Butcher in South Dublin

BenEadir

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend a good quality AND good value (not necessarily the cheapest) butcher in South Dublin? I have been going to a well known butchers in Stillorgan for a few years but I find their meat isn't actually that good, particularly steaks which are not aged enough, and they have gotten very expensive recently.

I like to buy my meat from a proper butchers and my veg from a proper veg shop but am getting disillusioned with the butchers and if I'm going to end up with expensive crap I might as well just buy the supermarket stuff, at least it's cheaper.

All suggestions gratefully received, particulary for butchers who specialise in well aged thick cut steaks.

Regards,

Ben

tSubh Dearg

As I've mentioned many times before, Lawlors butchers both in Mortons by the Beechwood Luas and in their own shop on the Upr Rathmines road do extremely good meat.

They are actually specialising in aged steaks now and sell a dry aged striploin that is absolutely fantastic.

They were also talking about introducing a service for customers where they would hang beef for longer for them if they asked, but I'm not sure if that's gone ahead yet or not.

Their Rathmines road shop also has quite a good fish section now and in both shops your guaranteed to find a good range of various meats, including lots of game, offal and their own range of ready to cook stuff. My favourite is their lime, chilli and ginger marinated rack of lamb.

Talliesin

Yes. I agree with tSubh here. Lawlors is one of the reasons I am spoiled for good cooking (though it's a distant second place to the fact that I live with tSubh ).

Honey-ec

Downey's in Terenure is also fantastic. I've never had their (cow) steak but they do absolutely fantastic wild boar or venison sausages, their bison steaks are beautiful and most importantly, they just really, really care about what they're doing.

Scoobydoobydoo

I don't know much about butchers but I buy fish sometimes in Caviston's in Glasthule and on that street there are, I think, two butchers which looked good. My husband mentioned that he'd like to check them out. I'd say there's a good chance of finding quality there. There's a butcher in Nutgrove SC, don't know if they're any good.

tSubh Dearg

The butcher in Nutgrove SC is a FX Buckleys. I've only had their steak from their but it was quite good and I was impressed that they sold rabbit. I've not tried anything else from them though.

BenEadir

Thanks for the replies all. It makes a great shortlist of quality butchers in Sth Dublin!! Downeys sounds great, I love good sausages and the more exotic the better.

I spent €50 on a 1.4kg bone in rib steak in my (ex) butchers in Stillorgan, cooked it this afternoon and it was very disappointing. It was dry, tough and didn't have much flavour. I'm far from an expert and only an average cook but I was expecting it to have some marbling and it didn't and I cooked it medium rare (200c for 20 mins than 170 for 40 minutes in a fan assisted oven with just sea salt and freshly ground black pepper rubbed in and some olive oil drizzled over it) but it really was bland and tough.

I either need to find a new butcher or some cooking lessons. Should I start a poll on which you all think I need?

BTW I was also told there is a great (but expensive) butchers opposite Kiely's/Yo Thai in Mount Merrion. Has anyone experience of them or Conaty's butchers opposite O'Dwyers pub on the Lower Kilmacud Road?

Aloysius Flyte

My parents go to the one in Mount Merrion and have been for years. Can't remember the name, but it is 'famous' in the area. The sausages are meant to be excellent (better than superquinn) and the beef really good also.

Honey-ec

BenEadir wrote: »

BTW I was also told there is a great (but expensive) butchers opposite Kiely's/Yo Thai in Mount Merrion. Has anyone experience of them?

The only Kiely's/Yo Thai I know with a butcher opposite is in Donnybrook village and to be quite frank, that butcher is ridiculously expensive and absolutely no better than my local butcher here in Tullow, but literally 6 to 7 times the price.

Tbh, it does sound like you overcooked your ribeye a little bit. For medium rare I would have sealed extremely quickly on all sides in a pan (or even with a blowtorch, I'm not joking) and then just cooked it at the 200c for 20 minutes, and then let it rest for another 15. However, it could well have been just a poor piece of steak, and if that was the case, it wouldn't really have mattered what way you cooked it. A lot of butchers in Ireland don't hang their beef for long enough.

Oh, and DEFINITELY go to Downey's if you're into sausages. You won't ever look back!

shrapnel222

there is a butcher in donnybrook just next to roy fox (great fruit and veg shop also) but on the N11 opposite the spar, it is slightly expensive but not that much. Its meat is very good and it also does veal which hardly any other butcher does.
Well recommended. Steer clear of the fishmongers there though, extortionately expensive

barbiegirl

The butcher at the farmers market in leopardstown every Friday. he's the first guy you see. His teak is so tender you could cut it with a butter knife, everything I've ever got from him has been excellent. On my way there this afternoon. And most importantly he is no more expensive than your standard butcher, plus very amiable.

dh0661

barbiegirl wrote: »

His teak is so tender you could cut it with a butter knife

I know what you meant but I could not resist, I thought teak was cut with a saw :rolleyes:.

dh0661

shrapnel222 wrote: »

(great fruit and veg shop also)

I go to what I think is the best fruit & veg. shop ever invented, but a lot of my friends knock it for being too shabby, expensive etc. - - just out of curiosity, how do you rate a "great fruit and veg shop" ?.

jdivision

freshness, variety and price imo

TJJP

O' Toole's, 138 Terenure Road North, Dublin 6 or or Main Street in Glasthule, Sandycove for Japanese beef and all else.

dutchcat

TJJP wrote: »

O' Toole's, 138 Terenure Road North, Dublin 6 or or Main Street in Glasthule, Sandycove for Japanese beef and all else.

organic my arse

shrapnel222

dh0661 wrote: »

I go to what I think is the best fruit & veg. shop ever invented, but a lot of my friends knock it for being too shabby, expensive etc. - - just out of curiosity, how do you rate a "great fruit and veg shop" ?.

jdivision wrote: »

freshness, variety and price imo

basically what jdivision said. They have veg which other places don't sell, and the fruit and veg tastes good.

Snowie

BenEadir wrote: »

I spent €50 on a 1.4kg bone in rib steak in my (ex) butchers in Stillorgan, cooked it this afternoon and it was very disappointing. It was dry, tough and didn't have much flavour. I'm far from an expert and only an average cook but I was expecting it to have some marbling and it didn't and I cooked it medium rare (200c for 20 mins than 170 for 40 minutes in a fan assisted oven with just sea salt and freshly ground black pepper rubbed in and some olive oil drizzled over it) but it really was bland and tough.
?

did you seal the meat before you bunged it in the oven ?

RentDayBlues

I think I know the ex-butcher you are referring to and I use them and find them excellent. Never had any problem with their steaks and their fish counter is one of the best in the area