Food Tag: Lamb

Easter & Passover Feasts: Timeless Traditions for Your Holiday Table

The arrival of Easter and Passover often signals the welcome of spring. Although the holidays sometimes fall close together on the calendar, the foods traditionally served at each celebration—especially the centerpiece meats—reflect their own distinct traditions. Read on to learn more about what meat dishes work for each of these holidays, including some selections that can work if you’re celebrating both traditions in your home.

For Easter, many households feature a moist and tender ham, usually with a sweet glaze. Our precooked hams are ready to glaze with our own in-house recipe, or make your own, including this intriguing cola glaze from All Recipes. Want to know how long to put your ham in the oven or what temperature to use? Our Ham Roasting Guide takes the guesswork out of perfectly heating your Easter Ham.

For a delicious alternative to ham, consider a succulent pork roast. This impressive pancetta-wrapped pork roast recipe comes courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis and boasts a five-star rating.

Beyond pork and ham, many Easter tables also feature other celebratory roasts that feel just right for a spring gathering. Lamb is a longtime favorite, whether prepared as a classic leg of lamb with herbs or a tender rack roasted to perfection. Beef roasts and prime rib are also popular centerpieces for families looking for something rich and impressive. For some more Easter dish ideas, check out our past blog on Easter Dinner Recipes. And don’t forget the bakery favorites that make the holiday complete—think braided breads, specialty cakes, and festive pastries that add a sweet finish to the celebration.

Passover Brisket Flat Cut Butcher Boy MarketFor your Passover Seder, it’s all about the beef brisket. Cooked low and slow, it’s tender and full of flavor. A flat cut will be your best choice for slicing. If you want enough for some leftovers, allowing about one pound pre-cooked weight per person is a good rule of thumb. Here’s a classic braised beef brisket recipe courtesy of Beef. It’s what’s for Dinner.

If you’re looking for a meat selection that works well for both Easter and Passover, lamb might just be perfect for you. Not only is lamb suitable for both meals, it carries special symbolism in both the Christian and Judaic faiths. Roasted rack of lamb Easter Passover Butcher Boy MarketWhether a roast rack of lamb, lamb shanks, a juicy lamb roast, or one of our other delicious lamb offerings, you might be surprised at how simple it is to create a show-stopping dish sure to impress your guests. Here’s a classic rack of lamb recipe from Simply Recipes that promises to be fool-proof. To learn more about popular Easter and Passover meat cuts, check out this previous blog.

Round out your meal with bright seasonal sides like roasted asparagus, spring potatoes, or fresh greens, decorative and disposable place settings, decorations and spring flowers, all available at Butcher Boy.

Still not sure? Come see us and talk with our expert butchers. They’re sure to have some great recommendations perfect for your Easter or Passover table.

Best Picks from Butcher Boy for a Great St. Patrick’s Day

By the time March arrives, we’re all ready for a little green, and there’s no better way to do that than to go all in on St. Patrick’s Day. Irish heritage or not, sometimes you just need a little color and fun to break up a cold, gray month—and we have everything you need to celebrate this uniquely Irish-American holiday.

our own corned beefLet’s start with corned beef. Whether the typical red corned beef with spices or the harder to find New England grey corned beef, Butcher Boy doesn’t disappoint with housemade and delicious corned beef offerings. Have you ever heard of corned ribs? For a delicious alternative, Butcher Boy corns ribs in-house. The result is ribs ready to pair with traditional (or less traditional) sides. Want an easy corned beef boiled dinner recipe? We have that, too. Or, you can pick up our boiled dinner mix of vegetables ready to throw in the pot or completely cooked ready-to-serve corned beef dinners at our store.

st. Patricks shepherds pie corned ribs corned beef boiled dinner irish stewIf corned beef isn’t your thing, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a hearty lamb or beef Irish Stew or Shepherd’s Pie made in our kitchen.

Looking for traditional Irish Soda Bread? We have it at Butcher Boy, with or without caraway seeds. If you prefer making your own, here’s a delicious authentic family recipe, along with its story.

St. Patrick’s day has become synonymous with beer, and what’s more Irish than Guinness, a brand from Dublin that dates back to the 18th century? Even those who are continuing the tradition of dry January can enjoy a pint of non-alcoholic Guinness. You owe it to yourself to check out Butcher Boy’s full selection of beer, including Murphy’s, Wexford, Smithwick’s, and other stouts and ales. There’s sure to be something that will be perfect for your St. Pat’s celebration.

Konditor Meister cake St. Patrick's Day cakeAfter a boiled dinner and refreshment, who doesn’t crave a sweet treat? We have delicious Bailey’s cakes from Konditor Meister and individual St. Patrick’s Day cakes.

Need more inspiration? Check out this video of some of our St. Patrick’s Day offerings, then come see us!

Butcher Boy’s Picks: Cuts We Love in the Winter

Is there anything better in the winter than the aroma of a delicious roast or savory osso buco in the oven? With the right cuts of meat and a good recipe to follow, restaurant-quality meals are yours with just a little preparation and some patience.

butcher boy market Best winter cuts of meatIf you’ve ever visited our store in North Andover, you know we have a wide selection of meats, including beef, chicken, lamb, and pork. Winter, with its cold temperatures and cozy vibe, calls for comfort food, dishes that could have been passed down from your grandparents.

Let’s start with the classic pot roast. Boneless chuck is the traditional choice for this dish, but other cuts of meat, including brisket, are delicious alternatives. For a complete guide on how to cook a roast in the oven, including temps, times and valuable tips, check out our guide here.

butcher boy market Best winter cuts of meat osso buco recipeOne of our favorite cuts of meat is the often-underrated veal shank, a bone-in cut that is the foundation for a classic osso buco, a surprisingly simple dish that delivers amazing flavor. Substitute beef, lamb, or pork shanks (just make sure they are shank cuts from the leg) for equally delicious results. For another variation, brown your meat and veggies in pancetta rather than olive oil for an added dimension. Always make extra – osso buco, like many slow cooked dishes, is even better the next day.

Speaking of lamb shanks, there is nothing like the tender goodness of braised lamb shanks, perfectly paired with green beans or grilled vegetables from our kitchen.

butcher boy market Best winter cuts of meat classic beef stew recipe beef cubesHow about a classic beef stew featuring our cubed beef? Pair it with a crusty bread selection from our bakery to sop up all that gravy goodness.

If you don’t have the time for a slow-cooked meal, we’ve got some delicious marinated and ready-to-cook options perfect for those cold winter nights including our always-popular honey apple pork roast and pork pinwheels stuffed with fresh spinach, mozzarella, and breadcrumbs. Your family or guests will never know you didn’t spend hours preparing them!

Want more inspiration for perfect winter cuts and recipes? Come in to browse our selections and for some expert advice from our butchers and staff. You’ll always get a warm welcome at Butcher Boy.

Highlighting our Fall Favorites

Fall days were meant for comfort food, and what’s more comforting than a perfectly prepared beef, pork, or chicken dish? We’ve got you covered. These cuts lend themselves to a variety of cooking methods including smoking, roasting, and crockpot preparations for those busy days. Don’t miss our latest Fall Favorites Shopping Guide for more information on our customer favorites. And check out our Cooking and Grilling Guides for valuable preparation tips to ensure a perfect result every time. 

Here’s what our customers tell us are their favorites for fall: 

Beef Brisket – Whether you choose a lean flat cut (best for quicker preparation) or a rich full packer, beef brisket is always a delicious crowd pleaser. 

Check out this easy smoked brisket recipe from Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.

Boneless Pork Butt – Perfect for pulled pork, this cut yields tender and delectable meat that can be used in a variety of recipes.  Just remember “low and slow.” 

Here’s a great smoker recipe from Serious Eats for perfect pulled pork.

Want to come home to delicious pulled pork after a busy day? Let your crockpot do the cooking. (Recipe from The Seasoned Mom)

Bone-In Center Cut Pork Roast – As impressive as a prime rib and just as delectable, this cut is surprisingly easy to prepare. Check out this simple smoker recipe.

Want to savor the smell of roast pork coming from your kitchen? Here’s a top-rated oven recipe from Food and Wine.

Beef Short Ribs – Marinating these succulent cuts of meat in a Korean-inspired perfect mix of sweet, sour, and salty makes for a delicious bite in this grilling recipe from Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. 

Want a great slow-cooker alternative? These slow-cooker short ribs from Taste of Home are sure to please.

Baby Back Pork Ribs – Classic and delicious, there’s nothing like spice-rubbed pork ribs fresh from the grill and served up with your favorite barbecue sauce. You can’t go wrong with this prize-winning recipe prepared on the grill.

Don’t forget our amazing selection of shanks, roasts, and oven-ready specialties for easy, quick, and delicious meals.

butcher boy oven ready roastsSeasoned & Stuffed Roasts: Choose from delicious options such as Honey Apple Pork, Garlic Pepper Pork, Stuffed Top Sirloin, and Stuffed Pork Roast.

Shanks: Veal Osso Buco is the ultimate comfort food with a hint of extravagance – ask for a veal hind shank at our butcher counter and try this recipe from Giada De Laurentis for a delicious dinner. For another incredible restaurant-inspired meal try braised lamb shanks, slow-cooked and served alongside a creamy risotto. Or, pick up some beef shin bones with meat and try this take on classic beef and barley soup. 

House Specialties: Our stuffed chicken breasts feature a variety of savory stuffings. Beef and pork options include Braciole, Meatloaf, Stuffed Flank Steak, Beef Pinwheels, Stuffed Pork Chops and Pork Pinwheels.

Perfect Sides: Our kitchen prepares delicious vegetables, classic sides, and much more. Don’t miss out on our fresh homemade applesauce, a perfect addition to your fall table.

 

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.

Springtime Wine Pairings

Springtime Wine PairingsSpring is in the air, and it’s a great time to think about changing up the beverages we pair with our favorite springtime meals, specifically wine. This time of year, you might want to move from heavy reds to light reds, rosés, and whites — lighter wines that are perfect for lighter meals.

The possibilities and choices of wine seem to be endless, and if you’ve ever stood in a wine shop trying to choose among them, the task can be overwhelming. Or, if you or your dinner guests just happen to not prefer wine, the decision about what type to drink can be even more difficult. So where to start?

Sparkling wines are an excellent starting point for those who might normally choose a spiked seltzer or fizzy cocktail. Your taste buds will appreciate the chilled bubbles along with the sweetness. Prosecco is the sweet Italian cousin to traditional French champagne. Lambrusco is a sparkling red worth a taste.

Want to try other red wines? It’s the tannins in wine that give that puckering, sometimes drier taste, but there are lighter reds with lower tannin levels that might appeal to a non-wine drinker’s palate, such as Pinot Noir or Syrah.

Now let’s get back to pairing with spring foods. When salad is on the menu, either as an entrée or a substantial side dish, look for white wines with so-called “green” flavors. Vinho Verde, Grüner Veltliner, Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc, and Albariño will fit right in with leafy greens. Pinot grigio is a good match for pasta primavera.

There are a couple of choices of wine to pair with asparagus, depending on how it’s cooked. Try a Pinot Bianco with grilled asparagus, but a dry rosé would work well with asparagus that is oven-roasted. Artichokes can be difficult to match with wine because they can make it taste overly sweet. To counter that effect, pick a tart white with good acidity, like a Sauvignon blanc.

Let’s get to the meat of wine pairings. Is baked ham on the menu for Easter? Then choose Riesling for its fruity flavors of apple, apricot, and pineapple that will go naturally.

If you’re serving lamb for Passover or Easter, well, then a red wine might be the obvious choice. However, a tender spring lamb needs a wine that won’t overpower its delicate flavors and texture. One popular suggestion: Grenache, which is typically light and has fruit flavors.

When it comes to fruit, in most cases you’re going to want a wine that’s very sweet and bubbly, especially with a dessert. Champagne doesn’t have to be reserved for special celebrations. A sweet Gewürtztraminer is another option, or sparkling rosé.

While you’re shopping with us for your spring holiday meals or weekend dinner parties on the deck or patio, let us show you our wine selection and help you choose the best ones to serve with your menu and please all your guests. Then tell us which ones are your favorites!

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.

Festive Easter & Passover Holidays At Home

Spiral Hams, Butcher Boy Market

The arrival of Easter and Passover is the annual cue that winter is over, and we can look forward to longer days and warmer temperatures as spring moves in. Celebrate the season of fresh beginnings with a holiday meal!

Lamb Lollipops, Butcher Boy Market

The spring holiday season is upon us, and we have plenty of options to make family meals special. If you are thinking of ham or lamb for Easter, we can help you choose the perfect one, depending on how you want to prepare it — whether it’s a classic spiral ham or lamb roast. For smaller appetites or something perfect for individual servings, give lamb ‘lollipops’ a try. Some families prefer to celebrate with brunch rather than a big meal later in the day.

Lamb Roasts, Butcher Boy Market

Passover begins its week of customs with a ceremonial Seder. The meal’s menu might vary among families, but brisket, roast chicken, or lamb often are the main entrée to accompany traditional items. Our expert butchers can help you select the ideal size and cut of meat for your meal.

We have everything available to make your meal complete — including side dishes and desserts ready to serve. We have the selection you need and the people who know meat best. What are your favorite menu items for spring celebrations? We’d love to hear from you!