YOUR FAVORITE BUTCHER

[cbel964]

Am wondering if and where they are any good butchers in this area.

Also, anyone know where you can buy "english" bacon???

[jsibley]

I like John's Meat Market in Scotch Plains for dry-aged, prime beef. I'm willing to drive there from Montclair when I want a good steak.

They have a website:

http://www.johnsmarket.com/

[babyluck]

I was proud to see Maresca's in Sergeantsville featured in Saveur this month--especially since I read a line unheard of in NJ about how Sergeantsville is intentionally curbing the tide of development (read: condos). This is all I can find on them online. If you have trouble locating Sergeantsville, it's near Flemington.

I now live near John's in Scotch Plains--hardly south/central NJ, but I agree they're very good. Kind of expensive, though, don't you think? Maybe I'm just used to country prices.

What is English bacon? I saw somewhere that it is the same as Canadian bacon--true?

[Kim WB]

In Kingston, there is the Amish market with two great poultry farmers/butchers represented, and then antoher meat place. Teh chicken places are great..but the meat place is jsut ok..I lke to use them for marrow bones for soup, country bacons and ribs, but its not the place to get a steak.

Teh Trenton Farmer's market in Lawrence also has a nubmer of butchers, primarily slavic, russian, polish or hungarian focussed.

Best bet is McCaffrey's in Princeton and Princeton Junction...very customer service oriented, high quality, not inexpensive.

[cbel964]

Not true about English/Canadian bacon.

English bacon is very thick and sooooooo unfatty like American bacon.

When I first heard of a 'bacon sandwich' i was like (ewww) but with that bacon, it's VERY delish.

You can buy Irish bacon at Shoprite, but it's a tad different.

I can probably have it shipped from the UK for about 100 bucks! (if i were so inclined)....

[Rich Pawlak]

Cartlidge's Meat Market is actually the only butcher In the trenton Farmer's Market. The chicken purveyor and Polish deli just sell poultry and cold cuts respectively, and do not butchering.

Cartlidge's is the standard against which other butchers should be judged. The make their own sausages, all nitrite free and very lean, and even make very tasty veggie burgers, as well as custom butchering for almost every meat imaginable.

[dbrociner]

I was proud to see Maresca's in Sergeantsville featured in Saveur this month

featured is an understatement. I've read smaller pieces in Saveur about entire cuisine's than they did about this butcher shop. Living only about 40 minutes away I called for directions only to find out they are closed on Sunday and Monday, my only two days off. Tomorrow is a rare exception and I'm going to buy some steaks and whatever else looks good. I'll report back.

[dbrociner]

Went to Maresca's yesterday. It was worth the trip! As soon as I walked in the door I smelled something delicious. I never did figure out what it was, possibly the pies and quiches sitting out on a table. Very unassuming place, I'd guess it looks the same as it has for most of the last 60 years. Hard to believe that anyone could survive running a butcher shop in Sergeantsville 60 years ago but thats their story. The trip down Rt. 523 was exactly as described in Saveur a blend of "x-urban" sprawl mixed with old time western NJ country living. The Maresca brothers were both there and Emil was very nice to Sophia (my 3 year old). There is no hint of the Saveur piece in the butcher shop except for the presence of far flung foodies like myself.

I picked up 2 ribeye steaks which I had hand cut to 2" thickness, some Italian sausage (sweet), some deli ham, a loaf of excellent Italian bread as well as some chili and some pulled pork from their refrigerated case. Made the steaks last night and they were some of the best steaks I have ever eaten at home. The meat is dry aged, well marbled and amazingly tender. It has that slightly sour smell when you take it out of the package which might fool someone into thinking its gone bad but is really a sign of its great flavor. I had the deli ham for lunch, it was low moisture and slightly smokey and was great on that Italian bread. Will be making red sauce with the sausage as well as grilling a few links to eat unembelished. The chili and the pulled pork both look great, I will post about them another time.

Maresca's does not take credit cards but they will take your personal check. I had no cash and a woman behind the counter told me how to find the MAC machine, "so close you could spit to it" she said. Just past the shop on the same side of Rt. 523. They are closed on Sundays and Mondays. A great destination stop for a Saturday drive into the country and I believe there may be a good restaurant nearby, the Sergeantsville Inn? I'll have to ask Rosie. Or you could buy a loaf of that bread, some cold cuts and have lunch on the hood of your car, it'd be worth it.

[Rosie]

Info on Sergeantsville Inn here:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...geantsville+inn

[Kim WB]

Cartlidge's Meat Market is actually the only butcher In the trenton Farmer's Market. The chicken purveyor and Polish deli just sell poultry and cold cuts respectively, and do not butchering.

Cartlidge's is the standard against which other butchers should be judged. The make their own sausages, all nitrite free and very lean, and even make very tasty veggie burgers, as well as custom butchering for almost every meat imaginable.

Pulaski's is the Polish deli, and during Easter and Christmas they will accept orders for hams and homemade sausages..Rich is correct, they are not butchers per se, more like meat market type place.

Rich, doesn't Cartlidge's have the best turkey sausage? I use it as a replacement for pork sausage all the time...its perfectly seasoned.

[babyluck]

Went to Maresca's yesterday. It was worth the trip!

Thanks for the report--it passed me by somehow. I grew up near there (hence the local pride) and could easily go while visiting the folks. I definitely foresee picnic lunches this spring. I'll take my dad--he'll go gaga over it too.

Here's an idea for a Saturday trip that will give you that real country feeling (for the warmer weather):

Pick up provisions for a late lunch at Maresca's. Head down to the river (don't forget to go through "the oldest covered bridge in NJ"). Find a nice place to picnic along the river. Then head back to Sergeantsville for the Heartlands Hayride, the weekly old-time country & bluegrass show that's broadcast live on the air. You will feel like you've stepped 70 years back in time. Get there early 'cuz the pews fill up fast!

If you're not up for a hoedown, you could have an early picnic lunch, hit the Golden Nugget flea market on the river near Lambertville, and have dinner in New Hope or at the great Thai place in Lambertville.

[Kim WB]

I just heard about a bucher named Louie on Applegarth Raod in Monroe Township. IN a strip mall, past the over 55 housing, and the store is not named Louie's but the butcher is. I'm going to take a drive, but thought I'd check here..any word?

[helenas]

bringing this thread up in case members have any updates on their favorite butchers to share.

[srhcb]

My butcher, Dave, retired this past year. He was the last butcher in my hometown who actually knew how to cut meat, plus, he always had a good joke to tell.

Dave was a professional rodeo bull rider in his younger days, which I always thought was somewhat ironic.

When I found out he was leaving I was almost tempted to become a vegetarian, (for about two minutes)

[helenas]

I just heard about a bucher named Louie on Applegarth Raod in Monroe Township. IN a strip mall, past the over 55 housing, and the store is not named Louie's but the butcher is. I'm going to take a drive, but thought I'd check here..any word?

i found the store: very nice small but quite well stocked italian deli: i called them yesterday to order a breast of lamb, picked it up today and also got cotechino sausage and buffalo mozzarella.

The ownder Dan is very friendly and helpful guy: i'm so happy to finally find a butcher relatively close to my house.

address and phone:

(609) 655-4000

355 Applegarth Rd,

Monroe Township, NJ