SoCal BARF Order 06/09

 

So on saturday we picked up this months SCB order. Unfortunately on friday I was bit by a dog (idiot that I was I stuck my arm in the middle of a dog fight, and surprise! I got bit), so my boyfriend had to load it and divide up most of it for me. We had quite a bit of food, so it was a long process that we didn’t finish until Sunday. However, I am pleased with all the new products that we got this time.

Beef Cheek Meat: This came packaged as a solid 30Lb block. I set it outside to defrost once we got home, and a little over 12 hours later it was ready to take apart and package up. I have used beef cheek before, but I’ve always gotten it from the grocery store. This was a very primal cut (the ones I got from the grocery were almost like steaks); basically large flaps of meat w/ quite a bit of gristle. Once fully thawed it was quite hard to cut through w/ knifes as well as kitchen shears. The partially defrosted bits were much easier to cut through, so next time I won’t let them thaw all the way. The dogs really seem to like it, and I like the price ($1.42/Lb), so I will continue to purchase it. There is a bit of fat on these (maybe 15-20%), so it’s not overly fatty, which is good because I’ll be feeding it w/ whole duck.

Whole Duck: I have purchased whole ducks in the past from the grocery store, and I hated them. They seemed to have very hard bones, which weren’t easy to cut through. However, these were extremely easy to butcher, and though the packaging (they were individually packaged) said they had “parts missing” they were whole, though some had necks, liver, gizzards, etc. stuffed inside and some didn’t. These are “peking” ducks so they have quite a bit of fat in the skin, but I don’t see that as much of a problem. These happened to be on sale this month for half price, so unless I can get them at that price again I doubt I will repurchase them; obviously it has nothing to do w/  me disliking them, they’re just expensive for poultry at their normal price. 

Instincts Pork Heart: Since I personally prefer to buy organs in a small quantities so that they’re (relatively) fresh I was thrilled to see that the Instincts line now offers them. These are ground, but it’s a rough grind. I like the 5Lb chubs since they’re easy to defrost and portion out. The dogs love pork heart, and since it’s hard for me to find them at the grocery store I will continue to purchase this product as it’s available.

Instincts Turkey Hearts: Unlike the pork hearts these are not ground, but simply portioned into 5Lb chubs. I have been eyeing the turkey hearts for a long time, but they’ve previously only been available in a 40Lb box. I really like them because they offer all the benefits of other types of hearts, but are lowest in selenium. I only ordered 1 – 5Lb chub this order, but next time I think I’ll get two. The price on these is exceptionally good at $0.64/Lb.

Instincts Turkey Thigh Meat: I didn’t actually get this product with my June order, but I forgot to mention it before (I got it w/ last months order). This is turkey thigh meat that has a medium grind; it’s quite good for mixing supplements into. My only complaint with this is the price. I can get ground turkey at Smart & Final for $5.99/5Lbs, whereas this is $7.15/5Lb, and though that may not seem like a lot it does add up over time (also I’m taxed on the Instincts since it’s classified as “dog food” and the S&F stuff isn’t). Nothing against the product it’s just more than I’ll pay for poultry. 

Other than those items it was all stuff I’ve gotten before: lamb breast, ground chicken, chicken liver, indian mackerel, and lean pork trim.

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