Your source for information on a proper meal.
Welcome to Your Online Butcher. Like my father before me and my grandfather before him, it is my job to spread knowledge on the proper preparation and consumption of meat. They have done it through the family owned grocery/butcher store for many years, I will try to communicate online what they say to customers every day over the counter. The largest point I am here to make is that local businesses provide superior product over supermarkets, chains, and corporations. The prices you see at the supermarket may be enticing, but I am here to vouch for the little man that actually cares about what his customers think. Hopefully you will find this informative and useful.
Educate yourself on what you eat.
You may be surprised.
I recently read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser and I must say that it even shocked me (a person that has been around meat since I was young). The book discusses various topics such as how the cattle are raised that go into the fast food and supermarket chains around the nation. You will be absolutely shocked, my first piece of advice before talking about anything else involving meat is that you read this book. It also delves into other topics such as how they are contributing to the decline of local restaurants, family farms, etc. Highly recommended, fun read, very informative.
Equip yourself
Fast Food Nation
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Farberware 3-Piece Wood Cutting Board Set
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Totally Bamboo Kona Groove Cutting Board
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Beef
It's what's for dinner.
Well if it isn't what is for dinner, you are missing out. The picture at the introduction to the online butcher should show where my preferences lie, I'll take a steak over a chicken breast any day. The first thing you need to know about beef is that E-coli(Escherichia coli) is a always a threat, even more so in some meats than others (especially pre-packaged hamburger as it is often taking in meat from many different cows and processed centrally). The only way to guarantee that e-coli is destroyed is to cook meat to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (70 Celsius). 160 and above is considered "well done", personally I like my meat rare - medium-rare yet I get it straight from my father's shop so I have absolutely no worries about possible E-coli infection.
The online butchers wine pairing: Red. It depends on the dish but I'd certainly recommend a red wine over white wine. I typically have merlot but a nice shiraz or cabernet sauvignon will work better depending on the richness of the flavors.
The online butchers wine pairing: Red. It depends on the dish but I'd certainly recommend a red wine over white wine. I typically have merlot but a nice shiraz or cabernet sauvignon will work better depending on the richness of the flavors.
Grades of Beef
When you are shopping for quality, you need to get the best, USDA Prime beef isn't even available in most supermarkets. To get the best there is, you need to go to a specialty butcher shop or an upscale hotel/restaurant. The grades are based off the marbling of intramuscular fat at the 12 rib cross section and the age of the animal. 3% of beef meets these strict standards. Supermarkets typically carry standard, select, and choice.
- USDA Prime - Highest grade of beef sold, highest amount of intramuscular fat (therefore the best flavor).
- Choice - Highest found in most supermarkets
- Select - Lowest commonly sold quality.
- Standard - Standard and below typically do not go through the process of USDA grading due to the costs.
- Commercial
- Utility
- Cutter
- Canner
Cuts of beef
There are basic cuts, in the case below the American Primal Cuts, from which all products such as steak, roasts, etc. come from. The farther from the head and legs the better, as these areas are worked most by the animal and as a result have tougher meat.
- Chuck - Area which is often used in hamburger
- Rib - Short ribs, rib eyes, rib eye steak
- Short Loin - Area that porterhouse steaks are cut from
- Sirloin - More flavorful than the short loin yet more flavorful.
- Tenderloin - The most tender region, this is where Filet Mignon
- Top Sirloin - My personal favorite cut, the Delmonico or New York Strip steak comes from this region.
- Round - Moderately tough meat that is very lean, we use this section for "ground round" or hamburger which results in very high quality burgers. When looking for burgers, I suggest you see if it is labeled "ground round".
- Brisket - Self explanatory, the region that is mostly used to make beef brisket.
- Shank - Toughest cut of beef there is, almost always used in stews and soups.
- Plate - Typically produces cheap, tough, and fatty meat such as the hangar steak or skirt steak.
- Flank - Flank steak is one of the most affordable steaks there is. It is noticably tougher than the loin or rib areas and as a result most flank steak recipes use mariandes or moist cooking techniques.
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Lamb
The butcher's choice :)
Lamb is my favorite type of meat along with my father's and grandfather's (a long line of butcher's). Your online butcher highly recommends it.
It is very tender and flavorful meat, the younger the lamb the more tender and more expensive the meat. As a general rule, the darker the meat the older the animal. A baby lamb (6-8 weeks old) will typically have meat that is bright pink while regular lamb is pinkish-red. To be considered a lamb, a sheep must be younger than one year old.
There are three main cuts of lamb: Forequarter, loin, and hindquarter.
Forequarter - Includes the most connective tissue and such as it comes from the front of the sheep. As a result it is tougher and is typically used in braising, stewing, barbecuing, and slow roasting.
Hindquarter - Includes the hind legs and hip, this is typically where you get a "leg of lamb" from, a "saddle of lamb" is the hip and the two loins. I usually eat this medium rare, it can be served safely anywhere from rare to well done.
Loin - Area which lamb chops typically come from (the shoulder chops are usually considered inferior). The rib chops will include the rib bone, the loin chops will only have a chine bone.
The online butchers wine pairing: Without a doubt cabernet sauvignon, get a nice glass of cabernet sauvignon to go along with your loin chops and you will be in absolute heaven.
It is very tender and flavorful meat, the younger the lamb the more tender and more expensive the meat. As a general rule, the darker the meat the older the animal. A baby lamb (6-8 weeks old) will typically have meat that is bright pink while regular lamb is pinkish-red. To be considered a lamb, a sheep must be younger than one year old.
There are three main cuts of lamb: Forequarter, loin, and hindquarter.
Forequarter - Includes the most connective tissue and such as it comes from the front of the sheep. As a result it is tougher and is typically used in braising, stewing, barbecuing, and slow roasting.
Hindquarter - Includes the hind legs and hip, this is typically where you get a "leg of lamb" from, a "saddle of lamb" is the hip and the two loins. I usually eat this medium rare, it can be served safely anywhere from rare to well done.
Loin - Area which lamb chops typically come from (the shoulder chops are usually considered inferior). The rib chops will include the rib bone, the loin chops will only have a chine bone.
The online butchers wine pairing: Without a doubt cabernet sauvignon, get a nice glass of cabernet sauvignon to go along with your loin chops and you will be in absolute heaven.
Chicken
It tastes like chicken.
When you say "it tastes like chicken" it is because of the relatively neutral taste and texture of commercially produced chicken, unless you find a supplier of free range chickens this is what you get.
Chicken is a relatively inexpensive meat and as a result it is one of the most consumed meats worldwide. There are approximately 24 billion chickens in the world, more than any other bird.
Up until the 50's most chickens were sold whole including the organs, leaving the evisceration process to the local butcher. As a result of industrial evisceration, chicken you find in a supermarket has over a 99% chance of containing e-coli based on a USDA study. Whole chickens can still be bought and eviscerated locally by a butcher but I can gaurentee you that it will not be something you can get in a supermarket.
Over 1.1 million Americans are sickened by undercooked tainted chicken each year according to Consumer Reports. Cooking chicken thoroughly to kill E. coli and Salmonella is absolutely essential to the health of you and those that eat your food.
Raw chicken/eggs will leave traces of Salmonella behind that will survive for a while on counter tops, etc. As a result you should always use latex gloves when preparing chicken, wash your hands before and afterwards, and decontaminate any surfaces that have come in contact with the raw chicken.
The online butcher's wine pairing: I'd suggest a nice chardonnay with it but if you are just preparing chicken breasts a light bodied white wine such as pinot grigio may be a better choice.
Chicken is a relatively inexpensive meat and as a result it is one of the most consumed meats worldwide. There are approximately 24 billion chickens in the world, more than any other bird.
Up until the 50's most chickens were sold whole including the organs, leaving the evisceration process to the local butcher. As a result of industrial evisceration, chicken you find in a supermarket has over a 99% chance of containing e-coli based on a USDA study. Whole chickens can still be bought and eviscerated locally by a butcher but I can gaurentee you that it will not be something you can get in a supermarket.
Over 1.1 million Americans are sickened by undercooked tainted chicken each year according to Consumer Reports. Cooking chicken thoroughly to kill E. coli and Salmonella is absolutely essential to the health of you and those that eat your food.
Raw chicken/eggs will leave traces of Salmonella behind that will survive for a while on counter tops, etc. As a result you should always use latex gloves when preparing chicken, wash your hands before and afterwards, and decontaminate any surfaces that have come in contact with the raw chicken.
The online butcher's wine pairing: I'd suggest a nice chardonnay with it but if you are just preparing chicken breasts a light bodied white wine such as pinot grigio may be a better choice.
Turkey
The irony is killing me, I started this at 11:59 Wed before Thanksgiving.
Well if you happen to read this the day I publish you will be reading about turkey on Thanksgiving day, the best holiday. The online butcher loves food, and nothing is better than getting stuffed then watching football with family.
Turkey is typically sold either as "whole" in which the head, feet, and feathers are removed. For Thanksgiving and Christmas it is typically very easy to find fresh whole turkeys of various sizes at a supermarket or preferably a local butcher shop. It is also sold sliced as a sandwich meat or ground as a healthier substitute for ground beef.
Turkey is generally a much healthier and less fattening choice as compared to red meats. It is often served with side dishes such as stuffing that are high in carbohydrates and alcoholic beverages, adding to the effects of tryptophan to make people sleepy after a large meal.
The online butcher's recommendation as a wine pairing: Pinot Grigio for turkey alone, Cabernet Sauvignon at Thanksgiving to match the strong flavors of the stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc.
Turkey is typically sold either as "whole" in which the head, feet, and feathers are removed. For Thanksgiving and Christmas it is typically very easy to find fresh whole turkeys of various sizes at a supermarket or preferably a local butcher shop. It is also sold sliced as a sandwich meat or ground as a healthier substitute for ground beef.
Turkey is generally a much healthier and less fattening choice as compared to red meats. It is often served with side dishes such as stuffing that are high in carbohydrates and alcoholic beverages, adding to the effects of tryptophan to make people sleepy after a large meal.
The online butcher's recommendation as a wine pairing: Pinot Grigio for turkey alone, Cabernet Sauvignon at Thanksgiving to match the strong flavors of the stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc.
Great Stuff on Amazon
Morton's Steak Bible: Recipes and Lore from the Legendary Steakhouse
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The Great Turkey Cookbook: 385 Turkey Recipes for Every Day and Holidays
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Cooking Light Chicken (Cooking Light)
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Pork
Oink.
Pork is one of the most widely used meats there is, ranging from salami to bacon to ham to spare ribs to sausage to pork chops. It is very versatile, relatively cheap, and offers a good flavor. It is typically either cooked from fresh meat or cured over time (ham or bacon). Pork is the most popular meat in the world, coming in at a staggering 38% of the world's daily protein intake.
The online butcher's choice of wine pairing: With pork chops I'd recommend a heavier white wine such as chardonnay but with most other cuts I'd prefer a light red such as a light cabernet sauvignon or a fruitier shiraz.
The online butcher's choice of wine pairing: With pork chops I'd recommend a heavier white wine such as chardonnay but with most other cuts I'd prefer a light red such as a light cabernet sauvignon or a fruitier shiraz.
Cuts of pork
The American cuts of pork are as follows: Head, blade shoulder, arm shoulder, loin, spare rib, side, leg(ham).
- Head - Typically used for stocks and soups.
- Blade shoulder - This is where "pork butts" come from despite the implication, it is from the upper shoulder.
- Arm shoulder - Used in sausages or cured to make "ham", not technically ham though.
- Loin - Best cut of pork, this is where many things we associate with pork come from. Canadian bacon, pork chops, baby back ribs, and roasts are from this region.
- Spare rib - The ribs and meat surrounding the bones, they are typically grilled with barbecue sauce in America.
- Side - This is a fattier meat that is usually used as streaky bacon but can also be rolled into roasts.
- Leg(ham) - Although any part of the pig may be cured and then cooked, it is only technically ham if it comes from this region. The three most common cuts within the leg are the rump, center, and shank.
Meat eaters of the world unite. How did you like this lens?
State where you buy your meat from in your comments =)
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TheInfamous7
Hey Fellow Butcher!! Only just found this page!! Gd work on the Wine section!! :-) Posted June 28, 2008 |
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Cathy_at_McNeil_Ranch
Superb lens with great information. I too have a hard time eating a meat dish without a good red wine. Life is to be enjoyed! Red meat is the original health food! Posted February 07, 2008 |
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steveffeo
Can you link to the pictures to show the parts of cow? The top picture is great, I was a butcher for a short time. Great lens if you could link to perhaps the USDA (you can use link to a picture from the USDA or any GOV with proper credit) Ok now I need some sirloin tips with garlic. Great lens Posted December 26, 2007 |
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clouda9
Dang it...meant to add their link...so here it is Posted November 25, 2007 |
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clouda9
You obviously know your stuff! A local family farm is offering up just what you talk about here. Yummers! Posted November 25, 2007 |
Interesting links.
Hopefully you enjoyed reading this lens, if you are interested in what a third generation butcher does in his spare time check out these links.
- The Consummate Webmaster This is my lens on how to create a website from start to finish.
- Jim Reviews My personal blog on topics ranging from meat to Hillary to the newest release of Guitar Hero.
- Easy Online Money Making This is where I spend the majority of my free time, finding new ways for people to make people online without any initial investment. Try it out =)
- Hits4Pay The best source for information on the Hits4Pay program designed to make you money.
- Seven Day Millionaire, this is my first book which will go live on June 14th!
