Food Tag: Beef

Game Day Favorites: Meaty Snacks, Main Dishes & More

game day favoritesFootball’s biggest game of the year is right around the corner. True, our home team won’t be playing, but it’s still a great excuse to gather with friends and family while you enjoy food and drinks. Have you decided what’s on the menu? Along with traditional chips and dips, your guests will devour all the more substantial game day foods. But heartier doesn’t have to mean more work. All of these ideas can be made ahead of time, and you won’t have to miss the game day fun stuck in the kitchen.

Chili is a no-brainer favorite at any watch party, but if you’re looking for something a bit different, try this meatier version using stew beef as the base. For a chili you can set and forget, check out this one for your slow cooker. If you do stick with the classic ground beef variety, put a twist on how you serve it and make it a Fritos® pie, which isn’t a pie at all, but a clever way to create individual, convenient servings.

For a beefy snack everyone will want a piece of, try meatball stuffed bread. Think meatball sub meets pizza. You can even make it football-shaped. And don’t be intimidated by the process – it’s extra simple when you use prepared dough.

Similar in concept, buffalo chicken Wellington puts a new spin on basic boneless tenders. It can be sliced and shared.

Your crowd is sure to expect wings. Use your favorite spices or rub…or try a new marinade, such as the one in this recipe for sweet and spicy drumettes or something with a Caribbean flavor. Want to skip ahead? Butcher Boy carries a wide selection of marinated chicken wings prepared in-house – simply open the bag and pop them in the oven or air fryer.

Another finger food favorite, pigs in a blanket, gets raised to a new level with kielbasa as the star ingredient.

Carnitas is a fantastic versatile dish. Slow cook a boneless pork shoulder and shred it. Then let your guests make pulled pork sandwiches or add it to nachos, or set it out with all the fixing for tacos.

Butcher Boy carries a wide selection of beverages to complete your game day feast. Choose from a variety of wine, beer, and soft drinks. You also can pick up dessert or prepared foods to make planning your party even simpler. Tell us which dishes are the big winners in your house!

Winter Comfort Food: Weeknight Meals, Sunday Dinners, and Seasonal Slow Cooking

comfort foods braised short ribsA good meal can warm up the coldest winter days and nights. It’s the perfect time of year for roasting and braising in the oven – the best cooking technique for some cuts of meat. To help you decide what to put on the menu and how to prepare it, we’ve put together a handy guide for Oven Roasting and Braising – bookmark or print a copy and bring it shopping with you for easy reference.

Oven roasting

A whole chicken is easy to prepare with the simplest of ingredients and the leftovers can be used throughout the week to add to salads, soups, or sandwiches.

Slow roasting

Beef roasts don’t have to be reserved for holidays or special occasions. Slow roasting is the key to enhancing and getting the most out of the flavor beef has to offer. Similar to prime rib, a ribeye roast will come out juicy and tender.

Pork is a delicious alternative when you’d like something other than beef or poultry. Bone-in pork roast is a Butcher Boy favorite, as well as seasonal favorites like our pork pinwheels stuffed with spinach, mozzarella, and breadcrumbs. We prep them for you!

Braising

Create one of the most decadent dinners with wine-braised short ribs. Braising takes a few steps and might be best prepared on a day when you have more time, but the process is simple. In the recipe above, simmering the beef in red wine and Guinness brings out the flavor. At Butcher Boy, you can purchase all the ingredients in one stop – let our staff help you choose either bone-in or boneless short ribs, along with the perfect bottle of red wine, and bottle of Guinness. We have more tips on braising and additional recipes to try on our website.

Slow Cooking

Chili is a crowd favorite for game days – or any day of the week – and this recipe for chunky beef chili from the team at Beef, It’s What’s For Dinner is a delicious alternative to the traditional version we’re familiar with. Instead of ground beef, stew meat slow cooks to tender perfection on the stove or in a pressure cooker.

The countertop slow cooker is a winter go-to, but if some of your standard recipes are getting a bit boring, try ‘Slow Cooker Recipes to Warm Your Winter’ for fresh inspiration.

Stovetop Comfort

How about a new spin on chicken and dumplings – with pierogies? We carry locally-owned Jaju Pierogis that would be perfect for this recipe. Homemade from a treasured Polish family recipe, Jaju offers various flavors to satisfy any of your cravings.

What are some of your favorite, savory winter meals? Let us know, and don’t forget to visit us for all of the ingredients, including fresh bread, produce, prepared side dishes, and desserts.

Our Most-Requested Celebration Meats

celebration meats roast beef tenderloinThe holiday season offers many opportunities for preparing and enjoying delicious meals with family and friends. A stop at our butcher counter will show you all the possibilities to make a dinner special this year. The most often requested cuts of meat are available in our Butcher Boy Holiday Order Guide. But how should you prepare them? Our holiday roasting guides are a great place to start for advice on oven temperatures and cooking times.

A rib roast doesn’t have to be complicated when our garlic pepper seasoning can be just the thing to bring out amazing flavor.

Try this beef tenderloin, which includes roasted vegetables so that at least one of your side dishes is ready at the same time.

For an elegant dinner, a strip roast fits the bill. We have trimmed it for you, leaving enough fat for the best flavor.

Slow cooking is the key to a classic braised beef brisket. And Butcher Boy’s signature brisket recipe adds a flavor step for a delicious braised brisket.

If your family would enjoy something other than beef, consider a rack of lamb, which is not as difficult to cook as it might seem for a special occasion.

When you want to impress guests with presentation, try a rack of roast pork. We’ll take the elegance up a notch by frenching the bones for you – that is, removing excess fat and muscle from the end of the rib so part of the clean bone is exposed. Tying racks of pork together in a circle creates a “crown” roast. We have those, too.

Do you have some favorite holiday side dishes your family craves every year? You can’t go wrong with a mix of vegetables roasted to perfection. Put a twist on basic mashed potatoes and make them twice baked. They go well with whatever you choose for your main entree.

We’re taking orders now for the winter holidays. Be sure to call us to place your order, and don’t forget to count on Butcher Boy for all your holiday meal ingredients, including desserts, sides, beer, wine, and spirits! We even carry a large assortment of Caspari Christmas napkins and dishes.

Braising Simplified

braisingWhen it comes to cooking meat, knowing the character of the particular cut and how to cook it are the keys to releasing its full flavor and potential. There’s something about the word “braising” that brings up images of tender roasts brimming with home-cooked warmth and goodness perfect for our cooler weather this time of year. And that’s exactly what braising does for those less-tender (and more inexpensive) cuts of meat, like stew meat, pot roast, brisket, pork butt, or short ribs. Download a copy of our guide to beef cuts for braising and oven roasting here for easy reference.

But for many cooks, the term also carries some mystery. Just what is braising, and how can you achieve that amazing fork-tender quality in a less-forgiving roast? We’ve got the answers for you along with some great resources and recipes to make braising a regular and delicious part of your cooking arsenal.

Braising essentially is a method that uses low heat and extended cooking time and liquid to slowly tenderize meat that is less suited to quicker cooking methods such as searing. The extended cooking time will break down cuts that contain higher amounts of fat, sinew, and connective tissue such as you find in the more muscled areas of the cow. As the meat cooks, it releases amazing flavor into the cooking liquid, making braising the perfect vehicle for savory sauces and vegetables.

Any cooking source that provides low and consistent heat will successfully braise meat.

Various braising recipes will use the stovetop, a slow cooker, or the oven. Common ingredient accompaniments are vegetables, fresh herbs, and wine.

The steps to successful braising are simple.  Start early in the day. Meat is first patted dry for more even browning and seasoned, either with salt and pepper or a seasoning mix or rub. Typically, braising recipes call for first browning the beef on all sides. Next you’ll remove the meat and add any vegetables, or aromatics, sauté them, then “deglaze” the pan by adding liquid, such as broth, wine, or liquid, scraping the delicious brown bits up from the bottom. Finally, you’ll return the beef, add any more liquid the recipe calls for, adjust the heat, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Then, let the slow and low heat do the work. Depending on the recipe, cooking time can range from three to six hours or so. For a more detailed breakdown of the process, check out this Braising Basics guide from Beef. It’s What for Dinner. And, if you want to see the braising process visually, see this short video.

To get you started, here are a couple of delicious braising recipes:

Braised Chuck Roast with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Butcher Boy’s Signature Brisket Recipe

Chef Anne Burrell’s Braised Short Ribs

If you enjoy exploring your creative cooking side, these braising time guidelines will give you the basic cooking requirements to get you started on your own signature braising recipe.

One more note – a meat thermometer is essential in assessing whether your meat or poultry is sufficiently cooked and should be part of your cooking routine. Learn more about the different types of cooking thermometers here or ask about them in-store. Butcher Boy carries a selection of meat thermometers for varying uses and our butchers can help you choose the right cut and size of beef for your needs.

Your Grill’s Perfect Match – Beef Cuts, Tips, And Recipes For Grilling

grills perfect matchWith so many cuts of steak to choose from, the task of deciding the best one to throw on the grill can be overwhelming. Have no fear — there are many correct choices, but we can help you find the perfect match for your grill, depending on your mood and personal taste.

On the occasions when you want to treat yourself and a guest to a really special steak, a porterhouse or T-bone will impress those with an appetite. Both bone-in cuts boast a strip steak on one side of the bone and a filet mignon on the other. While very similar, T-bone steaks are generally smaller because they include a smaller portion of the filet. A porterhouse can be enough to serve two. Try this recipe from Bon Appétit to kick it up a notch.

Among the most tender steaks are the filet mignon, boneless ribeye, and New York strip. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay offers easy-to-follow instructions for what he says is perfectly grilled steak, no matter which of these you choose.

Speaking of ribeye, this well-marbled cut provides particularly rich flavor. It’s used most often when preparing a true Delmonico steak, which got its name from the New York restaurant that became famous for serving the juicy, thick-cut steak nearly two centuries ago. Some things just never go out of style!

Sirloin is a lean steak, meaty and full of flavor. It’s a great option when you’re feeding a group, as you can slice it up alongside grilled veggies on a platter – perfect for cookouts!

All of the steaks we’ve talked about here are great on the grill. Keep our chart handy for reference when you’re planning your next meal in which beef is center stage. Come in to Butcher Boy and let us help you choose the freshest cuts or answer your questions. There’s a reason our most popular online resources are the Steak Grilling Guide for grilling basics on cook time and temperature, and this handy resource for how to tell if your steak is done.

 

grills perfect match

Corned Beef: Giving New England’s Most Traditional St. Patrick’s Day Meal A Twist

corned beef dinnerAsk almost everyone who grew up in the northeast, and chances are they have memories of corned beef and cabbage for dinner every St. Patrick’s Day. The holiday meal’s origins date back generations and is actually considered more of an American tradition started by Irish immigrants.

Do you prefer the red or grey variety of corned beef? Both are brisket, but the difference is in the curing process. Red corned beef gets its color from sodium nitrate, while salt is the only ingredient used to cure grey brisket, which is most commonly associated with New England. Butcher Boy offers both!

For the classic St. Patrick’s Day boiled dinner menu, check out our recipe, which is familiar to most of us, or this one that adapts a similar recipe for a slow cooker. Have you tried corned spareribs? We carry these as well at Butcher Boy, and they’re amazing roasted in the oven.

If you’re looking for a new twist on convention or a way to get a second day out of your St. Patrick’s Day dinner, we found some ideas for unique culinary celebrations:

So many choices, you might as well put corned beef on your dinner menu all year long. But no matter how you serve it this St. Patrick’s Day, don’t forget the Irish soda bread.

What’s YOUR favorite way to enjoy corned beef? Let us know. And don’t forget to stop by Butcher Boy for all the fresh ingredients you need for your Irish feast.

Fix It And Forget It, From Slow Cooker To Table

slow cooker lamb chopSometimes life gets so busy with home and work that we appreciate taking a break from cooking duties. But when you still want to put a rich, hearty meal on the table, it doesn’t have to be take-out. Enter the slow cooker, which does so much more than stews and pot roasts!

Some cuts of meat are ideal for preparing in your slow cooker because of the way the low, slow heat breaks them down to be fork-tender. Among them, beef chuck, pork shoulder, short ribs, chicken thighs, and brisket. Even though the slow cooker does most of the work, there are tried and true techniques to make the most flavorful, juicy, meat-that-falls-apart meals.

It’s a good idea to brown the beef first. A quick sear or caramelization will ensure a rich flavor. This extra step also will prevent excess grease in the finished meal.

A little seasoning can go a long way. Slow cooking doesn’t produce a lot of liquid, and flavors can become pretty strong as a result. Start with a little seasoning, then add more before serving if necessary.

Avoid overfilling the slow cooker. That’s because the steam will have trouble escaping, which will create more unwanted liquid, and the meal will end up being steamed.

It’s tempting to peek, but whatever you do, keep the lid on. Consistent temperature as the meat cooks is the key to success. You don’t want the heat to escape or the temp to fluctuate.

Are you a planner? Prepare your slow cooker meal the day before. The flavors will only be better the next evening.

If we’ve inspired you to give your slow cooker a regular place on the kitchen counter, give these recipes a try.

Food Network slow-cooker Cuban pork party sandwiches: Whichever kind of bread you choose – Brioche buns or Slider rolls – will work perfectly.

Beef Short Ribs with Ginger-Mango Barbecue Sauce: Classic and full of flavor, this is the easiest way to get fall-off-the-bone tenderness.

Slow cooker lamb chops: Impress your friends and family with a meal that takes little hands-on effort.

Hawaiian-Style Pork Ribs: After slow cooking, if you prefer, you can put the ribs under the broiler in the oven to get those charred, caramelized edges.

Savory Brisket: For best results, place the meat fat side-down in the slow cooker.

Butcher Boy’s Signature Brisket Recipe. The brisket recipe our customers ask for.

Lemon Chicken Thighs: The buttery sauce is perfect for spooning over rice and vegetables.

Freezing Temps? Stay in and Cook This Winter

winter meals_NY strip steakWe’ve shared some easy weeknight recipes that we think live up to the cozy vibe of winter. But when you’re home on the weekends, or are hunkered down while a snowstorm blows outside, or simply have a day off, you may find yourself with extra time to spend on the more complex recipes you’ve been wanting to try or the meals that take longer to prepare. Now’s the time to finally dig into those Pinterest boards you’ve been compiling or pull out the new cookware you scored over the holidays.

This recipe for the ultimate beef stew gets better the longer it simmers and will make your whole house smell great.

Do you love Greek lemon soup? Give this homemade version a try for something that’s truly authentic.

When pasta is on the menu, dress it up with a flavorful bolognese. This classic Italian sauce is slow-cooked and you can make enough to freeze what’s left over to save for future meals – perhaps lasagna next time.

A dinner of braised lamb shanks could become the new family favorite. Slow-cooking turns this inexpensive cut of meat into fall-off-the-bone tenderness.

If you’re willing to get started early in the morning, this layered brisket dinner will make it worth your while. It’s hearty for a cold winter day. If you don’t have all day, our signature braised brisket recipe can be prepared in an afternoon.

You know we love a good steak on the grill, but there are ways to get that seared flavor on the stovetop, too. Try this recipe for strip steaks with roasted veggies.

As always, we want to help you find all the best and freshest ingredients for whatever you want to cook at home. We can help with choosing the perfect cuts of meat, give some preparation advice, or offer substitutes to suit your preferences when the recipe doesn’t exactly match your tastes.

Winter Weeknight Meals To Warm You Up

bacon wrapped meatloafWith the holidays behind us, this is the season to hibernate… and that means more meals at home. It’s a great time to cook, try new recipes, find new family favorites, and sharpen our skills in the kitchen. Comfort foods are the best for chilly winter evenings, and some of them are easy to prepare even on weeknights after work.

Meatloaf is one of them. If your own basic recipe needs an upgrade, try this version, wrapped in bacon and covered in a tangy sweet sauce.

If soup is what you’re in the mood for, try something warm, filling, and quick-to-make like this Asian long noodle soup with pork tenderloin.

Sausage and peppers are a popular combo for the grill, but when the temperatures keep you inside, there’s no reason not to enjoy those familiar flavors. Potato and pepper sausage bake is the perfect winter substitute. Choose your spice level with any variety of sausage you prefer, or give your family options by including several of the types of sausage you can get from Butcher Boy.

You can elevate a simple chicken to a bistro-style dinner with lemon truffle butter (it’s easier than it sounds), starting with a spatchcock chicken that’s ready for use and can be on the table in under an hour. We carry a Bosari Citrus seasoning at Butcher Boy that works perfectly in place of the Garden citrus spice blend in the recipe.

You can find all your ingredients at Butcher Boy, including fresh, in-house ground beef, bone-in and boneless chicken, vegetables, and the perfect crusty bread to accompany any delicious winter meal. And don’t forget dessert!

What’s your favorite comfort food? Let us know!

Spanish Pulled Beef – Kellmy Rosado-Vargas

Butcher Boy’s guest blog series is an opportunity for us to feature some of our customers and share their recipes, inspiration, and enjoyment of great food. Follow #RealPeopleRealFood on Instagram to see new posts in this series.

spanish pulled beef
Kellmy Rosado-Vargas and Family

Guest blogger Kellmy Rosado-Vargas is the owner of two Lawrence-based businesses, independent design consultancy Left Eye Creations and custom printing company LEC Print. But more personally, Kellmy is a foodie from birth, and he shares his story and recipe for Spanish Pulled Beef.

As a great Dominican descent foodie from Queens, NY, I am quite the cooking enthusiast. During the early days of quarantine, I went into my passion for cooking and trying new cuisines.

While I have been a New Englander my entire life, my foundation consisted of about 10 Dominican women cooking with relentless spices. Today my home is no different as I am married to a Venezuelan lady who happens to be of Cuban descent. Talk about a mix of flavors and cultures.

spanish pulled beef recipe
Spanish Pulled Beef

With that said, and although my heart is with Dominican and New England foods, I could not ignore my wife’s grandmother’s passion for food. She was an excellent cook, an exquisite host who lived for entertaining everyone. In one of her many gatherings, I was introduced to “ropa vieja,” which is nothing more than shredded skirt steak with a Spanish flair. I was hooked!

spanish pulled beef tacos
Spanish Pulled Beef Tacos

This stew-like steak is the perfect recipe for foodies and busy families alike since it could be made in big batches and frozen for up to 3 months. It pairs well with arepas, white rice, tacos, even pasta! It is so versatile and certainly a comfort food that hopefully will become part of your weekly rotation.

Ingredients:
  • 2 lbs of the skirt or flank steak
  • ⅓ cup of olive oil, mild blend
  • 2 large Spanish onions (one whole, one finely chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 green pepper finely chopped
  • 8 oz. organic can of tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • ½ cup of dry white cooking wine
Step 1:

Place meat and one whole onion in a pressure cooker/Instapot or a large pot (double the cooking time if choosing a regular cooking pot). Fill the pot with water until it is about 2 fingers over the meat. Cook meat on high pressure for 20–30 minutes.

Step 2:

On a separate large pan, sauté on medium heat the finely chopped onion, green pepper, and garlic with oil for about 5–7 minutes. Wait until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened.

Step 3:

Take the meat out of the pot and shred it with two forks against the steak’s grain. Remove the whole onion from the broth and toss.

Step 4:

Merge shredded beef with the previously sauteed onions, peppers, and garlic onto the pan. Add all the remaining ingredients together with one cup of broth from the steak.

Step 5:

Let all the ingredients simmer for about 20 minutes at medium heat and add more broth as the sauce starts to evaporate. The beef should be in a runny sauce.

spanish pulled beef arepa
Spanish Pulled Beef Arepa

This recipe gets better the day after, so do not shy away from refrigerating it. Reheat it for leftovers, lunches, or dinner.

Enjoy / Buen Provecho,

Kellmy

Download and print the recipe here.