Has anyone gone to the Halal butcher on Colesville Road at the intersection of University? If so, can you share your experiences?

I'm trying to find meat sources other than Sniders that do not require me to drive to Virginia or Laurel.

I'm looking for a good butcher. I need to place an order for some pork belly, fat back and duck fat... and a few other items that are not your typical supermarket fair. Yet, I don't have a good person for this. If you folks have good suggestions, then it would be very much appreciated. I'm a VA side person so in DC or in VA is better. Thanks!

You can try the Springfield Butcher. They are right near the mixing bowl.

If you need any cheese to go with things, you can order a bucket of great duck fat (and very good duck legs) from Cheesetique.

I would try some of the large Asian grocers in the area since pork belly and fat back are common ingredients in Asian cooking. I know I see pork belly all the time at Grand Mart.

I don't how hard it is to find goat or mutton, but I've never had much luck until recently. The Jasmine Bazaar (1335 University Blvd E, previously known as House of Spices) now has a halal butcher where you can buy goat, mutton, and lamb. A wide variety of cuts are available. I can't wait to start making some mangsho johl (homestyle mutton curry)!!

Fresh goat is always available at the Lebanese Butcher and Halalco, two back-to-back stores in Falls Church. Lebanese Butcher may have mutton, too. Not sure about that. Frozen goat can be sourced from Cibola Farms at local farmers markets. I've also seen frozen goat meat at various Asian markets, but it has always looked nasty.

My experience is that any Asian or Latin market will have pork belly and fat back. You might try Great Wall Supermarket, very near the Gallows Rd./Rt 50 intersection and about two minutes from the Beltway. Regarding duck fat, I've never seen it priced less than exhorbitantly ($16.00/lb here). Probabably no more expensive in cost for ounce to buy whole ducks and render your own fat, while preparing a series of delicious and seasonally appropriate meals. You can get mass quantities decent ducks at Great Wall, very near...

You're not making cassoulet are you? I'm beginning that project myself, and just popped into Great Wall this weekend (couldn't tell, could you?) for a couple of ducks and ended up buying some of the most beautiful pork belly I've seen in a long time. Tonight: Duck breast and Asian pear chutney. Next weekend: duck braised in Sauternes (Greak Muscat, actually, but same concept). We'll save the fat from browning the parts and render the carcasses in the oven, probably getting about a pint and a half of fat altogether for a cost of under $30.

$12.50 for a two-pound bucket from Hudson Valley Foie Gras

That's not a bad deal at all. Not as much fun as eating duck but vastly more affordable than the other places I've seen it.

ETA: Of course, once I decided decided to buy it I found an apparently mandatory $27.50 shipping charge, so unless you're ordering in bulk, the price jumps real quick. Alas.

I forgot to mention that when I received my order, they tossed in a two-pound duck breast. Yeah, I would have preferred it if they had tossed in some foie gras, but still, it was very, very tasty.

In real life I play the role of a tv producer, and I've been looking for a butcher to come on the program I work on and talk about the various cuts of meat and how best to prepare them.

Does anyone know of a good local butcher who might be willing to make a TV appearance?

How about Bev Eggleston from Eco-Friendly? He's very extroverted and loves to talk. He not only butchers and makes sausage and smoked pork, he's the real deal--he does the slaughtering, too. He's often at his stall at the Dupont Farmers Market (closest meat purveyor to Mass Ave.) and if he isn't there, Bruce will tell you how to reach him.

The following posts have been split into separate threads:

Union Meat Company (Mrs. B )
McLean Organic Butcher (walrus)
Springfield Butcher (abramer)
My Butcher And More (xcanuck)
Let's Meat On The Avenue (monavano)

Planning on making a nice steak tonight (not my usual thing so I defer to the experts) - is there anywhere in SS/Bethesda to get something nice besides paying the premium at Whole Foods or Balducci's? I usually frequent Sniders, however haven't bought much beef there. Do they have any good stuff?

Second question - is there a significant difference between choice and prime cuts, as well as regular and dry aged?

Difficult to admit, but the premium for Whole Foods' dry aged is generally worth it. And yes, there's a world of difference (Buy two and cook them together to see if it's worth it to you).

As someone who shops at Snider's and Whole Paycheck weekly, I agree with Waitman. Even the non-aged at Whole Paycheck is worth the extra money when compared with Snider's steaks.

I've never purchased meat at Snider's, but did splurge on a whim for the aged steak at WF. There is a definite difference in flavor. It's not something I would spend the extra bucks on all the time, but for a splurge for a good steak, I would say to go for it. (Aside from the other splurge option--of picking up a raw steak from RTC)

If you want something nice, a premium must be paid. I would recommend the very expensive beef at Wagshal's market in Spring Valley.

Very Very expensive, but some of the best meat I´ve purchased around here is at Wagshals.

Indeed. They also have helpful and knowledgeable butchers. And some good pork chops, which actually aren't all that expensive.

Not that it's exactly puppy chow, but I've always been vaguely disappointed in Wagshal's beef. Never seemed to have enough age. Could be the luck of the draw but, as someone willing to spend a little time behind the wheel to get good beef, the car never seems to point itself there any more.

Thanks for the input guys - looks like I will head over to WF after work. Just might do a dry-aged vs. regular tasting!