Buying Meat In Thailand

[harveyBKK]

So I like to cook a lot and have a small kitchen here in Bangkok at my condo.

I've been to Carrefour, and I wasn't very impressed with the meat based on the price.

There's a high end western style store at K Village on soi26 with sort of reasonably priced meat (it's pricey, but the quality is quite good). I'm mostly talking about beef, but really looking for recommendations for all meats. Me and the GF went to Klong Toei market which had really nice oysters that we got, and the chicken was fine. However, I have no idea if it's possible to get even halfway decent cuts of beef at a market like that. I don't know the Thai words for "top sirloin", "brisket" or "strip". I'm probably being ridiculous thinking that they have them for sale at an open air wet market, but then again maybe not. I just don't know.

So any suggestion where I could get decent prices at Thai markets for beef are appreciated.

Also, is there anywhere in Bangkok to go to buy fresh chicken and eggs? Like where the birds are alive and you pick one and they kill and pluck it for you? That would really be ideal.

Finally, anyone have a good glossary or dictionary with names for cuts of meat in Thai (chicken, beef, pork, even lamb)? That might help me get started. In fact, I'd love to know where I could buy lamb. I'm guessing there are markets for the Muslim Thai's around here somewhere, but I don't know where to look.

[Penkoprod]

This should start you off

http://www.foodglorious-food.com/product_list.php

Penkoprod

[Bingo66]

I quite like foodland for frozen steaks and sauces and Tesco for meat. Don't rate Carrefour much, expensive.

[harveyBKK]

This should start you off

http://www.foodglori...roduct_list.php

Penkoprod

Some of the prices there ok, some are a bit exorbitant. Why is Australia lamb so expensive there? He should carry kangaroo meat. That stuff us delicious, nutritious, and should be cheap.

[RedNIvar]

Try Villa Market butcher at Sukhumvit across from the Emporium for the beef. Thai's are not that particular to lamb. However if you want lamb meat, try asking the owner at Tamil Nadu restaurant at Silom Soi 13 (I think), they get fresh lamb meat once a week.

As for fresh Chicken, try any wet market around town.

[eezergood]

Saphan mai market

[ukrules]

They have a large selection of local and imported other meats in the 'Gourmet Market' supermarket on the 5th floor of Emporium, there's also one on the food court level of Paragon.

[anotheruser]

You just are not going to find a vast supply of high quality meat in Thailand. If you don't believe me just go to the countryside and take a look at what they call cows.

[buddy]

Ask for the Ausiie guy Simon the meat department manager at Central Food Hall Chidlom...he is knowledgable, a no nonsence straight talking sort of guy and will even tell you if the meat is no up to parr.

[dddave]

Don't forget that most of the supermarket beef in the US and EU is corn fed and the cattle's living environment designed to discourage the formulation of tough muscle.

Thai beef live in open fields and eat grass and rice stems and chaff. It's not an accident that Thai cuisine always features beef cut into small pieces and not served in slabs such as steak and roast beef.

"Thai-French" is a large, domestic purveyor of beef to many market chains. Their beef is ok, not great. A friend and I ordered steaks at the popular grill within TOPPS at Central World (7th fl.) Their prices are low and they really know how to grill a steak. He ordered a 250 gr. Australian sirloin, I ordered the identical cut but Thai-French. We exchanged some pieces and I found the Australian to be both a bit more tender and with a bit more distinctive "steak" flavor: both were good but the Australian had a distinct edge.

Finding good beef in a wet market isn't easy as you would have to find a vendor who really knows his cuts and buys good carcasses at the slaughterhouse. There is not a lot of incentive as the Thais aren't particularly fussy about beef.

I was told that the Koreans buy up much of the premium beef, especially ribs for their bar-b-q's.

Edited June 13, 2011 by dddave

[theoldgit]

Thai French have their own butchery on Sukhumvit, it can be pretty busy with people stocking up, I have always found them to be very helpful and their prices are less than supermarkets.

http://www.farangfriendly.com/Company/Thai-French-Butchery-Soi-33-1-19183.aspx

[samran]

Go to the Or Tor Kor market

http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-market/local-markets.htm

Basically there is a MRT station right next to it.

In the wet market section (ie next to all the seafood) there is a butcher linked to one of the universities (Kasetsart, I think) that we've bought some more than decent meat from.

[Nuanlaong]

Hi, It's difficult to find real butcher in Bangkok because Thai people do not eat beef much but I can recommend the new local professional butcher which have very good price, compared to Thai-french beef or Villa market. Quality is good and you can buy any parts with or without bone. It's named "Harrison butcher". Located near Bangkok hospital. You can find them on website. See this picture.

[mogandave]

Do yourself a favor and get used to cooking and eating pork, chicken, and seafood, which are all cheap and good quality.

 

The beef here is almost always either very expensive, very disappointing, or both.

 

That said, the market for it is growing and the local product is improving.

[jackdd]

This thread is 7 years old ????

I agree with mogandave