Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

The Healthy Butcher


Barb

Recommended Posts

A co-worker told me about The Healthy Butcher so I went shopping there a few weeks ago. I was like a kid in a candy store in there. They opened in March but their Grand Opening is this weekend. Their web site explains what they are all about better than I can. I’ve only been in their store once and that’s all it took for me to be a raving fan. I can’t buy enough meat to keep them in business so I’m looking for some help from my fellow e-gulleters. :wink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A co-worker told me about The Healthy Butcher so I went shopping there a few weeks ago. I was like a kid in a candy store in there. They opened in March but their Grand Opening is this weekend. Their web site explains what they are all about better than I can. I’ve only been in their store once and that’s all it took for me to be a raving fan.  I can’t buy enough meat to keep them in business so I’m looking for some help from my fellow e-gulleters.  :wink:

Darn, I moved away a year too soon! :laugh:

I doubt you will need to obtain a second mortgage to keep these folks in business. Is they have any marketing savvy, and from their web site it would seem that have some, I'd imagine they will be quite successful.

Now, if only they'd deliver to Vancouver.....

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

www.leecarney.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i'm right around the corner - really ought to check them out sometime soon. at habitat on saturday i saw that 'healthy butcher' is proudly proclaimed as proof of the steaks provenance.

ayone tried the prepared food - what are they doing there?

"There never was an apple, according to Adam, that wasn't worth the trouble you got into for eating it"

-Neil Gaiman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just checked them out today, and bought some steaks and chicken breasts. We're cooking the steaks tonight, so I'll try to give a report post-meal. The store was a little smaller than I'd expected but the staff were friendly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, my report won't be that useful. The steaks were delicious, but I became distracted because my wife insisted on having her steak well-done. Yuk. This is a long-standing area of contention with us, and having to eat my meal in the kitchen while watching her steak turn into a lump of charcoal didn't allow me much time to think of interesting things to say.

Pricewise, I'd say there is a slight premium but not too bad. The two steaks came to about $25 and the chicken breasts were $8. That's about 20-25% more than I'd pay at my local supermarket, but worth it, I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pricewise, I'd say there is a slight premium but not too bad. The two steaks came to about $25 and the chicken breasts were $8. That's about 20-25% more than I'd pay at my local supermarket, but worth it, I think.

True enough, James, but the steaks and chicken you buy at your local supermarket are probably 20 to 25% water, since they're wet aged.

Compared to the city's other premium butchers, I think Healthy is actually a little cheaper.

Malcolm Jolley

Gremolata.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, my report won't be that useful. The steaks were delicious, but I became distracted because my wife insisted on having her steak well-done. Yuk. This is a long-standing area of contention with us, and having to eat my meal in the kitchen while watching her steak turn into a lump of charcoal didn't allow me much time to think of interesting things to say.

Now that's an understandable distraction. I have to put up with dinner partners who want well done steaks, too, and I've found that two cuts will still be palatable: rib steak, and filet. So I let them have at it, although the filet doesn't do a lot for me, even medium rare.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There used to be another butcher selling organic meat in Thornhill, but they went out-of-business around the same time as the mad-cow hits..

I missed them so much.. will definitely stop by the healthy butcher this weekend for some good meat..

M

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Much as I'm an otherwise competent cook, I am shamefully shy when it comes to cooking meat - I'm worried about both under- and overcooking. Still, I went to the Healthy Butcher last week, and the man behind the meat counter thought through my admission and sold me two beef roulades stuffed with beets, spinach, and cheese, along with baking directions. They were exceedingly tasty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In addition to some nice meatstuffs (but pricy - these are whole foods prices - with the added advantage that this is at the halfway point between home and work and of course all organic and largely local)

They have a really great selection of sheeps milks cheeses. pecorino fresco, a great semi soft cheese rolled in rosemary and juniper (ate a sizable chunk of this last night), the best baa feta, some cheddars, an ash covered pyramid - very nice.

and very nice people working. I came by ten minutes after they had closed, they were wiping down counters and sweeping the floor but still happy to open up and sell me some chicken and a little cheese and chat about them for some time - with good humour to boot.

I'm very excited about this addition to the neighbourhood.

"There never was an apple, according to Adam, that wasn't worth the trouble you got into for eating it"

-Neil Gaiman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In addition to some nice meatstuffs (but pricy - these are whole foods prices - with the added advantage that this is at the halfway point between home and work and of course all organic and largely local)

They have a really great selection of sheeps milks cheeses.  pecorino fresco, a great semi soft cheese rolled in rosemary and juniper (ate a sizable chunk of this last night), the best baa feta, some cheddars, an ash covered pyramid - very nice.

and very nice people working.  I came by ten minutes after they had closed, they were wiping down counters and sweeping the floor but still happy to open up and sell me some chicken and a little cheese and chat about them for some time - with good humour to boot.

I'm very excited about this addition to the neighbourhood.

Was in TO this past weekend and had a look at the store while in the area. Definitely premium prices but plenty of pride and workmanship is evident in front of and behind the counter. A nice selection of prepared foods plus some interesting marinades and roulade stuffings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

I've been buying pretty much 100% of our beef and poultry from them since they opened. They are consistently excellent.

This past weekend we had their sun-dried tomato pre-formed burgers and we regularly buy their seasoned burgers. Why can't I season ground beef like them? You pay a premium for them, but they are really good. Perhaps they use a higher fat content beef, as they come out very juicy. We also made osso buco with their beef shanks yesterday - the cut was just right. I've occasionally bought side dishes, which have been so-so.

They are very honest about what is organic and what is not. After all, how does one really know if it's organic unless you check the certification papers yourself and cross-check it to the product you are actually buying.

They have organic bison and elk, but I haven't tried it yet.

They are hard-working honest people who deserve the success that they are enjoying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...