While on a quest to find some cured bacon, I came across Patak Meat Products, in Austell, GA. I have been looking for a quality meat store for a while, especially one that offered some cured and smoked meats that I could take backpacking without worries of spoilage. I have been to many meat stores over the years, and have never really found one that was all that great. I submit PMP as the best meat store ever (yes, I know they are called butcher shops), for several reasons:
UNO – Location – PMP is in the middle of nowhere in Austell, which is already in the middle of nowhere. OK, Austell is right next to Atlanta, but Austell still feels like the middle of nowhere. We passed by a Marathon facility with a hell of a lot of petroleum products silos, several trailer parks, a few sketchy neighborhoods, and a junk yard or two. Mind you, PMP is a very nice, clean, neat looking group of buildings, with several high end German vehicles sitting out front, so their choice of locations was interesting. Maybe zoning laws do not take kindly to a buttload of meat. I know it does not sound like a good location, but it is maybe 10 miles from me, which makes it a fantastic location.
DOS – Selection – They carry every regular cut of meat, plus all kinds of sausages, dry cured meats, smoked meats, etc. I picked up a few sausages and salamis, and plan on going back every week or two for our meats.
TRES – Facility – They do the butchery, smoking, curing, all on site. They have some really nice equipment that is well maintained and cleaned regularly, so you don’t have any of those annoying parasites or diseases that are all the rage these days.
CUATRO – Price – Their prices are fantastic considering the quality of the products and the non-assembly line feel to the whole place. I got something like five pounds of dry cured meats for around $16. Friggin’ Jack Links Beef Sticks aren’t even that cheap, and are nowhere near the quality.
CINCO – Service – I walked in at 6:50 on a Friday, when they close at 7. Everyone was friendly and helpful, and were willing to answer my ignorant American questions about their fine Eastern European meat products. Also, they were staffed exclusively by young, cute European girls, which I am just offering in case that matters to anyone. I am married to a wonderful woman, so it, of course, does not matter to me at all since I do not look at other women unless it is to tell people that women happen to work at a meat store.
SEIS – Quality – Their meats are delicious and well cut and fresh on the fresh cuts. Being an almost carnivore, I could tell that their products were a step up from what I was used to, even from other butcher shops. Everything just looked better. Maybe it was my rumbly tummy talking, so I will give you all a follow up in the coming weeks/months/years.
SIETE – Free samples – They give free samples of any of their sausages, salamis, etc. that you want to try. That speaks for itself, so I will not insult you all by explaining how wonderful free meat is.
That is all about the meat store, for now. Expect constant updates.