Ask The Butcher

Do you have questions for Josh Applestone? You're not alone. Everyone seems to want to ask the butcher something -- so we're going to try to answer some recent common questions here.

What's the best way to cook a sausage?

Now that it's summer, we've been making sausage at a steady clip and stocking the vending machines. But that doesn't actually mean we think summer's most obvious cooking method -- grilling -- is actually the best way to cook a sausage. And, truthfully, not all of us agree on the best method. That said, you just can't go wrong roasting a sausage in the oven at 325 F for 15 minutes. If you're willing to take an extra step, Jessica Applestone is a fan of poaching them for about 5 minutes in simmering water, draining them, and then roasting them until crispy on the outside. Either method is fine, give them both a try. Just don't heat your sausages too fast or they will split.

Why aren't your steaks graded? 

When people buy steak, they think and ask about grades -- mainly prime and choice. But pastured steers -- which is what we buy, cut, and sell -- aren't graded or categorized for their intramuscular fat.

What's the best way to plate a steak?

As with sausage cooking methods, responses vary wildly on this. If you come and eat dinner at my house, your steak will always be sliced before it's served to you. We do this for a number of reasons: When we have guests it gives them a chance to get a piece of their choice -- some like it rare, some medium. It also stretches the steak: when sliced portions rather than one large hunk of meat are offered people (and this includes us) take less and eat less. Smaller pieces are easier to eat; you never have to deal with bone or gristle. We just pile the bones (if there are any) on the side and let the true carnivores chew on them for dessert.