Butcher Shops

By Bruce Shawkey

There was a time when just about every neighborhood had a butcher shop. Today, they are disappearing in favor of supermarkets. What a pity. Fortunately, we in southern Wisconsin are blessed with several fantastic meat markets and sausage factories (oftentimes both on the same premises!), where the person behind the counter is versed in the subtleties of beef, pork, lamb, and veal, where you can have your steak or roast cut the way you want it. 

New Glarus the other day, a town of about 2,200, has not one, but two meat markets, Ruef's Meat Market, in the heart downtown, and Hoesley's Meat Market (pronounced HOSE - lees) on the edge of town. 

One day, I was shopping for a nice thick New York Strip to put on the grill. I wanted a 1-inch (at least!) thick slab of beef, trimmed by hand, and wrapped in butcher paper. 

I cooked it two nights later about medium. Talk all you want to about Iowa beef, Texas beef, Kansas City beef, whatever. I'll put up our Wisconsin beef against those folks anytime. It's really another one of our "best kept secrets" here in Wisconsin, and I for one hope it stays that way!

There are several other really good meat markets/sausage factories in southern Wisconsin, and they include Sorg's (between Janesville and Delavan); the Bavarian Sausage Shop in Fitchburg; Gempeler's Market in Monticello; and of course Ruef's in New Glarus.

I recently started going to Brennan's market in Madison/Middleton. They have been here for years. They are known primarily for their produce, but also have an excellent meat counter. I have on several occasions procured a couple of filet mignons from them, and they are excellent, and at $30 apiece, are definite binge. I can sometimes reduce that price a bit with a $10 coupon from the "Advantage" magazine, a local glossy mailer here in the Madison area. 

(Note: Brennan's has not been advertising in Advantage for the last year or so.)

Cheers!

Bruce