Carbonara is the Italian work for coal miner. This dish is called called carbonara because of the specks of black pepper are reminiscent of coal dust. Aaron Rocchino, co-founder and former co-owner of The Local Butcher Shop, shares his recipe for this very rich dish, featuring The Local Butcher Shop’s housemade guanciale. A note from […]

January 25th is the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. Scots celebrate with a decadent meal that includes haggis. Haggis is essentially a sausage that is stuffed and cooked in a sheep stomach. Our haggis is made with lamb meat, heart, kidney, tongue, liver, stock, oats, barley, onions. It’s seasoned with cayenne, thyme, allspice, pepper, lemon, […]

After a full week of closure due to COVID, we are thrilled to announce the shop will reopen with regular hours Friday, January 14th. To our relief, our staff who tested positive for COVID have recovered in isolation and have now tested negative. In addition, our staff who had close contact with these individuals have […]

We get so many questions about how to prepare holiday meats. So, we’ve compiled our favorite tips, techniques and recipes in one place. Veal Our veal & how to cook specific cuts Beef How to prepare & cook a standing rib roast The Rocchino’s favorite brisket Hams & Pork How to glaze & reheat a holiday ham […]

If you pick up a pack of our house-made beef ricotta meatballs, we recommend making Chef Jason’s red sauce. It’s a simple tomato sauce that comes together easily with stuff you probably have on hand. Simmer the meatballs in the sauce, and serve over hot cooked pasta (we love Baia pasta) or polenta with grated […]

Spatchcock is a butchery term that refers to splitting open poultry or game birds for cooking. The backbone is removed and the carcass is pushed flat. The benefit to spatchcocking a chicken is faster, more even cooking. I also find it much easier to carve for serving. It’s particularly good for grilling and a great […]

Two reasons to love Shepherd’s Pie: First, it does not involve rolling out a pie crust; and second, it does involve mashed potatoes. This spring-inspired shepherd’s pie is adapted from Felicity Cloake’s recipe for a very classic version. For a lighter touch, the potatoes are mashed with yogurt and olive oil. (For a dairy free […]

When it comes to chicken, I am firmly in the dark meat camp. Chicken breast are too often dry and rubbery, so I usually avoid the white meat altogether. However, the steam treatment I gave this chicken made it so delicious that I had a difficult time saving the breast for the chicken salad recipe for which […]

A few of our favorite products come together in a smoky, spicy chili. This particular chili recipe is light on the beans. If you like a beany chili, cook a full pound of beans and add them all to the pot. Serve with sour cream, jalapeños, grated cheese, and tortilla chips. It’s also perfect with our savory […]

This is a favorite cornbread recipe and a great way to use up any lard or tallow you have on hand. We used Tortillas de la Tierra’s heirloom blue cornmeal, which you can find at The Local Butcher Shop. Heating the cast iron pan in the oven before filing it with batter ensures a beautiful […]