Archives: Know-How

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

Grilling Essentials For Summer Meals

grilling essentialsSome of the best meals of the summer season are prepared on the grill. Anything can be cooked to perfection outside, if you know even just the basics. Whether you’d like a refresher on techniques or some advice to improve your grilling game, along with some mouthwatering recipes, Butcher Boy is the place to come.

Gas vs. charcoal vs. wood smoker. Those loyal to charcoal swear the flavor is better. But gas grillers enjoy the convenience of temperature control. For true barbeque, fans of smokers say there’s no other way to go. No matter which kind of grill you have, or if you want to try something new, we compiled tips and recipes for the most popular types of grills.

Preheating is important. Just like your kitchen oven, your grill needs to warm up in order to cook most efficiently. Set a gas grill on high to preheat. It normally takes about 10 minutes for a gas grill to reach 500 degrees. It’ll take longer for a charcoal grill to heat up and burn off any lighter fluid you may have used. You’ll know it’s ready when the coals are covered with gray ash, and you can’t hold your hand comfortably over the grate for more than a few seconds.

Avoid putting cold meat on the grill. Whatever is on the menu — chicken, beef, pork — take the meat out of the fridge about a half hour before you’re ready to cook. That will ensure it cooks more evenly, and that’s especially important for thicker cuts of steak.

Know when to use direct versus indirect heat. Cooking our meat or vegetables placed directly over the heat source is what we normally think of as traditional grilling. It’s a great technique for typical cookout food, such as burgers, steaks, chicken breasts or wings, pork chops, sausages, and hot dogs. But grilling over indirect heat is best for larger pieces of meat that requires more time to cook, similar to slow cooking ribs, whole chickens, or roasts in the oven. If you want a charred crust and those tell-tale grill marks, start those meats on high heat first for a good sear, then move to lower, indirect heat to allow it to cook more thoroughly without overcooking the outside.

This can be accomplished whether you have a gas or charcoal grill. When cooking with gas, turn on just half the burners, and place foods on the unlit side. With charcoal, place the hot coals to one side of the grill, and put foods on the empty side of the grate.

Resist the temptation to move the food around or flatten it. You should only flip your steaks or burgers once. More than that will give you drier, less tasty results. Be careful when you flip: doing it too soon can cause the meat to stick to the grill. You’ll know it’s time to turn them over when they slide easily off the grate. Don’t squeeze the juicy flavor out of those delicious burgers by squeezing them with your spatula. In addition, be sure to use a spatula or tongs — not a fork! — to flip or remove meat to ensure the juices stay inside.

Now that you’re ready to fire up the grill, what do you want to cook? We have some suggestions for any kind of menu to feed groups large and small.

Inspiration and Recipes for Simple & Quick Grilling

Pick up a bag of marinated chicken or pork at Butcher Boy and toss them on the grill with sliced veggies from our fresh produce aisle such as zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms for a simple and light weeknight meal.

If you prefer dark meat chicken, one of the tastiest, juiciest cuts is the drumstick. This recipe will give you the step-by-step instructions for great results.

Beef kabobs are a fast, flavorful meal. Even easier than assembling them yourself, let us do the prep for you! Pick up a few ready-for-the-grill kabobs at Butcher Boy on your way home.

For the Long, Lazy Days of Summer

Is there anything better than a steakhouse meal made at home? Try these grilled smoky ribeyes for a dinner in.

Perfect for a weekend evening, pork ribs are a favorite, especially when they are sweet, tangy, and fall off the bone. Don’t be intimidated by the process – they’re easy to make if you put in the time.

If you’ve cooked a beef brisket indoors and aren’t sure how to get the same results on the grill, you can learn! This is another one that takes time, so it’s best reserved for your day off or a weekend. Use a smoker if you have one, but you can cook it on your gas or charcoal grill, too. Served with your favorite sides like potato salad, mac and cheese, or beans, and you can’t go wrong.

Grilling a whole chicken looks pretty fancy, but it’s easier to do than you’d think. Spatchcocked chicken has been split and flattened out. It’s a great way to reduce the cooking time and make sure it grills evenly. Save the effort and mess of removing the backbone of the chicken yourself and pick up your Bell & Evans spatchcocked chicken at Butcher Boy before the weekend.

To Feed a Hungry Crowd

Butcher Boy carries burger patties that we make in-house so you can simply toss them on the grill, flip and cook to perfection to get them to your guests even faster.

Hot dogs are fine, but how about some sausage that can also be grilled in large quantities? Visit Butcher Boy and choose from all the varieties that we make fresh in-house, from sweet and hot Italian to garlic and cheese, tomato, and even chicken or turkey sausage for guests who prefer an alternative to beef or pork. Sausages can be cooked earlier in the day, stored in the refrigerator, and heated back up in a foil tray at the start of your party. They’ll smell and taste great, and you’ll have more time to spend with friends and family away from the grill.

Wings are always a party favorite. You’ve probably baked them or fried them, but they’re just as delicious grilled. They cook up fast, and your family and friends will love this buffalo version on the grill.

What are your favorite summer grilling recipes? Let us know!

 

grills perfect match

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!

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!