Butcher shops have dwindled to endangered-species status, but a new generation of store owners is bringing them back—with a passionate commitment to locally raised meat, lesser-known cuts and chef-inspired recipes.

At Avedano’s, co-owners Tia Harrison, Melanie Eisemann and Angela Wilson are serious about humanely and often locally raised meat; sustainability is also a must for the grocery items they sell. Harrison, who doubles as executive chef at Sociale, prepares take-out dishes like tender hunks of veal shoulder braised in a smoky tomato sauce. As head butcher, Harrison breaks down whole carcasses regularly—a skill she more or less taught herself. “I explain it as learning backward,” she says. “I had already dealt with cuts of meat in a restaurant setting. I just had to learn how it was all pieced together.”

Plus:

Amazing Veal Recipes

6 Unusual Cuts of Meat

A Carnivore’s Cookout

Maverick Butchers:

• Maverick Butchers: Avedano’s in San Francisco
• Maverick Butchers: Fleisher’s in Kingston & Rhinebeck, NY
• Maverick Butchers: Belmont Butchery in Richmond, VA
• Unfamiliar Meat Cuts: A Guide to Butcher Favorites

Published November 2008