Welcome to our Cooking Guide

Our customers often ask our team for recipes and how to best cook cuts of meat. We put together this guide to share our expertise and create a place for our customers to easily access our how-to’s, recipes and more. Inside you’ll find simple, easy to follow instructions for how to roast our favorite cuts of meat, how to reheat our prepared foods and more.

 recipes

In this section we’re sharing our chef’s favorite recipes.

It’s actually winter in the DC area, for the first time in what feels like a long time. As we write this, there’s still piles of snow on the ground! We decided that for the long weekend ahead - you need a slow and meditative cooking project that produces a really delicious meal to share. So we selected the deliciously marbled, perfect for slow roasting chuck roast.

You can place an order online & have it delivered or pick it up, all items needed for this recipe are available to order online.

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 275 degrees and adjust the rack to bottom ⅓ of oven to accommodate your pot/*dutch oven.

2. Season all sides of chuck roast with salt and set aside for 20 minutes or so while preparing vegetables.

3. Preheat on stove top a 6 to 7 quart *dutch oven, over medium to high heat (a Le Creuset or similar enamel coated cast iron wide pot with lid).

4. Dry off beef of excess moisture on all sides with a kitchen towel

5. Add oil to the dutch oven and let heat up briefly. 

6. Sear chuck roast on both sides, dutch oven surface should be hot enough to create a significant “sizzling” sound. Approximately 4-5 minutes per side to develop a nice sear. Make sure to also briefly sear the sides of the chuck roast. Remove chuck roast and set aside on a plate.

7. Add the butter to pot and once dissolved add carrots, shallots, celery , a pinch of salt and let cook for approximately 4 minutes while stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and stir in for approximately 2 minutes.

8. Continuing over medium high heat add the tomato paste and stir in for approximately 3 minutes.

9. Add flour and stir in for about 1 minute or until well incorporated.

10. Add in wine and Worcestershire sauce and use a wooden spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to help deglaze and remove solids stuck to the pot - this is crucial to developing flavor. Bring the wine to a simmer and stir until evenly thickened.

11. Add beef stock and veal demi and bring back to simmer. Turn heat off, push vegetables to the side of the pot and place seared chuck roast into the center of the pot, make sure to add any accumulated juices from the plate the seared chuck roast was resting in (chuck roast should be approx. ½ to ⅔ submerged in cooking liquid).

There’s two way to handle the cooking method here. You can use time & tenderness as a guide. Or you can use a wireless or wired meat thermometer. We like the latter method because you are keeping a close eye on the science of cooking, knowing when the connective tissues are perfectly broken down producing a tender & juicy roast.

 Basic Cooking Method

Cover dutch oven with lid leaving very slightly ajar to allow for steam to evaporate and aid in sauce reduction. Place into the preheated 275 degree oven and set a timer to a cook time of 4.5 hours.

Check for fork tenderness. Meat should give a minimal resistance to shredding, but not falling apart which can lead to dry meat fibers.

Our Preferred Cooking Method

Before placing into the oven we highly recommend inserting either a wireless or wired meat thermometer at a 45 degree angle into the thickest part of the roast before covering with the lid slightly ajar. Set INTERNAL temperature of the roast to 195 degrees.This has nothing to do with “doneness” but everything to do with breaking down connective tissue by converting collagen into gelatin.

190 to 200 degrees is the optimal temperature to convert collage/connective tissue into gelatin resulting in tender juicy braised meats.

A wireless or wired thermometer will allow you to monitor the meat without opening the oven and you need only to adjust the oven cooking temperature to maintain close to 195 degree target.

It should take approx. 1.5 hours to reach 195 degrees and the remaining 3 hours are spent adjusting temperature keeping it close to 195 internal degrees.

We don’t really like slow cookers or other countertop appliances for pot roast or braising as they tend to allow very little steam release and cook to internal temperatures of 250 degrees resulting in slightly tougher meats and dryer fibers in the meat. Translation - dry, chewy and sad.

Cooking Equipment

 Dutch Oven

Proper braising of meats and especially Pot Roast requires a Dutch Oven. These enameled cast iron pots deliver superior heat distribution and retention, require no seasoning, will not rust, and are super easy to clean and can last generations. Well worth the cost.

We recommend Le Creuset or similar brands. Le Creuset’s 6.75 quart Round Wide Oven is perfect for Pot Roast and any other braised meat as the extra surface area is ideal for browning, and the shallow depth promotes quicker evaporation of liquids. The unique wide base is ideal for searing and browning meat and vegetables without crowding, and makes it easy to serve casseroles and braises directly from the pot.  The generous size makes it perfect for family meals and entertaining.

Wireless Meat Probes

Monitor your temperature targets without opening ovens or grills. Also wifi compatible with downloadable apps to use your phone. Multiple probes allow for monitoring multiple items at the same time 

2 brands we have used: Meater and Typhur

Recipe note: For an Asian Fusion variation:  add 3 to 4 ounces fresh slices of ginger root to the vegetables, substitute soy sauce for the Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons plum sauce/hoisin and wrap in cheesecloth:1 tsp szechuan peppercorns along with 2 star anise. 

 roasting

In this section we’ll cover roasting a Prime Rib Roast, Beef Tenderloin and preparing a jus for your roast beef.
We also review slow roasting our spiral glazed hams.

How To Cook a Prime Rib Roast

Prime Rib is arguably the most flavorful cut of beef. Our butchers crack and tie our Prime Rib Roasts which means they carve out the upper tendons and tie the bone on the center loin giving the roast a deeper flavor. Cooking with the bone attached to your Prime Rib allows for easy carving on the butcher block as you slice to serve.

One whole Prime Rib has 7 bones and includes 15-18 servings. One rib averages 2.5-3lbs and is about 2-3 servings.

There are two methods we recommend for cooking a Prime Rib Roast.

High Temperature Method

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, preheat the oven to 425℉

2. Pat dry

3. Season liberally with salt and ground black pepper to taste

4. Place roast fat side up on a rack in a roasting pan

5. And roast until an instant read thermometer reads

1. 110℉ to 120℉ for rare

2. 120℉ to 125℉ for medium-rare

3. 130℉ to 135℉ for medium

Temperature continues to rise 10℉ out of the oven. Remove roast to platter and cover loosely with foil,
let stand for 15 to 30 minutes before carving.

Slow Roasted Method

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 450℉

2. Season liberally with salt and ground black pepper to taste

3. Place the roast rib side down in a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes at 450

4. Reduce the oven temperature to 250 ℉

5. Roast 15-30 minutes per pound until instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of roast reads:

1. 115℉ to 125℉ for rare

2. 125℉ to 130℉ for medium-rare

3. 135℉ to 145℉ for medium

Temperature continues to rise 5℉ out of the oven. Remove roast to platter and cover loosely with foil,
let stand for 15 to 30 minutes before carving.

Make a Jus for Prime Rib Roast

1. Once the roast is removed from the roasting pan, pour off any excess grease

2. Place the roasting pan over medium heat and add ½ to ¾ cup of any flavorful stock, preferably beef or mushroom

3. Bring liquid to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pan until all roasting particles are dissolved

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste

How to Heat Our Spiral Glazed Hams
Our hams are FULLY Cooked and only require reheating.

1. Remove ham from packaging and set aside package of glaze.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees, place ham in roasting plan and roast for 10 minutes per pound. You can cover the ham for the first half of cooking to prevent drying.

3. The ham is done and ready to eat when it reaches 140 degrees.

4. Add glaze for last 20 minutes of reheating so it doesn't burn.

 porchetta

In this section we’ll cover roasting our house made, hand butchered Porchetta.

How To Roast a Porchetta

Remove the roast from the fridge prior to cooking, you will want it to come to room temperature before putting in the oven.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Rub porchetta roast with salt, pepper and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Cook the roast for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees and cook for 90 minutes.

After 90 minutes, using a spoon, baste with the accumulated fat in the bottom of the roasting pan and turn the heat up to 500 degrees until pork skin is crackling crisp. You’ll want to let the roast rest for 30 minutes after coming out of the oven.

Then, slice the roast in one-inch thick slices and serve.

 reheating prepared foods

In this section we’ll cover how to reheat our house made prepared foods like Lasagna, Meatballs, Bolognese and more.

Lasagna
Preheat the oven to 350. Place the lasagna container on a baking sheet (remove plastic top) and place in an oven covered with foil for 30-35 minutes. The last 7 minutes of cooking, remove foil cover and let top melt and brown.

Butchers Meatballs
Preheat the oven to 350. Place the Butchers Meatballs container on a baking sheet (remove plastic top) and place in an oven covered with foil for 30-35 minutes. The last 7 minutes of cooking, remove foil cover.

Chicken Dijon
Heat oven to 375. Place chicken in an ovenproof dish and cover with foil for about 10 minutes, remove cover and let crisp for 5 minutes.

Empanadas
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place empanadas on a baking sheet or an oven safe dish. Place the sheet in the oven and let sit for around 10 to 15 minutes. Check to see that the empanadas are heated all the way through, if not let them sit in the oven for a couple more minutes. Once fully reheated, take out, allow to cool and enjoy.

Baked Potato
Preheat the oven to 375, place the potato uncovered in an ovenproof dish for 10 to 12 minutes or until the center is warmed.

crab cakes

In this section we’ll cover how to heat our famous crab cakes and crab bombs.

How to reheat crab cakes in the oven.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Place Crab Cake on a lightly oiled or buttered baking sheet. Heat for 8 minutes.

3. Broil for 3-4 minutes to give a light brown color.

How to reheat crab cakes in a saute pan.

1. Use a non stick pan, on low heat melt 1 teaspoon of butter.

2. Saute Crab Cake for 4 minutes on 1 side.

3. Flip Crab Cake and allow to brown and heat on the other side.

Paella

In this section we’ll cover how to heat our signature paellas.

If you purchased our chilled paella or have leftover paella from a hot order you received from us, here’s the best methods for heating our paella.

Reheat Paella in the Microwave
Pour a few drops of water on paella and cover the plate with microwave safe steaming lid or microwave safe plastic film. The goal is for the water to quickly turn to steam and heat the rice.

1. Heat dish in the microwave for 1 minute.

2. After the first minute, wait 2-3 minutes and allow the dish to rest and steam to work its way through the rice.

3. Once again heat for another minute then check if rice has reheated and steamed to desired temperature. You may repeat the process once again as needed.

Reheat Paella in the Oven
When reheating paella in the oven, it is best to take your time. The oven temperature should be relatively low, so it can easily take up to half an hour or more before the entire paella has reached the right temperature. Letting the paella reach room temperature will make it faster and more even heating than taking it out of the fridge right before reheating.

1. Place the leftover paella in a generously sized oven dish and break it up with a fork.

2. Preheat the oven to 325°F / 350°F. At this temperature, excess moisture evaporates, but the paella is not baked again.

3. When the oven has reached the right temperature, place the dish in the middle of the oven and reheat the paella for about 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Stir occasionally, checking if the desired temperature is reached.

A note on returning your paella pan - please make sure you wash the pan before returning. We will not accept dirty paella pans.

Soups & Sauces

In this section we’ll cover how to heat our soups and sauces.

For All Soups
Transfer soup to a saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until simmering and heated through.

For All Sauces
Transfer sauces to a saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until simmering and heated through.

family style meals

In this section we’ll cover how to heat our frozen family style meals.

How to reheat Coq Au Vin

1. Preheat the oven to 350, remove plastic top off the container and replace with aluminum foil, place the container on a baking sheet.

2. If heating from frozen, cook covered for approx. 1.5 hours.

3. All ovens differ, so after approximately 1 hour, take Coq Au Vin out of oven, ensure chicken has reached 165°F by inserting a thermometer in the deepest part of a chicken piece.

4. If chicken needs additional cooking time, place back in the oven covered for another 15 to 30 minutes or until reaches 165°F.

5. If heating from thawed, follow the same procedure but cut cooking time in half.

6. Stir and enjoy!

   Preheat the oven to 350

How to reheat Beef Bourguignon

1. Preheat the oven to 350, remove plastic top off the container and replace with aluminum foil, place the container on a baking sheet.

2. If cooking from frozen, Cook covered for approx. 1.5 hours.

3. All ovens differ, so after 1 hour, take Beef Bourguignon out of oven, ensure it has reached 165°F by inserting a thermometer into the meat.

4. If needs additional cooking time, place back in the oven covered for another 15 to 30 minutes or until reaches 165°F.

5. If cooking from thawed follow the same procedure but cut cooking time in half.

6. Stir and enjoy!

How to reheat Frozen Lasagna

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Take the plastic top off the container and replace with aluminum foil, place the container on a baking sheet, add 1 tablespoon water.

2. If cooking from frozen, cook covered for approx. 1 hour.

3. Remove aluminum foil and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes to brown the top slightly or turn on the broil feature of your oven and cook approx 3 minutes or until slightly browning on top.

4. All ovens differ, so after 1 hour, take lasagna out of oven, ensure it has reached 165°F by inserting a thermometer into the lasagna.

5. If needs additional cooking time, place back in the oven covered for another 15 to 30 minutes or until reaches 165°F.

6. If cooking from thawed, follow the same procedure but cut cooking time in half.

How to reheat Chicken Pot Pie

1. Place the frozen pie on a baking sheet.

2. Beat an egg with 1 tbsp of water and brush egg wash on top of the crust.

3. Bake in a preheated 375 degree conventional oven (or 350 degree convection oven) for 45 to 55 minutes (times mav vary because all ovens differ).

4. The pie is done when the crust is golden brown.

5. Ensure it has reached 165°F by inserting a thermometer, if not cook longer.

 THanksgiving

Everything you need to know about selecting, preparing and roasting your Thanksgiving turkey and
reheating our house made sides, gravy, rolls and pies.

What size turkey should I choose?
We recommend purchasing a turkey that is big enough to serve 1.5 to 2 pounds person, as this will allow for plenty of leftovers (which is one of our favorite parts of Thanksgiving). 

How do I thaw my turkey?
If you purchased a turkey from Butchers Alley, they are not frozen but deep chilled so if you are picking up a day or two before Thanksgiving, it can sit in the fridge. If you are picking up earlier in the week, following this thawing chart to thaw your turkey. A raw, fresh or thawed turkey is good in the fridge for 1-2 days.

8-12lbs    1 to 2 days in Fridge
12-16lbs    2 to 3 days in Fridge
16-20lbs    3 to 4 days in Fridge
20-24lbs    4 to 5 days in Fridge

How do I roast my turkey?
Place turkey on a rack in an open roasting pan. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Melt stick of butter and coat the turkey, salt and pepper turkey all over, including inside. Stuff empty turkey cavity with with halved onions, halved lemons, and fresh herbs like rosemary, sage and thyme. If desired, place a foil tent over turkey but make sure to remove the foil for the last 50 to 60 minutes for browning. Roast turkey at 325 following the chart below, making sure to pour chicken broth or water in the bottom of the pan. Once turkey is roasted, remove from the oven and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.

Turkey must reach 165 degrees internally to be fully cooked.

8-12lbs    2.0 to 3.5 hours
12-16lbs    3.0 to 4.0 hours
16-20lbs    4.0 to 4.5 hours
20-24lbs    4.5 to 5.0 hours

How do I carve my turkey?
It's really easier than it may seem, you just need a sharp carving knife and this great tutorial from the Washington Post.

How do I reheat the sides I ordered from Butchers Alley?
Our house made sides are easy to reheat! All of our black sides containers are OVEN SAFE when the clear lid is removed and the container is placed on a baking sheet. Do not heat with the lid on, the lid is not oven safe. But we do recommend transferring for our Thanksgiving sides for optimal flavor. All items are fully cooked. Unless otherwise noted, reheat all foods until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer food to an oven-safe baking dish (for stuffing, mashed potatoes and casseroles) or rimmed baking sheet (for roasted vegetables) and cover with an oven-safe lid, parchment paper or aluminum foil, unless otherwise indicated. Heat each side dish for the suggested length of time (or longer if necessary) until heated through, stirring halfway through heating.

Heat for 10-15 Minutes
Roasted Butternut Squash
Roasted Carrots and Pepitas
Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
Roasted Fall Vegetables

Heat for 15-20 Minutes
Potato Gratin
Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Creamed Spinach

Heat for 30-40 Minutes
Macaroni and Cheese (uncover for final 5-10 minutes to brown)
Truffle Macaroni and Cheese (uncover for final 5-10 minutes to brown)
Turkey Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Garlic

How do I reheat gravy and sauces?
Cranberry Orange Sauce and Applesauce do not require heating and can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Stovetop Reheating
Transfer sauce or gravy to a saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until simmering and heated through.

Microwave Reheating
Use a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then stir and microwave for additional 1 to 2 minute intervals as needed until heated through.

How do I reheat pies & dinner rolls?

Reheat Pies
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place on a baking sheet, gently cover the crust with foil to prevent over-browning, and heat for 10-15 minutes or until just warmed through.

Note: Our pumpkin pie should be served room temperature.

Reheat Rolls
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and heat for 4-8 minutes or until warm.

 holiday

Everything you need to know about reheating our holiday menu house made sides, gravy, rolls and pies.

How do I reheat the sides I ordered from Butchers Alley?
Our house made sides are easy to reheat! All of our black sides containers are OVEN SAFE when the clear lid is removed and the container is placed on a baking sheet. Do not heat with the lid on, the lid is not oven safe. But we do recommend transferring for our Thanksgiving sides for optimal flavor. All items are fully cooked. Unless otherwise noted, reheat all foods until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer food to an oven-safe baking dish (for stuffing, mashed potatoes and casseroles) or rimmed baking sheet (for roasted vegetables) and cover with an oven-safe lid, parchment paper or aluminum foil, unless otherwise indicated. Heat each side dish for the suggested length of time (or longer if necessary) until heated through, stirring halfway through heating.

Heat for 10-15 Minutes
Roasted Butternut Squash
Roasted Carrots and Pepitas
Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
Roasted Fall Vegetables

Heat for 15-20 Minutes
Potato Gratin
Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Creamed Spinach

Heat for 30-40 Minutes
Macaroni and Cheese (uncover for final 5-10 minutes to brown)
Truffle Macaroni and Cheese (uncover for final 5-10 minutes to brown)
Turkey Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Garlic

How do I reheat gravy and sauces?
Cranberry Orange Sauce and Applesauce do not require heating and can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Stovetop Reheating
Transfer sauce or gravy to a saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until simmering and heated through.

Microwave Reheating
Use a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then stir and microwave for additional 1 to 2 minute intervals as needed until heated through.

How do I reheat pies & dinner rolls?

Reheat Pies
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place on a baking sheet, gently cover the crust with foil to prevent over-browning, and heat for 10-15 minutes or until just warmed through.

Note: Our pumpkin pie should be served room temperature.

Reheat Rolls
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and heat for 4-8 minutes or until warm.