The Daily Grind

Note: this story was originally published in October 2020. It has been reformatted and republished for this site.

Here at the Butcher Block, there are a few items we sell through faster than most. Filets are one of the hottest commodities – choice or prime, trimmed or untrimmed, the folks in Franklin and the surrounding area love a good filet. Then there’s the ribeye, of course. Who doesn’t enjoy a beautifully marbled, thick-cut ribeye? And then there’s the grind: beef that is grass-fed with a grain finish that’s locally sourced, blended and ground fresh in-house, ground beef doesn’t really go out of style.

The ground beef at the ‘Block is popular for good reason – it’s made up of some of the best beef you can get. Meat and fat trim from several different cuts go into it, mixed by hand before going into the grinder to provide the ideal lean-to-fat ratio. This frequently includes trim from tenderloins (where the ever-popular filets are cut from), the rib, chuck, short loin, sirloin, rump, and round. Nearly all the trim from the beef table is put to use via the house grind resulting in as little waste as possible. This mix gets ground twice: the first time to combine the meat and fat, giving it a red-and-white speckled look; the second time to homogenize it, which gives it the texture and appearance we are all so familiar with.

The ‘Block also provides another form of grind that sells like hotcakes on a cold winter morning – the butcher burger. This quickly famous burger, rather than being a combination of trim from several different cuts, includes only a few handpicked portions of beef, although the exact cuts and proportions are somewhat of a trade secret… for good reason, after all. What I can say is that it’s a combination of cuts from sections of the rib and the upper and lower shoulder. Using only these specific parts creates not only a top-quality blend for burger patties but also a denser texture and richer flavor than your average burger. If you’re lucky enough to know the specifics, well, you probably work there – but you can learn everything you want to know about them by chatting with the butcher and meat cutters. In terms of burgers, it’s hard to find a more unique and delicious patty. Don’t just take my word for it – ask the multitude of customers who keep coming back for them.

That’s the scoop of the daily grind, with me, Coop, wishing you happy eatin’.