AIBU to confront the butcher?

[pinkflamingo12]

I'm aware this is a bit of a strange question, but I wanted to get outside opinions before i jump in with two feet on this issue

Over the last couple of weeks myself and DH have had my in-laws round for sunday lunch. Both times i cooked a beef and onion pie for the main course. I thought it would be a showstopper but for some reason both pies have smelled like wee and i was really confused as to why?

The first time it happened i presumed DH has bought a dodgy onion from the supermarket but when it happened the second time i knew that couldnt be the case as we had shopped for ingredients at a completely different, more upmarket, supermarket (under the impression that the onions were causing the wee smell). However, both times i used beef i had got from the same butcher. I can't help but think that, if it isnt the onions which are causing my pies to smell like wee, it must be the beef.

So basically, i was wondering should i confront the butcher? I dont want to upset or offend him, i just need him to know that the beef he sold me was unsavoury. What if myself, DH or even my in-laws had become ill after eating it? What if someone else has become ill from eating it?

i'm not sure if i should go back to his shop and tell him that the beef he sold me smells like wee when cooked or if i should leave a review on facebook so that others are aware of his dodgy meat and avoid the shop so they dont get ill, as the wee smell might be cause by bacteria?

i would really appreciate any advice you lovely people have! Thank you in advance

[phlegmpencil69]

Butcher here

Firtsly DON'T PANIC! You will almost certainly not die from consuming a bit of wee. Look at Bear Grylls for example (not an actual bear called 'Grylls' a man called Bear Grylls). He quaffs about 4 litres of wee a day when he's out and about in the woods and he's doing alright for himself. Do you honestly think that former President Barack Obama or Mel B would have wanted anything to do with him if it was not COMPLETELY safe to drink wee? Of course not. You can't be the leader of the free world or the third best in the Spice Girls by being reckless can you (unless you're Donald Trump or Geri Halliwell). Anyway, as a butcher I can assure you that when we do soak beef in urine (the enzimes in urine break the meat down and make it tender - much in the same way that lemons do) we only use fresh urine so there's no need to worry. I'm sure if you approached your butcher and asked him about this he would only be too happy to show you the process.

[arranisle]

@phlegmpencil69 I see you. I. See. You.

[carou]

Wow @phlegm that is disugsting. I hope you're joking.

[beverly17]

@phlegmpencil69 - Can you cook us all a beef pie?

[pinkflamingo12]

@phlegmpencil69 haha very funny

[NoProblemForMe]

Phlegm you naughty thing

p.s. loving your work here:

"You can't be the leader of the free world or the third best in the Spice Girls by being reckless can you (unless you're Donald Trump or Geri Halliwell)"

[blacksax]

Erm... kidney smells like wee, it's why I don't like it.

Do you think maybe your beef was next to the prepared steak-and-kidney on the counter display and you got some kidney in yours by mistake.

[haveacupoftea]

Are you using Aberdeen Angus? Everyone thinks I'm mad but I think it tastes really sour, as though it's had a lemon squeezed over it.

[pinkflamingo12]

@haveacupoftea it wasnt, just bog standard mince beef. I've never had Aberdeen Angus. I will bare your comments in mind though before i ever try it

[Twistmeandturnme]

Phlegm [grin}
If there isn't kidney in it OP then can I ask: what day did you buy the mince, how was it stored and what day did you cook it?

[Jaxhog]

If it didn't smell before you cooked it, then it would seem unlikely to be the butcher's fault, (unless the smell was hidden in the middle of the mince). Your butcher would almost certainly say that you shouldn't have cooked it, if it was a problem!

Next time, check the middle of the mince before you cook it. Then if it does smell, you can take it back.

Right now, you have no proof at all that the meat was off.

[pinkflamingo12]

@Twistmeandturnme i bought it on saturday morning. Well i didn't, DH does the shopping early every saturday morning so it's done. And i cooked it on sunday for sunday dinner. Both times. Stored in the fridge

[Mummaofboys]

Re make the pie with supermarket meat and see how it smells before confronting the butcher.

[NoProblemForMe]

Oh was it mince? I assumed you'd have nice chunky pieces of beef for this kind of pie.

Yes, I suppose it could have been 'contaminated' with kidney if you use mince.

[Slimthistime]

OP I clearly do too much fiction because your title feels a let down now!

It can't just hurt to just mention it to him, you don't have to "confront" him. He won't put you in a pie just for asking

Phlegm, you can indeed be leader of the free world by behaving recklessly and hideously!

[InsomniacAnonymous]

carou How can you possibly not know that phlegmpencil69 is joking?

[carou]

Wow @InsomniacAnonymous that's a bit rude. They did say they were a butcher and I thought they were trying to soften the blow by being funny. I don't eat a lot of meat myself and I certainly don't know what goes on behind closed doors do I?

[pinkflamingo12]

@curou obviously i know @phlegmpencil69 is joking, but this is my fear. We have vegans and vegetarians telling us all horror stories of slaughterhouses and butchers. How are we supposed to know what goes on behind the scenes?

[Flyinggeese]

Why would you 'confront' or leave a negative Facebook review? Is this what people have become? Just talk to the butcher one human being to another in a non-confrontational way and mention the problem.

[crazycatgal]

I think it would be unfair to leave a negative facebook review without speaking to the butcher first.

[NoProblemForMe]

How are we supposed to know what goes on behind the scenes?

Take a look at the AR undercover videos on YouTube (lots of UK ones, not just USA). It's the reason they've been campaigning for cctv in slaughterhouses for so many years. It's pretty horrific tbh It wouldn't surprise me if some of the workers pissed on the corpses after killing them once you see how little respect they have for life. The factory farming videos are just as disgusting.

[Twistmeandturnme]

@Phlegm You aren't a butcher at all are you? I think you are an Icelandic shark pickler..

[ApocalypseNowt]

Ok. Likely scenarios:

a) your butcher hates you and pisses in your mince
b) you hate your IL's and are subconsciously pissing in the pie

Subconscious pissing is very rare so i'm going with a). Have you left him crappy reviews before OP?

[pinkflamingo12]

I'd like to think he doesn't "piss in my mince" I know some people have strange fetishes but that seems extreme.

In all seriousness, I've never had any reason to complain about this butcher before, so don't see why he would dislike me

[MrTrebus]

YABU for thinking a mince and onion pie would be a Sunday show stopper. Get a nice chicken or bit of pork or beef next week. lighthearted