We cut steaks and roasts, chops and shanks from whole animal carcasses here at The Local Butcher Shop. If you’ve been in the shop, you’ve probably noticed our butchers carving intently next to metal bowls to collect the scraps. Those bits of meat, fat, bones, and skin are not thrown out. Bones go to make stock and bone broth. Fat is collected for our sausages and rendered for lard, tallow and schmaltz. We even use up pork skin by making chew treats for our canine customers. Our pâtés and terrines—made from meat, fat and offal—are the very essence of nose to tail eating.

For a classic charcuterie board, serve a few selections with a whole-grain mustard, pickled vegetables, and crackers or fresh baguette. Or, leave the work to us and order one of our new charcuterie platters.  Depending on the season, our selection varies, but below we’ve described a few of our usual offerings along with some ideas for serving. Our neighborhood wine experts, Ryan and Lee from Vintage Berkeley on Vine Street offered up some drink pairings.

Rillettes

Rillettes are made by gently cooking meat in its own fat.  Then the meat is pulled or shredded, herbs are added and the fat is added back. Our pork rillettes have a concentrated porky flavor while the rabbit rillettes is more delicate.

Vintage Berkeley pairings: The delicate flavor of the rabbit could be easily overpowered, so a light Pinot Gris pairs well. For something more funky, a tart cider or tangy sour beer cuts through the fat in the rillettes for a clean finish. An earthy red will show off the meatiness of the pork rillette, but it also needs good acidity to balance the fattiness.

• 2013 Barber Cellars “Rougissant” Pinot Gris, Keller Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, CA ($20)
• Coturri Wild Ferment Apple Cider, Glen Ellen, CA ($14)
• 2013 Philippe Tessier “Point du Jour”, Cheverny, Loire Valley, France ($25)

Serving idea: Fruit preserves such as fig jam or cherry compote are fantastic served alongside rillettes.

Headcheese

Headcheese is made with pork head meat that is slowly cooked and then picked off the bone.  Then the meat is put in a mold, the cooking liquid is added along with fresh herbs. As the broth and meat cools, the headcheese sets into a mild, savory terrine with contrasting textures.

Vintage Berkeley pairing: A red wine with good tannins, structure and acidity contrast the soft roundness of fat in the headcheese.

• 2013 Francesco Borgogno Langhe Nebbiolo, Piedmont ($23)
• 2013 Banshee Grenache Gris, Gibson Ranch, Mendocino County, CA ($20)

Serving idea: a small slab of headcheese or country-style pâté is delicious next to arugula or lettuces dressed simply with a sharp vinaigrette.

Pork Liver Mousse

Our pork liver mousse is smooth, rich and spiked with a bit of brandy. We blend in egg yolk and cream to give the mousse a light texture.

Vintage Berkeley pairings: A traditional pairing for a rich mousse is a sweet wine, such as a French Sauternes. But, an interesting alternative is a medium bodied red that stands up to the intensity of the pâté.

• 2013 Arnot-Roberts Trousseau, North Coast, CA ($39)
• 2012 Birichino Grenache, Besson Vineyard, Central Coast, CA ($20)
• 2011 Haut-Mayne Sauternes 375ml, Bordeaux, France ($21.50)

Serving idea: Savor the pork liver mousse as a sandwich spread (like you find on a Vietnamese bahn mi) or on a chunky piece of toasted batard.

Scrapple

Rare around these parts, Scrapple is worth mention. It’s is a Pennsylvania Dutch specialty and Aaron’s ode to his homeland of Pennsylvania. Made of pork mixed with cornmeal and set with herbs and spices, it is sliced and pan-seared to golden brown before serving. We recommend this for breakfast with toast and strong coffee.

New Charcuterie Platters

Serving a crowd? We’re excited to introduce our new charcuterie platters! A selection of pâtés, sliced deli meats, mostarda, mustard and crackers are beautifully plated on large white serving platters. We offer two sizes, a small platter serving eight people and a large platter that serves 16, They will make stunning addition to any party spread.

If charcuterie already graces your table, we’d love to hear how you serve it. And, if you’re ready to make it in your own kitchen, sign up for one of our Pâté & Terrine Classes!