Quality Foods Goes Down In Flames and Sirloin Steak from the Butcher

I thought the butcher's prices were pretty good when I was last in so when Quality Foods let me down yesterday, I was glad to have an alternative. What did Quality Foods do? Let's look back over the few years it's been open here in Powell River, BC. 

When it opened it was fresh and new and everything in it was wonderful.  Then I got some fishy tasting ham at the deli meat counter. So I started buying cold meats elsewhere. 

They have never been able to make pastry at Quality Foods so I never buy pies or pastries there. I did buy some doughnuts. They were disgusting. Dry and tasted of really cheap vanilla, awful! I took them back and the baker smiled broadly and said, "We don't make them. We bring them in frozen, repackage them and put them out."

"That's even worse! Not only can you not make doughnuts, you can't even buy good doughnuts! Some bakery!"

Then last week the meat manager was training a new girl when I walked by and he introduced me as their best customer.  I did shop there every day, but it did sound a little hyperbolic.

That brings us to yesterday.  I felt like pork so I looked over the counter and decided a boneless loin roast I could cut into chops was the best deal. It wasn't on clearance or anything, just another package of meat. I picked it up and headed home.

When I started preparing dinner I took the roast package out and set it on the counter. Cut the plastic back, took the roast and set it on the board.  A whiff of spoiled meat, not enough to disturb me. Started slicing the roast. I kept smelling that spoiled meat smell and I saw a black edge on the back side of the roast.  I turned it over and the back side of the roast was black and green rotting meat. The smell, terrible! 

I've been buying meat for 40 years and I've never encountered anything like this. We went back to Quality Foods to return it on our way out for dinner.  The girl at the service counter said, "That's awful, I'm really sorry." I simply didn't have words to express how I felt. Disgusted. Sickened. Horrified. I still feel sick if I think about it. Quality Foods finally managed to scare away their best customer.

Today I bought steaks from the butcher.  I bought the cheaper steaks but they looked nice.  I salted and seasoned with my Southwest Rub. I did them on the BBQ but they were really thick so I gave them two minutes extra on each side.  That did it, they were perfect. Carrots and broccoli in the steamer were finished with olive oil in the pan.  I did the baked potatoes in the microwave then wrapped them in foil with salt, pepper, butter and chives and put them on the BBQ to finish. The meat was the best we've had in a while. I wonder why?