Warm Weather Cuts Are Here

April means a lot of things to a lot of people. For us, it’s when we transition back to our warm weather cuts. In the colder months, we butcher specifically with low and slow cooking in mind. We cut a lot of stew and roasts. We imagine you in oven-warmed kitchens. We’re cooking this way, too, and sharing recipes. But, as the daffodils begin to pop in the Hudson Valley, and our customers start to call in Passover and Easter orders, we’re shifting how we butcher. In the warmer spring and summer months, we cut for grilling needs: kebabs, ground meat for burgers, t-bones, and porterhouses. We have the freedom to cut seasonally because we’re whole animal butchers. This means we cut from whole carcasses instead of buying boxed meat or bulk standard cuts.

WHOLE ANIMAL BUTCHERY

We practice whole animal butchery for so many reasons, including that we can switch how we cut season to season to meet your needs – the possibilities are endless. Also, it offers our farmers job security. Whole animal butchery also means nothing goes to waste. Fat goes into sausages, for example. Just to be clear, our spring shift to warm weather cuts doesn't mean the winter menu options aren't seasonal. If you still want roasts and stew, never fear. We always have some, even in the heat of August. We’re also always happy to cut you whatever you want as a custom order. It’s just that April feels like the right time to reintroduce certain warm-weather cuts for the grill lovers out there – even those of us who have been grilling all winter long.

WARM WEATHER CUT RECIPES

At the moment, we’re going crazy for kebabs – a true warm weather cut. Check out this Food Network Magazine article for 50 kebab ideas. Try these spicy kebabs from the BBC made with ground lamb and a paste of garlic, chillies, crushed peppercorns, ginger, coriander, lemon juice, cumin, and turmeric. And don’t miss out on Yotam Ottolenghi’s kebabs. He said he made it his mission to make a proper kebab at home – and this is his recipe.

WARM WEATHER CUTS COOKING TIPS

One last thing: If you grab a porterhouse from the vending machines, be sure to pay attention while you’re cooking it. It’s not the easiest cut to grill. Josh Applestone calls cooking a porterhouse an “art form” since they’re part strip (which cooks slow) and part tenderloin (which cooks fast). Here are his tips for the best way to cook one (hint: it doesn’t involve a grill).