Matt Moore wants you to talk to your butcher. “Ask for help, or what looks good today,” he said. “Maybe hint that you need a recipe.” He did just that—and filled a book with such recipes.
“Butcher on the Block,” the Southern-born and -bred author’s fifth cookbook, shines a spotlight on the skilled tradesmen and women behind the meat (and seafood) counter, with collected stories and recipes from shops around the country and abroad.
From San Francisco’s Chinatown to New York’s Italian Arthur Avenue neighborhood, many are family stories, born from an American dream and passed down for generations. One is especially close to Moore’s heart: His late grandfather Abraham Samuel Dennis was a butcher, returning from WWII service to run their family store in Valdosta, Georgia.
Others, Moore was surprised to learn, were relative newcomers to the scene, often chefs who pivoted their careers to butchery. “I believe there’s a resurgence of not only great butcher shops and butchers, but of appreciation home cooks and chefs are bringing to the trade,” Moore said.
He encourages home cooks to learn a few tricks of the trade, too. No fancy equipment is required, other than a good knife, since “the goal is to practice and learn the natural seams or joints, which will give way to some gentle pressure and a sharp knife.” Your first assignment: “I think everyone should be able to break down a whole chicken,” Moore said. “I can guarantee a fresh, cut-up bird is going to change whatever dish you are making.”
Of course, there’s also another way to get that: Ask your friendly neighborhood butcher.
“The book’s heart and soul,” Moore said, “is to encourage folks to strike up friendships and trust with the butchers in their own community.”
Here, he shares a few recipes straight from the source.
Matt Moore’s Favorite Cuts
Save: “I like the offcuts like top sirloin, which typically comes at half of the cost of call-cuts like filet, strip, and rib eye. My favorite use is to make kebabs.”Splurge: “If you’re looking for a pricier cut, the rib eye cap, or spinalis muscle, is a go-to that satisfies my desire for big, beefy flavor, while also keeping my wife happy because it’s nice and tender.”
