No reason to make this too complicated with the 4th of July around the corner.
More of a simple combination here of recognizing butchers while encouraging outsiders to think differently about their meat.
Under no circumstances should you feel defensive.
A huge difference off the bat is cost.
Good service professionals come with higher price tags but thats generally not the case with your local butcher.
The typical exception here is lunch meat, but that usually comes with higher quality brands from your butcher.
Artisan Hungarian Salami is a delicacy and will be priced as such.
Otherwise, youre generally getting more value at your price point.
Next up is selection.
I dont mean to disrespect Jewel, but theyre heavy on pork for a reason.
Some chops, but mostly prepackaged, vacuum-sealed loins.
A traditional butcher shop obviously carries much more variety.
That could be a range of wagyu strips to southwest-seasoned chicken fajitas.
They could stuff portobello mushrooms and keep a freezer of frozen meatloaves.
If anything, selection is where the divide between butcher and grocer grows strongest.
Most places you’ve got the option to call ahead for POUNDS of beef tenderloin.
Most butchers love accommodating a special order for that special family gathering.
Processing is another game changer.
A solid butcher processes a lot on site.
Strips and chuck and brisket all carved from a fresh carcass in back room refrigerated to 47 degrees.
Decades worth of knife skills preparing each cut with maximum handcrafted precision.
Compare that to the mechanically separated ground beef from your local chain and turns out there is no comparison.
No more than Hawk Tuah vs. your crusted fleshlight.
Are you allergic to paprika?
How much dijon mustard can you spare?
Tell a butcher you need help picking between the hanger, flank, and flat-iron.
Then watch the follow-up questions flood in.How many people?
How are you preparing?
Is there a marinade?
Meanwhile the guy at Marianos doesnt give a fuck about your uncles retirement BBQ.
Is 1.8 pounds enough kabobs?
Yeah another kabob is great
Okay cool let me grab you another kabob.
Alright that comes to 2.06 pounds.
Yeah thats about 2 pounds of kabobs.
Some more considerations:
- A really good butcher shop is borderline irreplaceable in life.
Especially if you might build a personal relationship where theyre proactively recommending new things.
Most butcher shops carry a much deeper roster of mustard and hot sauce, which is really nice.
Homemade hot dogs should be called something different because theyre so much better than your national branded dogs.
I cant stress this enough going into the 4th.
- Last thing is a public policy point.
We need to go to butcher shops so that we have butcher shops.
That sounds simple but so is Walmarts ability to undercut poultry prices.
So buy local or one day well be eating bugs and telling grandkids about filet mignon.
(Fuck that.)
Otherwise have a nice 4th.
PS - Paulina Market in Roscoe Village is my #1.
Reams in Elburn off rte.
47 is my #2.
And currently there is 3 but I’m listening.
