Prime Smoked Meats

I find it getting difficult to find good bacon. I used to get it at Costco until it became slimy with mucous. Reading the reviews for this place prompted me to buy here.
I like to slice my own bacon and wanted to get a slab. I am pleased with the quality of the pork but my God this stuff is way too salty. Now I am stuck with ten pounds of super salty bacon. One star only on the slab bacon.

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! I love the old school vibe, great prices, and delicious meats.
The bacon is a ridiculous deal, and their picnic hams never disappoint…

The applewood smoked bacon is hearty without being heavy, if you can believe it!
The woman at the counter was helpful and friendly. I really appreciated that she was patient with us when we were just trying to order a small quantity.
I can’t wait to go back and try the British style back bacon.

A cooks dream of vads of smoked butchery of pork, bacon and sausage. Sliced, boned, cured, and more, come down with your requests. This is a serious commercial level butchery and not fancy pants deli with cute overpriced distractions. Buy here in bulk!

When I didn’t have a ham ordered 2 days before Christmas I panicked and scoured the internet for an option. After all the great reviews for Prime Smoked I called them up. The nice woman on the phone informed me that although it was too late to order they had some in stock on a first-​come basis.
I towed my two batman dressed toddlers down to Prime Smoked right away. The helpful and warm staff fed my tots cookies while they helped me to an 8.5 lb ham. And it was SO reasonably priced!
Relieved, I served it to my guests on Christmas and everyone raved it was the best ham they had ever had. Moist, juicy and perfectly smoked. Thanks Prime Smoked for saving the day. We’ll definitely be back.

We come three times a year: thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter… Whenever we want the aromas of sweet and salty, smoke and meat, we go too prime for a picnic. mmThey have whole and spiral hams, but I always get the picnic, a «rare» cut. It’s the front leg I think. Real smoked, and uncooked, so there has to be time to thoroughly cook. It has the rind attached, which makes great crackling, and the bones when you are done are the best for soup.
The ham bone means just the opposite of spiral sliced, because you have to carve around the bone and gristle, and there are pieces of ham fat that are so succulent. And finally the size is just right for a table of friends.
Call to make sure they have a picnic when you want it!

I’ve been buying their smoked picnic ham for over 20 years. I use to buy it from a butcher store on Haight street in San Francisco and when they stopped carrying it, I drove to Oakland to get it. It’s only available during the holidays and I wouldn’t cater my honey baked ham with anyone else’s.
If you like warm, try their Jalepeno hot links, omg, died & went to heaven.
Applewood smoked bacon! Yes!

I was recently gifted a three pound box of applewood smoked bacon from Prime Smoked Meats. My lady really knows the way to a man’s heart [disease]!
It’s some of the best bacon that I’ve ever had. Smoky, thick cut, salty. Even if you end up undercooking it short of crispy, it’s still amazing, meaty and totally satisfying.
This shop is worth exploring more of their pork products.

I absolutely love the bacon I get here! Three pounds at a time costs just over $ 10, and you can get applewood smoked, pepper, or regular. Thick cut and delicious! Last time I went to Berkeley Bowl, I swear this is exactly what they were selling for $ 6/​pound! Cash only, well worth it. Now i just have to try all their other piggy parts.

LOVE this place! Can’t say enough. They have the best ham, best bacon, and the best sausage!

Buy in bulk or go home. This is a warehouse that doubles as a storefront. There’s meat parts being pushed around while you’re waiting for some 3 pounds of smoked brisket.
The meat is awesome and some of the best I’ve had in the area. The loud machinery and industrial storefront, however, could use a little R&R. But hey, at least you know what you’re getting is fresh. Like, you know, literally off the saw fresh.

I love this place — the service and food are stellar. My family is really into meat and have had some excellent experiences eating here.
If you are looking for a swanky place to buy meat this is not it. From the outside it looks like a distribution center and you would not think they sold to individuals. This is a seriously hidden gem. I only found it from getting lost trying to find Blue Bottle.
As an example of the outstanding customer service… I went there on father’s day to get a small ham. They only had huge ones and to make me happy they spent a considerable amount of time cutting a large one for me and wrapping it. I know they are not really set up to do this, but they went out of the way to help me. The meat was so good that my father-​in-​law stole half of it to take home.
Oh, and the prices. They must be around 3−4x cheaper than what you can buy anywhere else. I honestly would pay full price since the hams we have purchased have always been outstanding.
You need to bring cash. This is key.

So this is the first review for this place. I’m not surprised and I will not be surprised if it is never read. That would be a shame. This place is a jewel.
It does not look like anything from outside. In fact I’m surprised that I figured out it sells to individuals (just nosey, I guess) It’s in an area of Oakland that serves a lot of restaurants so I think the masses stay away.
I’ll have to inquire again, but when I asked they said it was pork only; the web site indicates otherwise.
I’ve purchased two hams from here. One small one and one monster (15 lbs). Both were price unreasonably low and both were un-f’n believably delicious (if you’re OK with salty). Served the second to a lot of people for Easter and it was gobbled big-​time, but we still sent multiple families home with pounds of ham. Hard to get better than that…

A few days before Easter, we were sent on a mission — to obtain this year’s ham at Prime Smoked Meats. Apparently it came on referral from Mr. Aidells (the sausage maker). They are open from 7am-​3pm Monday-​Friday, so it is tough to either wake up early or figure out a way to sneak out of work to grab the meat. Luckily, my plus one was able to grab a boneless, 15-​lb ham (the smallest they had) and 3 lbs of applewood smoked bacon (even though he was tempted to buy the 15 lb box). The ham came out to just under $ 40 and the bacon was $ 11. It is a big warehouse, you enter amidst the workers, and find a small window that reads «cash only.» The woman at the window was friendly and helpful and we had ourselves 18 lbs. of meat. The ham was amazing, flavorful, moist, and salty in a good way. I was so excited that there was leftover meat so I can eat ham for the rest of the week.
We also cooked up a few pieces of bacon just to try it and while I wish it weren’t so fatty, it had a perfect smoky flavor.
I can’t wait for Easter — or at least an excuse to have people over so I can bake this ham again :)