Archives: Know-How

Grilling For Father’s Day

Like many holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions over the past few months, Father’s Day is sure to feel and look a little different than we’re used to. But if you’re with your family – either at a safe distance or online – a backyard barbeque on a (hopefully) sunny, early summer day might help make this year’s celebration as close to “normal” as you can get, despite any restrictions related to the current public health crisis.

Why not cook Dad a steakhouse meal of your own? Butcher Boy has a variety of cuts available. Some of our favorites for a special dinner include tender filet mignon and flavorful New York strip.

father's day grillingWe’ve shared some delicious recipes in the past that are worth another look for your Father’s Day menu. For more inspiration, try this Steak au Poivre with Cognac Sauce or Bistecca alla Fiorentina, which is really just a fancy Italian name for a porterhouse dish but not any more difficult to prepare.

Need some advice for fool-proof grilling? We provide that, too, with our steak grilling guide and tips on techniques.

If it’s not possible to spend the whole day with your father, grandfather, or other special male figure, consider bringing him your homemade meal to go. Drop it off or set up a picnic on the lawn for you to enjoy together. No matter what, memories will be made this Father’s Day, and we wish all you a safe and healthy one.

Don’t forget Butcher Boy is open to serve you. Please visit and shop with us, following our current guidelines.

 

grills perfect match

Substitutions, Swaps, and Simplicity for Homemade Meals

food substitutionsThere’s an irony to the circumstances we find ourselves in, with stay at home orders and restrictions in place for venturing out. Most of us are now preparing more meals at home, but a quick run to the grocery store to pick up last-minute ingredients isn’t as convenient as it used to be just a couple of months ago.  What’s more, even when we plan our family menus ahead of time, some items are just simply unavailable when we make our weekly or monthly shop. But there are ways around those challenges with a bit of knowledge and ingenuity.

If you want to make a meal for which you do not have, or are not able to purchase, all of the ingredients, don’t worry! First, while shopping, try to think about which foods can be used in multiple ways. Dried pasta is an especially popular grocery list item these days, but try to stock up on various kinds. Almost any shape is perfect for casseroles, soups, or a traditional pasta meal with sauce. The same goes for canned or dried beans and rice. Keep those in your pantry to have on hand for any recipe.

Proteins are more versatile than you might think.  Don’t worry if you don’t have or can’t find the exact meat your recipe calls for. For beef stews, try chuck, short rib, bottom round, or brisket. To get the most out of a large dinner, consider meats that can be sliced and used for lunches the next day, such as open-face sandwiches with gravy, Au Jus, or horseradish, or as a protein on top of salad, couscous, or rice with veggies. Ground beef isn’t just for burgers, it can also be used to make chili, Bolognese, sliders, or meatballs, and paired with any grain or pasta for a filling meal. With a pretty long shelf-life, bacon also has a place at the table – save the leftover cooked slices from breakfast and add it to sandwiches or burgers, or crumble it up to mix into salads, mashed potatoes, or pasta carbonara.

When it comes to produce, leafy greens and root vegetables are versatile enough to work with most meals. Spinach, kale, swiss chard, carrots, potatoes, turnips, and radishes are some examples. Different kinds of onions – yellow, red, white, shallots, leeks – can be swapped out in recipes as well. All of those have a relatively long shelf life, too, so they won’t go bad before you have a chance to use them.

Don’t forget Butcher Boy is open and we prepare our own meats, so you’ll typically find a good selection of beef, chicken, pork, and more available. We do have guidelines in place to keep our employees and customers safe. Be sure to check our website for updates on store hours and other news. Thank you for your loyalty!

Making Mother’s Day Memories While Keeping Your Distance

It’s a difficult year for celebrating special occasions and holidays. At the same time, while we can’t gather in person for parties, dinners, or nights out on the town, those reasons tmother's day celebrationo celebrate are more important than ever. We’re appreciating our friends and loved ones, showing gratitude, and giving back where we are able to. Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and the current circumstances mean you may have to be a bit more creative than usual to convey your love – but it’s welcome now more than ever.

For the mothers, aunts, sisters, daughters, and grandmothers who don’t live with you, a drive-by visit has become a popular way to acknowledge a special day. Decorate your car with signs, paper flowers, streamers, or glass markers, and caravan to the house with other relatives to make it a Mother’s Day parade. Florists are still available to take online orders – if mom is comfortable accepting a delivery, pick out a beautiful bouquet that will bring some color to the weekend.

Bring a homemade lunch or dinner that you can drop off at the door or share outdoors if you’re able to arrange seating at an appropriate physical distance. Consider supporting a local restaurant or catering company and buying takeout for Mom so she doesn’t have to cook that day. Meals often include dessert and even wine is available for pick-up or delivery in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

If your mother is farther away than a quick drive and you can’t visit for the weekend as you usually do, a video chat is a nice step up from a phone call. Gather the extended family to schedule a group video call through Zoom or FaceTime.

Staying home doesn’t mean Mom has to go without gifts. Have the kids create homemade cards. Local spas and salons eventually will be back open. Check the website for the one she frequents and buy a gift card she can use when the time comes. The same goes for her favorite restaurant. Want to give Mom something she can enjoy now? Put together a gift basket full of personal care products for home manicures, facials, and luxurious baths.  Throw in a book she’s never had time to read before now or a game that would be fun to play with the family – there are great virtual games online for groups here.

If the mother you live with is an essential worker who has been putting in long hours, show some extra love every day – making dinner, lighting candles, even just leaving her to watch her favorite Netflix show by herself when she gets home.

We’re proud to be open to serve you at Butcher Boy, with some specific guidelines. In one trip, you can pick up the ingredients for your next homemade meal, cold prepared foods, something special from our butchers, beer, wine, spirits, and even dessert.

Kids In The Kitchen

kids in kitchenWhile we all do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19, families are cooking more meals at home than ever before. Do you have children who would enjoy helping to prepare dinner? Under ordinary circumstances, we admit it’s often easier for parents to take on all the kitchen tasks – no need to slow down the process or have to supervise and clean up extra messes. But with more time on our hands for the foreseeable future, and a need to practice those math skills at home, why not add a different activity to the day’s agenda? Choosing the right recipes that kids can follow on their own can even give parents a bit of a break.

How about sloppy joes? The name suggests that almost anything goes with this easy-to-assemble dinner favorite. Delegate a job to kids of all ages. Veggies optional, but they make it more nutritious. 

Chicken tenders are a kid diet staple in a lot of homes, but these are a homemade variety they’ll love helping to create. Let them shake on the coating and mix up the dipping sauces.

One of the easiest meals kids can help with is pizza, but using French bread for the crust makes it even simpler. Slice the loaf vertically and place the halves on a baking sheet for the toppings of sauce, cheese, and whatever else you want to customize your personal pizza.

For more ideas, join the Taste Buds Kitchen Cooking Club, which provides access to free family-friendly recipe videos. New recipe videos are posted online twice a week. Highlights Magazine is another great resource for meals and snacks perfect for any time of day.

Don’t forget Butcher Boy is open every day for your grocery needs. Please consider shopping during the week instead of on the weekend to help limit the number of people in the store. Shopping by yourself without family members is another way to ensure that social distancing guidelines are followed by everyone around you.

We’re in This Together

COVID in this togetherWe’re weeks into this national health crisis with more to go before any of us can expect daily life to get back to whatever normal was before we found ourselves practicing social distancing.

But there’s some comfort in knowing we are in this together, and we don’t have to feel helpless or unable to make valuable contributions to our community. Do you have neighbors who are elderly or homebound for any reason? Now is a great time to give them a call to see how they’re doing or offer to drop off groceries if they are unable to leave the house on their own.

Local non-profit organizations and food pantries are facing challenges. The Merrimack Valley Food Bank, the Lawrence YMCA Food Pantry, Neighbors in Need, and others are accepting financial donations, along with non-perishables and personal care items, but check their websites for wish lists, recommendations and safety procedures. Organizations such as Bread & Roses, Emmaus, and Lazarus House Ministries have adapted their strategies to fight hunger and poverty in the Merrimack Valley.

Our community health care facilities, including Lawrence General Hospital, are responding as best they can to meet the medical needs of their patients as they always have. But these are extraordinary times, and they can use some help in the form of donations.

Small businesses also are adapting to new ways to serve their clients and customers. Specifically, food establishments are closed to dining in but open to take out. Consider taking a night off from cooking at home to order breakfast, lunch or dinner to go. Some now have limited menus available so be sure to call ahead or look online to see the daily special options. You can also purchase gift cards to your favorite restaurants that you can use at a later time.

Our Butcher Boy Marketplace neighbors are part of these efforts to continue providing fresh, quality meals – including Lobster Tail Seafoods, Orzo Trattoria, and Perfecto’s Caffe. Even Ciao Bow Wow and Nature’s Cleaners remain open because clean clothing, pet food, and supplies are essential to our citizens. Nature’s Cleaners offers free pickup and delivery on Tuesdays and Fridays. Pentucket Bank remains open as an essential service with branch drive-up services. Follow these businesses on social media for the most up-to-date information regarding hours and shopping guidelines.

We wish you good health, strength, and patience as we all navigate the unknown. Enjoy the opportunity to slow down life’s usually frantic pace and spend time with loved ones at home. We will be here.

St. Patrick’s Day: A Culinary Celebration

grey corned beefSt. Patrick’s Day is the time when everyone is Irish, even if some of us have no ancestral connection to the Emerald Isle at all. Butcher Boy has all the ingredients you need for a customary Irish-American corned beef and cabbage meal. Whether it’s your first time preparing it or you just need an annual refresher, check out our step-by-step cooking guide.

When you’re planning your menu, you might choose to stay true to your regional roots. Grey corned beef is considered the traditional New England style and uncommon in supermarkets and butcher shops outside a 50-mile radius of Boston. Butcher Boy sells both the grey and red corned beef cuts that you can prepare yourself or a fully cooked corned beef dinner you only have to heat up.

The flavor of the holiday doesn’t have to be limited to March 17. There are leftovers to be enjoyed! Try corned beef hash and eggs for breakfast the next day. For lunch or dinner, when you want a taste that’s reminiscent of the full meal, put together some easy corned beef and cabbage sliders. Or maybe a classic reuben sandwich is your preference.

If corned beef doesn’t tempt your family’s taste buds, there are other options for a proper St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Irish stew is a delicious choice, with either traditional lamb or beef.  How about shepherd’s pie? The classic comfort food of layered beef, vegetables, and mashed potatoes is simple to make for a crowd, and even easier if you cook a mini version in individual servings.

Whatever is on your menu, authentic Irish soda bread is the ideal accompaniment. Make a list of all the ingredients you need for your perfect St. Patrick’s Day celebration meal, and Butcher Boy will help you shop for them all. And please share your other holiday traditions with us. We love hearing about how our customers celebrate the luck of the Irish.

Supporting Local Businesses

We love being in the Merrimack Valley and supporting other businesses in the communities we serve. We understand the value small businesses bring to our towns and cities — in the form of jobs, revenue, and personal connections. That’s why we also love highlighting some of our neighbors and companies whose products we are proud to offer at Butcher Boy.

 

Pita bread from Korbani’s Bakery is like no other. For more than 30 years, the Korbani family has been making traditional Middle Eastern bread in Methuen. Mary, her daughter Kristen Korbani, and family are continuing the tradition. Look for fresh, local Korbani pita bread at Butcher Boy.

 

The story of pierogi from Jaju goes back even further. The family business began seven decades ago in western Massachusetts, where Vanessa White and her sister Casey grew up learning to cut, stuff, and seal the Polish food staple. The women brought their grandfather’s recipes for pierogi to our area in 2015 and have since perfected both traditional and creative pierogi flavors for their New England customers who crave a pierogi fix that doesn’t taste mass-produced. Jaju’s pierogi are made from scratch in Lynn and can be found in a variety of flavors at Butcher Boy ready to cook in your own kitchen.

 

Arcade Snacks has built a solid reputation for sweet and savory varieties, including nuts, dried fruit, candy, and chocolate. It’s another family business nearly 40 years in the making. Founders George and Ann Ethier focused on quality and expanded from roasting cashews to an assortment of confections available in the finest hotels, restaurants, and retailers – including Butcher Boy. Today, their sons Rick Haufe and T.J. Ethier and their team remain committed to satisfying your snack cravings.

 

Visit Butcher Boy to try out any of these products or the others we have featured before. We know shopping local matters.

 

Impress Your Valentine With a 5-Star Dinner at Home

Valentines Dinner SteakValentine’s Day is coming up, and dinner out is a common way for couples to celebrate. But we think the sweetest way to your valentine’s heart is with a homemade dinner neither of you will forget. Especially if it can be compared to a 5-star restaurant meal.

Let your sweetheart indulge in one of the most romantic dinners we can think of: decadent, rich, flavorful steak.

A filet cut of beef guarantees the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat. That’s what you’ll get with this recipe for filet mignon with mushroom red wine sauce (adjust accordingly for the thickness of your steaks).

Another steak worthy of a special occasion is rib eye. The marinade in this Southeast Asian recipe adds a sweet and savory flavor.

Porterhouse is generous enough for two. It’s a t-bone that includes a larger portion of the tenderloin, so the porterhouse is perfect for sharing with the one you love.

If something other than beef sounds intriguing, consider putting lamb lollipops on your Valentine’s Day dinner menu.

Serve any of these meats with simple sides, including mashed or roasted potatoes and other vegetables. While you’re at Butcher Boy, pick up a bottle of wine and a decadently delicious dessert.

But it’s not all about the cooking or the flavors.  Don’t forget about presentation.

Here are some ideas for plating your romantic meal.

  • If you have them, use white plates. Food looks great on a white backdrop because the colors stand out.
  • Picture a clock as you plate. From the diner’s point of view, the meat should be between 3 and 9, your starch or carbohydrate from 9 and 12, and your vegetable from 12 and 3.
  • Less is more. Put the star of your meal – your protein – on the plate by itself and put the sides in small bowls. If you choose to serve everything together, just don’t overcrowd the plate.
  • Serve food in odd numbers. Five potatoes instead of six is visually more appealing.
  • Design with sauces. Don’t just pour them on the food, drizzle the sauce carefully or use a spoon to create accent dots on the plate.

Not sure you can pull it all off? Even if you’re not the next home cook featured on Master Chef, we can help you gain confidence in the kitchen. Reference our roasting and grilling guides for whatever you choose to prepare for your valentine.

 

Game-Day Feasts to Feed a Crowd

football game foodOur home team is no longer in contention for this year’s Big Game, but the postseason is in full swing, and game day remains a good excuse to get friends and family together for an afternoon or evening of food and drink.

Great football-watching food doesn’t take away from the game. The hosts should have as much fun as the guests, and you don’t want anyone feeling like they need to pull themselves away from the TV in order to satisfy their appetites. That’s why low-prep, easy-to-eat meals are best. Finger foods, dips, and small bites can be set out buffet-style for guests to serve themselves at their leisure during commercials and half-time. We found some great recipes to offer variety for a crowd.

Ribs are a hearty, simple finger food that requires little to no prep – simply set them out on a platter to be picked up and enjoyed. Butcher Boy carries a scrumptious selection of marinated or plain ribs, so you can flavor them anyway you choose.

For Texas hold-ums chipotle beef burgers, dinner rolls will work just fine for the buns. The garlic ketchup adds just the right flavor to balance the spice.

For a simple snack with a kick, try our buffalo chicken dip. It’s rich, a bit spicy, hearty, and the only setup needed is a bowl of tortilla chips.

What’s a football game without chili? Don’t forget to offer toppings on the side for guests to suit their tastes: sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced peppers, and diced tomatoes.

Cheeseburger bites are appetizer size and perfect for bringing together all the flavors of the conventional burger you know and love – with a twist.

Nachos loaded with pulled pork and all the fixings are sure to please. Or use whatever proteins you want instead of pork. Just don’t skimp on the layers and quantity so that everyone gets a heaping helping on their plates.

Of course, we have all the ingredients for these ideas and anything else on your game-day menu at Butcher Boy.

Winter Comfort Foods to Keep You Warm and Cozy

comfort foods

What better to beat the cold-weather blues than with a delicious hot meal? We have a few hearty favorites that will warm up your home during the winter months.

With tender chunks of beef coated in a creamy sauce and served over a bed of buttery noodles, it’s no wonder beef stroganoff is a big hit. Start with a beef tenderloin – our butchers can help you select just the right size and cut – and this made-from-scratch dinner is sure to impress your family who will think you spent all day in the kitchen.

Pot roast is a classic winter meal to satisfy and fill every appetite. When it’s slow-roasted in the oven all day, the aroma will bring the family running. Serve it with mashed potatoes.

For a meal that’s even better when you eat the leftovers, red wine-braised brisket or our signature braised brisket, are a must for your winter menu. We promise meat will be fork-tender and full of flavor that will only get enhance the next day.

We love bone-in pork chops, and any recipe that describes them as “smothered” is sure to be delicious. It’s also easy, which makes for a great weeknight supper when time is tight.

Roast chicken is another wonderful meal that provides warm comfort and can stretch into several meals. At Butcher Boy, you can pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken on your way home and leave the work to us. Serve it with your favorite veggies the first night, then use the leftover meat for a hearty soup during the week, or add it to salads, quesadillas, or sandwiches.

To warm up a crowd, chili is the way to go. We can provide you the freshest ground beef for whichever recipe you use.

Don’t forget dessert! There’s not much more comforting on a cold winter evening than a warm pie. But you don’t have to do the baking. Butcher Boy has them for you!

What’s your go-to comfort food? Share them with us on Facebook or tag us on Instagram!