Holiday Items

We have a brand new, flavorful and delicious house-made sausage in the lineup, the Ginger Scallion Sausage. It tastes like the inside of a pork dumpling and can be included in a ton of different recipes or enjoyed simply on its own. We cooked up a couple recipe ideas to get you started but the possibilities are endless.  We made a classic Fried Dumpling and a slightly less traditional Ginger Scallion Banh Mi. Most ingredients are available at the shop and both recipes are very simple, fun and easy to execute. Ginger Scallion Banh Mi A classic Vietnamese Banh Mi includes both pork and pâté; for this recipe we let our flavorful sausage do all the work.  Ingredients: For the pickled vegetables: 1/2 lb daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks 2-3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks ½ cup water 1/2 cup Keepwell Ginger Vinegar or rice vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1½ teaspoons kosher salt For the banh mi: 3 ea. Ginger-Scallion Sausages ½ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Burn Hot sauce or Sriracha 1 A Baked Joint Baguette, cut into 4 pieces 2 cucumbers, sliced Fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon soy sauce Burn Fermented Jalapeños (optional) Instructions: To make the pickled vegetables, toss the daikon and carrots together in a bowl. Rub the veggies with the salt and sugar. Pour the vinegar/water mixture over the vegetables and let sit for at least 1 hour. Cook the sausages on the stove, oven or grill until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees, let rest for 5 minutes. Slice in half lengthwise. Assemble the sandwiches by starting with a layer of mayo followed with a couple cucumber slices, sausage, and pickled vegetables (including the pickled Jalapeños if you like a little extra kick)! Top with a dash of soy sauce, hot sauce and fresh cilantro.   Ginger Scallion Gyoza (Pan-fried Pork Dumplings) Ingredients: Dumplings: 1 package gyoza wrappers (found in most grocery stores and any Asian market) 3-4 Ginger Scallion Sausages Dipping Sauce: 1/3 C soy sauce or gluten free tamari 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 + 1 tsp teaspoon sesame oil  Instructions: Cook the sausages in a pan until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Let rest for 5 minutes and remove from pork casing. Break up into chunks small enough to fit inside the gyoza wrapper. Place the sausage in the center of the wrapper, wet the edges with water and fold/pleat and press the edges together. There are very helpful youtube videos on how to do this, it is much easier than it looks! Heat a couple tablespoons of peanut oil or vegetable oil in a large non-stick fry pan to medium-high heat. Arrange the dumplings so they aren't crowding each other and fry for 2-3 minutes or until they turn crispy and golden brown. Add ¼ cup of water to the pan. Immediately cover with a lid and steam the gyoza for about 3 minutes or until most of the water evaporates. Remove the lid to evaporate any remaining water. Add 1 tsp sesame oil around the frying pan and cook uncovered until they're nice and crisp on the one side that you've fried. Mix the remaining ingredients together for your dipping sauce and enjoy!

Skip the wait at restaurants this Mother's Day Brunch and cook the Mom in your life this deservingly decadent yet surprisingly simple Eggs Chesapeake recipe. We used Joshua Delgado’s recipe and made it a little easier for you!  Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Nissa Quanstrom Step 1 – Buy a pre-made Crab Cake from The Organic Butcher. Pro-tip – 1 crab cake is enough for 2 Eggs Chesapeake! Step 2 - Heat butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Split the crab cake in half and shape into a disk. Cook crab cakes, turning only once, until dark golden brown on both sides,3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and put in a 200° oven to keep warm. Step 3 – While the crab cakes are cooking get started on poaching the eggs. Bring a large, deep frying pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Crack 1 egg into a glass measuring cup, hold spout close to water's surface, and let egg slip gently into water. Repeat with rest of eggs. Cook until eggs are softly set, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer as done to a large bowl of ice and cold water.  Step 4 – Make the Hollandaise by following this super simple Blender Hollandaise Sauce Recipe. Step 5 – Plating! Place a crab cake on each plate and slip a poached egg on top. Spoon about 1 ½ TBSP of the hollandaise sauce on top. Sprinkle with our local & organic chives. You can also spoon on some caviar or fresh Maryland lump crab meat for some extra decadence because Mom deserves it!  

The grilling season is finally upon us! Here are The Organic Butcher's top 5 tips and tricks to perfect your outdoor cooking. Don’t be afraid to try something new – There are so many beef cuts that perfect for the grill and sometimes they aren’t well known. Start by letting the butcher know the type of recipe you’re cooking so we can match you with the perfect cut. You might end up with a new go-to steak! Marinade - A good marinade can turn any cut into something to be admired on the grill. Check out this simple and delicious Carne Asada Marinade recipe (it takes 2 minutes to put together and you probably already have all the ingredients!). Pro-tip – we prefer Bavette steak over Flank steak for this recipe. Dry your steaks - If you’re cooking non-marinated steaks on the grill and want to achieve a great sear, dry them very thoroughly on paper towels. Or better yet, salt them and let them rest uncovered on a rack in the fridge for a night, so that their surface moisture can evaporate. Pre-heat your pan or grill before searing - Patience is key! Let the grill or cast-iron skillet get “searing” hot (pun intended) before putting the meat on. Let steaks sear completely without flipping - When the steak releases naturally from the grill or skillet’s surface, you’ve achieved a perfect sealed-in sear. Happy Grilling!  

If you're more of a do-it-yourselfer or looking for a fun project with the family we have the perfect recipe for you. Our DIY Easter Ham starts with Fresh Pork Legs from our friends at Autumn Olive Farm in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. They will come prepared with the aitch bone removed, skin-off and cut into the traditional cone shape for easy slicing.  We put together Brine Kits and a mouth-watering recipe to finish these incredible Hams in the oven. Make sure to start this process at least 4 days in advance or request it pre-brined. DIY Brine Recipe: 1. Heat 32 C or 2 GAL of water to a simmer. Add The Organic Butcher Brine Kit to water. Make sure everything is fully dissolved. Let fully cool or add ice. Put in Fresh pork leg in the Brine Bag we provide and add the fully cooled brine mixture. 2. Allow the fresh ham to brine for at least 48 hours. 3. Remove, rinse and fully dry the fresh ham.  Glazed Easter Ham Recipe: Ingredients: Glaze 1/2 C Local Raw Honey 1/4 C Brown Sugar 1/4 C Whole Grain Ground Mustard 2 TBSP Shrub District Pineapple Allspice 2 tsp Salt 1.5 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper 2 tsp Cinnamon 1 TBSP Fresh Grated Ginger 1/4 tsp Ground Clove 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes Cooking Instructions: 1. Mix all ingredients together. Let the pre-brined ham sit in the marinade for 1-2 days rotating a few times throughout.  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 3. Put the ham and its marinade in a roasting pan with the bone facing up.  4. Baste every 30 minutes with the marinade and drippings until the internal temperature reaches 160-175 degrees, approximately 5-6 hours. 5. Let rest and fully cool. Set covered in refrigerator until it is ready to slice and serve. Enjoy!    

This is The Organic Butcher's go-to recipe for simple and delicious wings and can be used for both indoor and outdoor cooking. We adapted this recipe out of the Blue Ribbon Cookbook.  2 pounds chicken wings 1/4 C BBQ Dry Rub or enough to coat the wings well - we prefer Four 41 South's "Monk McGuire's Honeysuckle Rub"3/4 C Lane's BBQ "One Legged Chicken Buffalo Sauce"1/4 cup sour cream1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese 1. Sprinkle the chicken wings with the dry rub seasoning. Let rest for 15-20 minutes. 2. In the meantime, preheat the broiler or grill. 3. Broil or grill the wings, turning once, for 20 minutes. Slather the wings with half of the Wing Sauce, making sure to coat both sides of the wings. Broil or grill until glazed and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes longer, turning once. Using a clean utensil, brush the wings with the other half of Wing sauce mixture before serving. 5. To make the dressing: Mix together the sour cream and blue cheese. Serve with the wings.

Jake Sponseller, our very own OB fishmonger, is back with a delicious new recipe for Confit Baby Octopus. These octopus have a delicate, slightly-sweet, briny flavor and firm texture. Arriving freshly from the waters of Spain, they can be deliciously cooked in a variety of ways: grilled, roasted, broiled, pan seared, fried, steamed, poached, braised, or as this recipe suggests, confit'd!  Ingredients Baby octopus, cleaned Garlic- 3 gloves, crushed Thyme, 5 sprigs Crushed red pepper, 2 tsp Olive oil- as needed Salt- 1 tbs. Pepper- ½ tbs. Instructions Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit In a large pot heat 4 cups (or enough to cover the octopus) of olive oil on low heat, for 10 mins. Remove from heat. Add thyme, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to pot along with the cleaned octopus. Confit in the oven for 2 hours. Take octopus out of oven, it is done when there is no resistance when cutting through with a knife. Heat a sauté pan over med- high heat, add 2 tbs. of olive oil. At this point you can cut the tentacles off for an easier sear or keep whole depending on your preference. Sear to get a crust on the octopus.  Serve with our house-made Chimichurri along with any starch or vegetable you please.

It’s officially fall! Enjoy this list of recipes that make up our ideal Autumn farm-fresh feast. Featuring all seasonal and locally sourced ingredients you can pick up at the shop. We love these recipes for their simplicity, not to mention they all cook at the exact same temperature for a fool-proof and impressive lineup to ring in the season with friends.  #1 - The Booze! What's a Fall dinner party without some Virginia hard cider? We're featuring Potter’s Farmhouse Dry Cider made locally in Free Union, VA. Their Farmhouse-style, truly-dry hard cider is not only delicious, it pairs pefrectly with the dinner and is used in two of the recipes. #2 - Roasted Local Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette The winter squashes are starting to roll in from our Virginia produce distributors! This recipe is a great way to celebrate this local, seasonal ingredient. Ingredients 1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced Good quality extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon Virginia Falling Bark hickory syrup or maple syrup Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons dried cranberries 3/4 cup Potter’s hard apple cider 2 tablespoons Keepwell apple vinegar 2 tablespoons minced shallots 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 4 ounces Endless Summer baby arugula, washed and spun dry 1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Caromont Farm's Chevre Instructions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the hickory or maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes. While the squash is roasting, combine the Potter's apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately. This recipe was adapted from Ina Garten's. Click here for the original and printable version. #3 - Sea Salt and Rosemary Roasted Local Potatoes Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds small local red or white-skinned potatoes (or a mixture) 1/8 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoons minced garlic (3 cloves) 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Dump the potatoes on a baking sheet and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for at least 1 hour, or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning. Remove the potatoes from the oven, season to taste, and serve. This is an Ina Garten Recipe. Click here for the original and printable version. #4 - Roast Pork Loin with Apples Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 (2.5-3-pound) boneless Berkshire pork loin, trimmed and tied Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 medium onion, thickly sliced 2 carrots, thickly sliced 3 cloves garlic, smashed 3 sprigs fresh thyme 3 sprigs fresh rosemary 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter 2 apples cored and cut into 8 slices 2 tablespoons Keepwell apple vinegar 1 cup Potter’s apple cider 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard Instructions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large ovenproof skillet heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the pork loin all over generously with salt and pepper. Sear the meat until golden brown on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate and set it aside. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, herb sprigs, and 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet. Stir until the vegetables are browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced apples, then push the mixture to the sides and set the pork loin in the middle of the skillet along with any collected juices on the plate. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the loin until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 140 to 150 degrees F, about 30 to 35 minutes. 145 degrees is the perfect temperature to cook pork to. Transfer the pork a cutting board and cover it loosely with foil while you make the sauce. Arrange the apples and vegetables on a serving platter and set aside. Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Return the skillet to a high heat and add the vinegar scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen up any browned bits. Reduce by half then add the cider and reduce by about half again. Pull the skillet from the heat and whisk in the mustard, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the strings from the roast and slice into 1/2-inch thick pieces and arrange over the apple mixture. Drizzle some sauce over meat and serve the rest on the side. This recipe is by Tyler Florence. Click here for the original and printable version. #5 - Dessert!  Keep dessert simple with Jeni's Ice Creams perfectly seasonal flavors like Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet and Brambleberry Crisp Icecream. Scoop into nice bowls or jars and top with fresh seasonal fruit to take it to the next level.

If you have ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse you know they start out by offering you all of the cheaper cuts of meat, the chicken, the sausage, etc.  You hold out for the filet, but what you should you be holding out for is the Picanha.  You don’t need to hold out any longer, you can find this amazing cut here at the Organic Butcher  Picanha is one of the lesser known pieces of beef in the United States. In Brazil and other parts of South America, it is quite prized - and for good reason.  It’s delicious.  The picanha is a sirloin cap (also called rump cover, rump cap or coulotte).  The meat itself is lean with very little inter-muscular fat but it is cut leaving the hardy fat cap on, which allows it to baste in its own delicious fats while cooking.  There are tons of ways to cook this delicious cut and we highly recommended the rotisserie as pictured here. It can also be done on the grill or seasoned and tied as a roast. Just tell the butcher how you’re cooking it and we will prep the Picanha accordingly! Pro-tip - Unlike other cuts of meat, the end cap is often the tastiest.    This hidden gem Picanha is made even better when seasoned with our Organic Butcher Steak Rub. It also pairs remarkably well with our house chimichuri and a bottle of hearty Malbec like our Proemio Reserve.  A Brazilian steakhouse in your house.  We look forward to seeing you soon!   

This is the perfect time of year for west coast Halibut. Enjoy this fish simply battered and fried for some delicious fish tacos. Recipe by our Fish Monger - Jake Sponseller. Beer-Battered Halibut Fish Taco Recipe Serving size - 2 Ingredients: 8 oz. Halibut Fillet (request it skinned from the Butcher) (1) 12 oz. beer (we also stock gluten-free beerl) 1.5 C All Purpose Flour or a Cup for Cup Gluten Free Flour 1-2 TBSP salt - split this between 2 steps Zest of 1 Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil Flour or Corn Tortillas Cilantro and Thinly sliced radish for garnish Instructions: Cut the halibut into 2" long pieces with a width of .5" Use the first 1/2-1 TBSP of salt to season the halibut pieces. Fill a deep pan with 1" of the oil and bring to 375 degrees, if you don't have a thermometer throw in a scrap piece of battered fish to test the temperature. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, beer and lemon zest. Dip the fish pieces into the batter and slowly add to the hot oil making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Take fish out once cooked and let drip onto a paper towel, season again with the last bit of salt. Fill tortillas with fish and any of our recommended toppings! Crack open a beer and enjoy! Recommended Toppings: Quick Pickled Red Onion Recipe: 1 Red Onion 3/4 C Keepwell Wildflower Honey Vinegar or apple cider vin. Slice one red onion and add ¾ c of Keepwell Wildflower Honey Vinegar, let sit for at least 30 min. Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe: 1 Head of Red Cabbage 2C Mayo (we prefer the primal avocado mayo) 1/2 C Keepwell Wildflower Honey Vinegar (can sub apple cider vin) 1 whole lime zested and juiced Salt to taste Thinly slice cabbage. Mix with all ingredients and let marinate for 30 minutes before serving. Chipotle Mayo Recipe 1/2 C Mayo 2 oz canned chipotle in adobo sauce 1 lime zested and juiced Mix all together!  

It’s full on burger season so we’re featuring burger blends and toppings that have become favorites over the years. Our burger blends are made from responsibly raised, pastured livestock, and believe us, you can taste the difference. Check out our tour of burger bliss below and don’t forget the brioche buns we bring in fresh daily from Junction Bakery in Alexandria, VA.  100% Grass-Fed Ground Beef- Sourced from locally raised beef right here in Virginia, our grass-fed ground chuck is roughly an 90/10 ratio of lean-to-fat, making them an excellent choice for over-the-fire grilling. Why? Because the low-fat content of this blend won’t cause the nasty flare ups often associated with grilling burgers. What you’ll get in terms of flavor profile with this blend can only be described as “beefy”. Top this burger with some of our local cheeses and grilled sweet onions and be the hero of the neighborhood block party. OB Custom Burger Grind AKA “The Deluxe Blend”- The components of our most popular burger blend change daily depending on what we’re cutting on the butcher block but is always an 85/15 lean-to-fat ratio. You’ll usually find our highest quality cuts in the blend, from hanger to ribeye. You can always ask the butchers what the grind of the day is! We love these burgers topped with our house-made sweet Tomato Bacon Jam, local Casselman sharp cheddar, and our Endless Summer Arugula for a peppery bite to balance it all out! In addition to making delicious burgers, this grind also makes excellent chili for hot dogs that should accompany every cookout. Bison- Looking for something leaner? Bison might just be your new favorite. Referred to as “the other red meat” our Bison is the leanest blend at a 90/10 ratio of lean-to-fat. As a result of a lower fat content, this blend lends itself well to the reverse sear method we have used on our 5th rib tomahawk steak recipe; as too much direct heat on this will cause it to dry out. In terms of flavor you’ll notice Bison tastes clean; lighter than beef and almost (but not quite) as sweet. Based on this profile, this blend is excellent when topped with our locally sourced Kimchi. A bite of kimchi paired with the light and slightly sweet flavor of bison is a perfect match. Wagyu- What can we say about Wagyu that hasn’t already been said? Wagyu beef is at the top of the beef hierarchy, with a flavor profile that is both rich and savory. All of our burgers are tender, but wagyu is on another level all together. This grind is ideal for both grill and griddle. For toppings, we like to double down on the richness of this meat, throwing balance out the window and topping it with a duck egg that are delivered from local Polyface Farms. Short Rib- Our juiciest blend is this 100% short rib grind, with a lean-to-fat ratio of about 80/20. A higher fat content may lead to some flare-ups over an open flame, so we recommend that this burger be cooked using a griddle or a cast iron pan. Using a griddle or cast iron over extremely high heat will produce a nice crunchy crust as this patty crisps up in its own rendered fat. Patty these burgers a little thinner and you''ll bring back memories of burgers you’ve had in '50's style diners. Top these patties with your cheese of choice and don’t be afraid to go double or even triple decker. If none of these burgers are what you’re looking for we can quickly grind a custom blend for you while you wait! Check out our Burgers and Grinds section in the shop for even more options. 

Dry-Aged 5th Rib Tomahawk A tomahawk is a bone in ribeye that has gained popularity because the beef is mouthwatering and the giant bone offers an extraordinary presentation. Enter one of our newer offerings, what we call the 5th Rib Tomahawk.  We get these beauties our friends at Seven Hills Foods and they are locally sourced from farmers right here in Virginia. This steak is technically not a ribeye by USDA standards; those can only come from ribs six through twelve. The "5th rib ribeye” is actually the end cut off the chuck portion of a steer referred to as the chuck eye, with the massive 5th rib bone left intact for extra flavor and visual appeal. Because of how close the chuck eye is to the ribeye, it’s similar in in both taste and tenderness. The chuck eye boasts that really beefy flavor and is infinitely more tender than a standard chuck steak. To top it off, Seven Hills takes extra time to dry-age each of these 5th rib tomahawks for added tenderness and flavor. So why not just get a ribeye? Well, a chuck eye steak offers our customers more than just an intense beef flavor, it offers some serious value as well; what you might give up in taste and tenderness (it isn’t much), you gain in cost savings because of our aggressive pricing on this quality steak. We’re offering 5th rib tomahawks at  $15.99 per pound. Keep in mind that these cuts are not as readily available as traditional ribeye because only two available per steer.  If you don’t see any in the case just ask one of our butchers because we may have some in the back! Follow our cooking instructions below and you’ll be blown away by this amazing uncommon cut of meat. Stop by soon and ask about it, we can’t wait to hear your feedback! How to reverse sear a Tomahawk steak in an oven and cast-iron skillet Want to make the perfect medium rare steak but don’t have a grill? Easy…just follow this recipe to impress! Ingredients: Organic Butcher 5thBone Ribeye Organic Butcher Steak Rub Organic Butcher Black Garlic and Rosemary Compound Butter **All ingredients available for purchase at the Organic Butcher store, just let us know when you come by, or for an even more convenient way, call ahead and ask for a "5th rib tomahawk recipe bag” Instructions: Preheat your oven to 225-235 degrees. Remove a sliver of fat from the room temperature steak for use later. Season Tomahawk liberally with Steak Rub. Place your steak on cooling rack situated on a baking sheet. Roast for approximately 45 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temp of 125°. Remove steak from oven and let it rest. In hot cast iron pan, place the sliver of fat and allow it to render down. Place steak directly onto blistering hot cast iron, flipping every 45 seconds for about 5 minutes or until desired level of dark crust is achieved. Rest steak for 15 minutes. Top with Organic Butcher Black Garlic and Rosemary Compound Butter, slice and serve. Enjoy!   How to reverse sear a Tomahawk steak on a gas grill Want to make an amazing steak on your gas grill? Our Lynx gas grills are second to none and this simple recipe will have your family, friends, and neighbors begging for more. Ingredients: Tomahawk Ribeye Organic Butcher Steak RubOrganic Butcher Black Garlic and Rosemary Compound Butter* All ingredients and Lynx grill available in the shop! Instructions:  Season room temperature 5th rib tomahawk liberally with Steak Rub. Light your grill. Only light one burner of your Lynx grill, on one side of the grill or the other but not in the middle. Allow the internal grill temp to reach 225° and place your steak as far from the direct heat as possible, close lid. Cook steak for approximately 45 minutes, or until it reaches internal temp of 125° for a medium rare steak. Remove and let it rest. (If you like your steak a little more done take it to an internal temperature slightly higher or to desired level of doneness.) Turn your grill burner up to MAX and let the grill grate get hot for about 5 minutes. Place steak directly over hot burner to sear. Flip frequently, about every 15 seconds for roughly 5 minutes or until desired level of dark crust is achieved. Let steak rest for 15 minutes. Top with Organic Butcher compound butter. Slice and serve for the perfect presentation.  

In our first post of our new “Meet the Farmer” series, we are featuring Seven Hills Food. Seven Hills is the largest independent slaughter facility in Virginia with a mission of bringing local meat consumers and local meat producers together; with a focus on quality, transparency and sustainability.  Ryan Ford, owner of Seven Hills Foods, also happens to be the brother-in-law of The Organic Butcher owner, Don Roden, extending our family-run operation all the way to the farm. Some of the staff from the shop recently had the opportunity to visit Seven Hills and learn all about what sets them above the rest. Seven Hills’ operation is based out of the historic Holliday Street Plant in Lynchburg, Virginia. The plant was put through a 20-month renovation to bring it into the modern era, and to add digital systems that aid in product traceability from beginning to end. In addition to giving life to an old building, Ryan wanted to breathe some new life to the farm to table movement in the Old Dominion State. While locally sourcing food has been popular for a few years, there are limitations when it comes to proteins. Locally sourced proteins are frequently scarce or prohibitively expensive for many customers. Ryan and Seven Hills discovered that solving the problem of how to get locally-raised beef on the plate—took more than just raising healthy animals on a local farm. “You just can’t grow local proteins without processing [them]” says Ryan. “This has been the bottleneck that has existed and really prevented beef from being able to rise in the tide of local food.”Clearing that bottleneck drove Seven Hills to restore the Lynchburg abattoir. Their ultimate goal, however, is to restore a system of meat production that’s been lost for decades. “Around the 1960s, the industry consolidated”says Ryan, and with that consolidation came a lack of choice. Instead of having the ability to speak with the processing plant and getting custom selections, purveyors got stuck with pre-chosen, vacuum packed cuts of meat, being shipped in from somewhere across the country. It wasn’t enough for Seven Hills to offer locally sourced protein, they wanted to ensure unbeatable quality as well. “We realized that there’s a demand for a high-quality local product that far exceeds the supply in the marketplace,”says Ryan. Seven Hills has met this demand by meeting with local cattle farmers. Now instead of selling to anonymous, automated processing plants, farmers can sell their stock to Seven Hills knowing their cows will be treated humanely, with care, and will become part of a robust local food system. “If you want to know where your food comes from, then we’re the people you want to take a look at,”explains Ryan. “We’re always going to be a people place, this is a place where tradesman will be harvesting beef, not machines.” Instead of automating their processing plant, Seven Hills went the traditional route. This traditional, skill-based approach means that Seven Hills can offer something many chefs and butchers have been lacking for years: customization! Seven Hills welcomes special requests. If a customer wants a specific cut, or a longer dry aging process, all they have to do is ask. Seven Hills dry-ages their meat in-house, a process that removes extra moisture from the meat and creates a more tender and flavorful product. Dry-aging guarantees quality and is rarely done in processing plants due to the time, space and dedication it takes. Learn even more about dry-aging here. It was incredible to see first-hand the difference it makes when working with a small operation in regard to customization. A prime example is the Dry-Aged 5th Rib Tomahawk we recently started stocking. The 5thrib, aka chuck eye steak, comes from the chuck portion of the steak and is typically be a tougher cut, but Seven Hills is able to custom cut and dry-age these impressive steaks so you’re getting flavor and tenderness at a killer value. Learn even more about this cut here. Hiring tradesmen to harvest beef the old-fashioned way also allows Seven Hills to focus their technology and digital systems on something else vital to their business model—traceability. Seven Hills knows where every cow comes from, allowing them to offer customers highly specific product options. If a restaurant wants a case of steaks from Charlottesville, Seven Hills can ensure that the diners are feasting on local beef. Traceability also means Seven Hills can make changes to their lines if they need to. “If we have a chef or a butcher that says, ‘Hey we got a case of steaks from you that were kind of tough,’ we can actually react to that,”says Ryan.“We can go to the producer. It gives you a really good chance to create the highest quality beef over the long run.” It’s Ryan’s hope that Seven Hills can lead the way in a local protein revolution, “I think there’s excitement for everyone about the opportunity to create a branded Virginia beef line.”. He envisions a world where local processing can change what it means to order a steak at restaurants. “Whether the customer is a chef, or the guest of a chef in a restaurant, knowing that you’re two handshakes away from a live Angus beef steer on a Virginia farm is a powerful thing.”  

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and we’ve got ideas to make sure the mother in your life is treated to a day she won’t forget! Skip the crowds at restaurants and serve her one of these delicious butcher-approved recipes. 1. Duck Egg & Asparagus Frittata by The Organic Butcher's Chef Matt Ingredients: 2 shallots thinly sliced 1 bunch local spring asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces 8 duck eggs ¾ cups ricotta chees or softened chèvre (we recommend Caromont Farm's Chevre) 1 tbsp chopped chives 1 tbsp chopped tarragon 1 cup shredded lamb chopper cheese Instructions: 1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sweat shallots until translucent, add the asparagus and saute for 3 to 4 more minutes 2. Beat eggs with ricotta or chevre and season with salt 3. Add eggs to the pan and sprinkle the herbs on top, season with some fresh cracked pepper if desired 4. Top with cheese and put in broiler for about 8 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown, and the center of the egg is set 5. Allow to cool then slice into wedges and serve to Mom with a glass of champagne! ;-) 2. Grilled Wild-Caught Alaskan Halibut Niçoise with Market Vegetables By Andrew Knowlton from Bon Appetit. 3. Seared Scallops with Mint, Peas and Bacon By Rhoda Boonefrom Epicurious. 4. Fresh Maryland Crab and Spinach Quiche - Paleo By Cheryl Malik of 40 aprons. 5. Dill-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Farro, Pea, and Blistered Tomato Salad By Katherine Sacks from Epicurious.

  This Blog post is dedicated to the aging process we value so much at the Organic Butcher. Dive in to learn all about the difference between wet and dry aging, why and what we age, how we do it, and all the nuances in between.  Did you know we age our meats on site, ensuring our customers receive the absolute pinnacle in quality? Our expert butchers closely monitor both the wet and dry aging process and sell the meat at the ideal moment of flavor and texture development. Master butcher, Greg Herring, who plies his art behind our counter most every day, explains why. “If you ate beef the day after it was slaughtered,” he says, “it would be tough as shoe leather. The muscles bind up... You have to let them chill out.” Aging meat is a process of highly controlled decomposition; enzymes break down some of the fibers in the meat over time, giving it the tenderness found in a good steak. Wet and Dry Aging Compared Beef can be aged in two ways: wet or dry. Flavor-wise, wet-aged beef is, well, beefy. It’s beloved by carnivores for a reason. Keep in mind that, as Greg noted, all beef is aged for at least four to ten days before sale to tenderize the cut. Wet aging “sort of happens along the way” from harvest to retail purchase, says Herring. Most abattoirs aim to break down an animal immediately and get it to their distributors, who like us, may then elect to wet age the beef for up to another month or so before deciding it’s tender enough for sale. Wet aging allows the meat to be cut into retail-size portions early in the process, because no evaporation occurs to shrink the meat. Dry aging, on the other hand, requires that the beef be left in large cuts—small cuts will shrink and dry out to the point that no useable meat remains. The “sub-primal” (read: big) cuts are hung in a space like we have on site; controlled for temperature, humidity, and air flow. The enzymatic action that tenderizes the meat happens more quickly with dry aging, even though the process itself offers more flexibility than wet aging. When it comes to dry aging, both the animal and the cut matter. Meat with more fat marbling dry ages better overall than lean meat or lean cuts, because, says Greg, “fat content slows the process of aging, tempers it a little bit.” Dry aging involves a fair amount of water evaporation and therefore shrinkage, and the outer portion of the cuts (the “crust”) must be cut off before retail distribution because it becomes extremely dry, almost like beef jerky. Lean animals or cuts will shrink more and develop a more penetrating crust—meaning more product loss. Dry aging is more expensive overall than wet aging. Unlike wet aging, in which cuts can be stacked and transported in vacuum-sealed bags with no unused space, dry aging demands a lot of space and air flow even during transportation; combine that with the amount of beef that is cut away during the trimming after aging is complete and it makes it a higher-loss, higher-expense process. Dry aging may be more costly than wet aging, but it’s also more interesting, says Herring. Dry-aged beef offers its own kind of fantastic flavor. The process yields a product that’s denser (thanks to water evaporation), more tender, and more taste-intense than wet-aged beef. Bacteria, enzymatic activity, and oxidation combine to shift the meat’s flavor in dry aging. After 28 days, the beef will have pretty much hit its maximum tenderness, but the flavor profile can continue to change for a long time after that. Between 30 and 40 days will likely yield a beef cut with intense but still beefy flavor and optimum tenderness. Here at The Organic Butcher, beef is typically dry aged for between 35 and 60 days. But, sometimes we get stuff that already has 28, 45 days of dry aging on it. Dry aging can also just be a way to store product, for example we sometimes get a cut in from a distributor that does their own dry aging, cut the steaks a customer requests, and store the rest. We’re continuing to age at that point, but effectively just storing it. That’s actually the safest way to store dry-aged meat—returning it to dry aging. It’s possible to vacuum seal the dry-aged cut, but the result will be a shortened shelf life. The beef will remain edible after two weeks, but the texture will begin to go south and funk will begin to predominate, according to Herring. “It’s not unsafe. It’s quality you’re losing.” Going All the Way: Long-Duration Dry Aging Extreme dry aging (100+ days) something we do on request, is a personal preference with a lot of variables at play, says Herring. One of the advantages of dry aging is its flexibility, both in terms of the factors at play and aging duration. Herring explains: You have a bit more versatility with what you're manipulating. You can manipulate the temperature, the amount of air circulation, the humidity, and each of those will affect the final product, the flavor. If you want really complex, nutty flavor, then you lower your air circulation, and you'll get way more [flavor]. You’ll have mold on the outside; those flavors penetrate, and the cut will taste almost like a fancy cheese. The longer you go, the more you can develop. At about 60 days, you stop really developing the classic dry-age flavor, because the aerobic enzymes have consumed all they can. But you can continue to dry it at that point. The beef will keep losing moisture, which concentrates flavors. It's just like reducing a soup. All the collagen, fat, nutrients, and minerals get more and more concentrated as you lose water content…. You're creating a craft, nuanced, interesting product. Is Dry Aging Safe? Short answer: Yes, assuming it’s done right. If it’s not, you’re going to notice—the meat will smell, look, feel, and taste (not that you would get that far!) awful. Long answer: Yes. Remember, all meat aging—dry and wet—is controlled decomposition. Properly dry aging meat requires the right temperature, humidity level, and air flow. All these variables have wiggle room depending on the butcher’s goals. Herring notes that dry aging, done properly, is safer than wet aging because, in the absence of liquid and the presence of air flow, any contamination remains on the cut’s exterior, in the “crust” that develops as air circulates around the meat. Says Herring, “With dry age, contamination stays on the outside. It doesn't penetrate, doesn't move around the cut, because there's no water activity to move in.” As for eating the exterior—the “crust”—of dry-aged meat, it’s not dangerous, it’s just, in Herring’s opinion, not terribly tasty. As mentioned, the cut’s exterior gets dry and hard during the dry-aging process, so it’s unappealing to eat. The outer layers also act as a barrier against contamination, and mold will grow on the cut’s surface. So, even though it’s safe to eat, standard practice dictates cutting away any hard or moldy portions after the aging process is complete. Health-department rules require that the exterior portions be removed for serving in restaurants, anyway. If you’ve ever eaten a really whiffy, odiferous dry-aged cut, it’s probably because the meat wasn’t trimmed back far enough. Dry Aging: Not Just for Beef Yes, it’s possible and useful to dry age other meats. Beef stands to benefit the most from dry aging, though, since of all commercial proteins, it presents the most variability in tenderness. Lamb, veal, and pork are generally tender to begin with; it’s cooking technique that’s most likely to make or break these meats. Dry aging game birds is a longstanding practice. “Hanging” birds was, before the advent of refrigeration, pretty much the only option for preserving meat besides smoking or salting. Pork can definitely be dry aged, and we do that often – if you haven’t tried it you’re missing out. Just ask one of our butchers for it at the counter. About dry aged pork, Herring explains it’s “not the same as dry aging beef. You don't have the enzymes that break down the texture as much, so you don't get much more tenderness, [though] you get a little bit.” Pork can’t be dry aged for as long as beef because of pork’s higher water content, which makes aging riskier when it comes to spoilage and meat loss. But, according to Herring, even a week of dry aging an apparently unmarbled pork chop can work miracles. “Suddenly all this marbling blooms out of it… The texture gets a little firmer. It gets juicier… It blows people's minds the first time they have it.” And you can dry age more than just the chops of a pig, we also dry-aged pork belly; leaving the skin on for protection and aging it for a whopping three months! About the pork belly Greg says “It was amazing…very, very complex. So rich.” There you have it—dry aging in a nutshell. We offer a number of aged cuts and if you don’t see them just ask at the counter. Trying out a dry-aged cut could open the door to a delicious new world.