koreano

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Jan 18, 2012
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I get my 2 and half inch steaks at Nacional, but I guess I can check out El Encanto since it's practically around the corner.
A special day is coming up, so I guess it won't be bad to have a prime steak on special occation.
 
W

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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cobraboy said:
I'll buy a whole filet from Price Smart and cut into thick 3" steaks and wrap with bacon. It's the only domestic beef I'll buy. It grills well, is tender & tasty---not like US Choice filet but passable---but I prefer ribeyes & strips to filet any day.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the filet mignon my neighbor purchased had either not been aged at all or was insufficiently aged and was still closer to genuine Dominican shoe leather beef. I have purchased it before at PriceSmart and it was good and fairly tender.
 
R

rafael

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Dolores said:
One of the best places to buy meat in the DR is in Santo Domingo at Carne & Co.

http://carneyco.do
Click to expand...


Maybe pork and sausages? Their beef prices look way too low to be imported. Tira De Asado for 110 pesos? That has got to be shoe leather.
They do have veal so I may have to check that out but non imported beef? No way.

I am a chef pepper customer since very beginning but rarely buy there now. Nacional has angus beef that is not frozen. I walk across street, but 7 lbs of ribeye or so. Smoke it for 3-4 hours, then blacken it and it is better than any steak I have had in DR, and 80% of steaks I have had any where.
I have eaten a LOT of steak. . .Their skirt steaks are also very good.
 
D

drdirectional

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www.pristinepads.com
We are serving imported USDA Prime rib eyes and other choice steaks from our supplier in Veron. Everything is sealed and stamped. We even served a low and slow smoked prime rib this winter for valentines day.. The supplier won't sell individual cuts (only the entire piece 14-18lbs) but if you come in or contact me we can arrange to sell you vacuum sealed individual cuts for a reasonable price.
There are numerous suppliers on the island that carry or can get you prime beef but most will not sell individual cuts.

https://www.facebook.com/Punta-Cana-Texas-Grill-735630609877013/?ref=bookmarks

good luck and happy bbq!
 
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