Why We Buy Whole Animal

Most "big box" stores buy their meat in boxes of pre-selected cuts, essentially picking only the popular parts like ribeyes and strips. They are vacuum-sealed in plastic bags and shipped across the world to a grocery store. We do things differently: we bring in the whole animal from ranches only 200 miles away.

More Than Just a Retro Trend

The nose-to-tail approach isn't just a nod to the old school; it is a critical commitment to sustainability and flavor. We process whole carcasses right here in the market, breaking down 10-14 pigs every other week from Yonder Way Farm (sourced from Jason and Lynsey Kramer in Fayetteville) and multiple beef carcasses weekly from Texas partners like Peeler Farms, Startz Cattle, Long Hill, and La Babia.

By taking the whole animal, we solve a massive problem for our ranchers. In the standard industry, farmers often struggle to sell the "off-cuts" (everything that doesn't make it in the box). This means that about 50% of the animal ends up as ground beef. When we buy the whole animal, we honor the life of the creature and allow our ranching partners to focus on what they do best: raising animals ethically on open pastures. This keeps money in our local community and reduces the carbon footprint associated with shipping boxed meat across the country.

A Culinary Adventure for You

For you, this philosophy translates into access to incredible products you literally cannot find elsewhere. Because we have the whole animal, we get to utilize the whole animal:

• The Fat: We render it down into beef tallow, which is used to make the flour tortillas at the tortilleria, the famous tallow french fries at Burgers by Butcher, and it is even turned into soap with our partner Enchanted Acres (find it in our apothecary section).

• The Bones: We transform nutrient-dense bones into rich stocks and broths. Check out our sipping broths!

• The Unique Cuts: You can find treasures that standard retailers simply don't carry, like house-made Wagyu pastrami, specific heritage pork cuts from Black Berkshire hogs, or specialty cuts like Denver, Bavette, Flatiron or Zabuton. (All of that is before we even talk about our Dry Ageing program!)

Restaurant Quality, Home Cooked

Perhaps the coolest part of our program is our connection to the restaurants around us. Our butcher shop cuts the meat for Fife & Farro, Mezquite, and the Michelin star restaurant- Isidore. That means when you shop with us, you are buying the same restaurant-quality proteins used by professional chefs. Our butchers act as a "tool" for these chefs, helping them refine menus, collaborate on unique cuts and dry age for ultimate flavor.

So next time you visit, don't be shy! Whether you're looking for a classic ribeye, a specific bone for broth, or just want to see how addicting french fries are when they are fried in beef tallow — our butchers are here to guide you.