Plans for tomorrow's supper changed, so I went ahead and opened one to use tonight.
Review of Butterfield Farms Roast Beef in Beef Broth purchased at Sams.com
The big difference between this brand and Keystone is this brand is packed in some broth and Keystone is not. So there's more broth, but it's true broth, not gravy like some canned beef chunks have. For my purposes, the broth is not an unwelcome thing, as I will use this in soups, casseroles, etc., or with beef and noodles with gravy, beef stroganoff, etc.
Most of the chunks of beef are quite good-sized, which was a welcome surprise. There are smaller pieces, but they are pieces, not shreds.
The beef is very tender, but has a nice "bite" to it, too. What I mean by that is, while it's not exactly like eating a piece of roast beef from the oven or even the crock pot, it isn't so soft that you don't need to chew it (if that makes sense). You know you're biting into a piece of beef. If one desired they could drain off the broth and use two forks to shred this for bar-b-que beef sandwiches or a roast beef sandwich spread, but seems like it'd be a shame to do it.
The beef also tasted good. I did eat one of the smaller chunks straight out of the can and was surprised by how good it was. Very tender and flavorful.
The broth adds some salt, and while the piece I tasted had been drained, it wasn't overly salty to me. I do not cook with salt, as the degree of saltiness people prefer varies widely, and instead I make people know they may need to salt their portion to their taste. When I cook using canned ingredients, I don't ordinarily get the reduced sodium versions, and rarely does anyone need extra salt. For my family, the added salt won't be a problem, but some might think it's too salty.
I didn't weigh the meat separate from the broth, but eyeballing it, there is definitely more beef in the Keystone canned beef than the Butterfield Farms from Sam's. However, considering the cost per can or per ounce between the two, even if you used two cans of the Butterfield Farms in place of one can of Keystone, you'd still be ahead money-wise, considering that the per can price of Keystone must factor in shipping costs.
I like both brands. Keystone has a slight edge as far as being canned using just beef and salt; any liquid is natural juices derived from the beef as it was canned. Some may not like draining the broth from the Butterfield Farms beef and find it wasteful, which depending on what you're using it for, certainly could be. Although if I didn't need the broth and needed to drain it for a recipe, I'd save it in a jar in the freezer and add it to soup/stew, etc. (Very little goes to waste here.) The way I cook and would routinely use canned beef, the broth would be used to make gravy or sauce, adding more flavor, and less salt than if you needed to use bouillon to make gravy. For me, that's a benefit.
I can see a benefit of having some Keystone beef on hand (and I do) for things like bar-b-que beef or a roast beef sandwich spread. But for every day use, or stock-up purposes, given how I cook, I can't justify the price of Keystone v. Butterfield Farms.
$16.78 / $4.20/ea
(prices will undoubtedly vary nationwide, that's the price I paid)
Here's a cost comparison:
Keystone
$0.38/oz (PLUS shipping, which will vary by location shipped to)
SAM'S / Butterfield Farms
0.35/oz (FREE shipping with Sam's Plus)
Now to see if it's actually posted on their website... Nope. Guess I'll get up at 3 am to check when it's not busy. At least it was free to renew this year, so that part was nice - assuming it actually happens, that is.
I think we're going to try for the pool again tomorrow morning, followed by carry out fish dinners from the VFW. I work tomorrow night, so I'll need to try to get in a nap before I have to head in.
Kids decided they wanted carry out pizza for supper (oh darn... 
) so we hit the DG in that town while we waited; and the kids found chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches they thought we needed for dessert. After supper, the kids played pitch and catch until the skeeters came out while Papaw and I picked beans and maters. Now they've got their heads together watching videos, Papaw is watching another motorcycle race, and I'm plopped down here in front of the computer feeling so blessed and so grateful to be able to live this life...
