A boutique butcher cuts meat on site, often sources from local farms, and offers specialty foods like sausages and smoked meats. They may also offer slaughter services and handle non-commercial meats. They are knowledgeable about meat and offer unusual cuts and organs not available through commercial distributors.
A boutique butcher is a butcher who cuts his meat on site, rather than buying it packaged from a distributor. Typically, it also produces specialty foods such as sausages and smoked meats. Additionally, some butchers will offer slaughter services to hunters and farmers who bring animals for slaughter. Although the number of these butchers is declining, due to the increasing centralization of the food supply in many parts of the world, some mid-sized communities have at least one, and many cities have several, mostly for high-end restaurants.
The most important distinguishing feature of a boutique butcher versus a meat counter is the butcher’s cold storage capabilities. If the butcher buys from a distributor, he buys whole animals rather than cuts of meat. Many don’t buy from distributors, but instead buy their meats from local farms that are inspected for safety by government agencies. A boutique butcher may have several animals in cold storage waiting to be slaughtered and often offer dry aged meats in addition to wet aged and fresh.
Because a boutique butcher works with whole animals, the most unusual cuts of meat and body parts are available to customers. Kidneys, liver, tripe and other organs that are not available through commercial distributors are available at a boutique butcher. He or she may also offer unusual cuts of steaks and roasts that require more artistry than a meat dealer can provide, and he or she also tends to be more knowledgeable about meat. Customers who want more information on where the meat comes from and how to cook it often prefer to go to a boutique butcher for this reason.
Some boutique butchers are also talented chefs and offer a deli filled with specially seasoned ground beef, marinated roasts, a wide variety of sausages, deli meats, and other meat-based foods. Also, most offer poultry and various cuts of poultry. While not all of them offer fresh fish, many offer smoked or marinated fish as part of their services. In some cases, they will also carry a limited selection of other products such as wine and cooking utensils.
Another important aspect of this type of business is the ability to handle non-commercial meats. In some cases, a boutique butcher will travel to a farm to butcher and butcher animals for private consumption. In others, community members may take slaughtered animals such as deer, pigs, poultry, and cattle to the butcher to be slaughtered and packaged. These animals are also intended for private consumption, as they cannot legally be sold as they have not been inspected. However, taking them to a professional butcher ensures that the best cuts of meat are obtained with the least amount of waste.
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