Support Your Local Butcher: Drewes Brothers Meats

Local butchers are becoming fewer and farther between these days. I am lucky enough to live in a city that has several outstanding butcher shops. I have no issue with large supermarket butcher departments, nor with pre-packaged good quality meat.

What I love about going to my local butcher shop is the personal connection. They may not know me by name (though I do hear them calling many of the customers by name) but they do know what I ordered last time I came in. Asking how the chuck roast they sold me last week turned out and suggesting a nice pork shoulder for my BBQ pulled pork.

My local shop is called Drewes Brothers, walking distance from my house (though a bit further away than the Whole Foods, well worth the extra few blocks). They butcher all of their own meat and make many of the sausages they have on offer (like these bratwurst).

Here's a little back story from their website:

Josh and Isaac , are the fourth owners since Drewes Brothers originally opened in 1889. Thought to be the oldest operating butcher shop in California, Drewes offers old style service with new school attitude.

Josh and Joey are more than happy to spend a few extra minutes explaining the paticulars of a type of meat to a customer or offering cooking tips for roasting a tri-tip. All the while the radio blaring out Metallica or the days Giants game.

I remember going to the Westi Meat Market with my parents in Queens. The butchers were a bunch of German men (one or two of whom were quite handsome, which pleased Gran Fran no end) who worked very hard and had some of the best hot dogs and liverwurst I've ever tasted. They always offered the little kids a mini hot dog (fully cooked, ok to eat while you wait) and had German treats like Haribo Gummi Bears well before these became widely available in the States.

Drewes Brothers offers a small selection of sauerkraut and mustard. They also have on hand potatoes, lemons, onions, and a few other must-haves when cooking a nice roast.

So stop on into your local butcher shop and see what they have for you. They'll take good care of you.

Real Simple Recipe: Slow Cooker Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and Potatoes

 

I've been reading the recipe section in Real Simple for a very long time. I got hooked way back, when they used to show an ingredient and use it in several dishes. I love the clarity of the instructions and the simplicity of the meals. Admittedly I hadn't made any of the recipes until last week.

My slow cooker has started calling to me. I've only used it four or five times in the year+ that I've owned it, but each time I use it, the results are better. I am becoming  a convert to the idea of a great hot meal awaiting me as soon as I walk in the door from work.

My last foray into slow cooker cooking was with this America’s Test Kitchen’s Slow Cooker Spicy Sausage Tomato Sauce . It turned out pretty tasty.  Primarily I had used the slow cooker to make pulled pork, or stews. I thought it was time to try something a little different.

Real Simple presented me with a fantastic recipe that was different from anything I ever made before. The ingredients list includes sauerkraut (which I love, but don't often have), bratwurst (which I've seen but never used) and caraway (which remind me of my dad, Joe, and therefore make me happy). My local butcher shop supplied me with handmade bratwurst and also happened to have a nice German sauerkraut and mustard (in a boot mug) for sale. I gathered up the remaining ingredients on the list and set to work.

There was no browning involved. Nothing but slicing and measuring. Once everything had been thrown into the slow cooker, I turned it on to low, set the timer for 8 hours, and went about my business. The house started to smell really good around hour 4 and by the hour 8, I was ready to eat.

The dish was great. I love how the caraway mixed with the sausage and white wine to create an earthy flavor. No one flavor over powered any of the others. Instead, the flavors all melded together nicely, and served with mustard on toast (make mine gluten free), this dish was deeply satisfying.  Next time,  I'll make half a batch. There is only so much sauerkraut one girl can eat.

 Real Simple: Sausages with Sauerkraut and Potatoes

serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, halved if large
• 2 cups sauerkraut, drained
• 1 small onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds bratwurst links
• 1/4 cup chopped flat -leaf parsley
• Toasted bread, butter and mustard for serving

Method:

1. In a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker, mix together the potatoes, sauerkraut, onion, broth, wine, caraway seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Nestle the bratwurst in the vegetables.
2. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Sprinkle the bratwurst, potatoes and sauerkraut with the parsley and serve with the toast, butter, and mustard.