Blue Ribbon Butcher in Oak Park

Many thanks to VI for the heads-up on this overlooked gem in east Oak Park


A bit like walking into butcher shop past. Throw a little sawdust on the floor, bring in a large butcher block chopping block and they'd be right there. One guy behind the cases boning out chicken thighs, two guys behind the short case putting together a large order. Nice man comes up and says "If you don't see it, that don't mean we don't have it. Might have some Moose back here, maybe." We both laugh.

I tell him I'm looking for something like a NY Strip or such for a little grilling this weekend and he smiles and says "I've got the steak for you. Porterhouse.". He disappears into the ancient meat locker for a minute or two and emerges with an entire short loin and says "Show me how thick you want 'em." I make an indication about 1 1/2" thick and he smiles - "What time's dinner?"

He fires up the ancient band saw and cuts the steaks. (Looking at the steaks I notice that he's given me steaks from the end with the largest part of the tenderloin. Unlike pre-wrapped at Costco where you get two small ends and one medium / large end per package- big bonus points.) "How do you want them trimmed?" (Note that he hasn't weighed and priced them in the method of Whole Paycheck before asking about trimming - more big bonus points from me). "I always ask. Some people like them with no fat, others want it all. I don't want to get yelled at." I suggest a nice half inch layer all around. "Man knows his steak. What time's dinner, again?"

A few more customers have come in - one lady is buying a whole smoked bone-in ham. "Half for me and half for my Mother."

A guy who has finished working on the large order walks up sees my steaks and says "Flintstone steaks, my favorite."

My order's getting weighed up;the man punches in $7.99 / pound for 5 lbs of nicely trimmed Porterhouse. He looks at me and says "How does thirty-five sound?"

Sounds like I've found a new butcher shop.

The follow-up:

Couldn't wait until tonight to cook up those beautiful steaks, so we had 'em last night! They were really, really, really good.

I recently borrowed David Waltuck's "New Steakhouse Cookbook" from the OPPL and have adopted some of his techniques. Simply put, he advises 1.5 tbsp of kosher salt (or coarse sea salt), 1 tsp black pepper and a 3-4 tbsp of good olive oil per porterhouse. Seems like a lot but some stays on the platter (to mix in with the juices later) and some falls into the grill. That's it and that's all these steaks needed.

In the before cooking picture, I can see the fine marbleing I'd associate with prime grade. These weren't aged steaks, but Alton Brown did a show on aging beef at home and I've done it a bunch of times. I'm certainly going to do it again.

I recall attending a meeting with Julia Child and Jacques Pepin that was moderated by Morely Safer. In that meeting many remarkable things were said, with one of them particulary applicable to these steaks.

Ms. Child noted that there were grading inaccuracies in the USDA system and talked about how approximately 20 - 25% of choice grade beef would be better labeled near prime. That's what I got from Blue Ribbon yesterday.

I don't know if I was just lucky, but I think these guys know how to pick out the good stuff.

At the same meeting Mr. Pepin said he was certain that nearly 80% of prime grade porterhouse in the country is bought by Peter Luger and Lobel's in NYC - not much prime left for the rest of the USA. At what works out to $7.29 / lb I'm ecstatic.

VI, Thanks ever so much for the early tip-off!!

The country ham looked great; dense and nicely smoked. I'm impressed with the range of items they displayed. Chicken, beef, pork, sausages and the specials on wall...much to explore.

Blue Ribbon Butcher
426 N Austin Boulevard
(just north of Lake street on west side of Austin)
Oak Park, IL
708.524.9766

Wow thanks for the post! I can't wait to try it out, those are great prices, I see a grill in this weekend's forecast.

If it's really truly top choice or misgraded prime, I'm all over it. Maybe I'll head out there this week. Do you happen to know their hours?

M-F 830-630
Sa 830-600
Su Closed

All the best,

Marc

With our kitchen renovation complete, I am ready to leave behind (momentarily, of course) all the great prepared foods from Freddy's and Joseph's and dinners out at Yum Thai, Spoon Thai, Zascianek and Halina's (to name a few favorites out of so many favorites) for a bit of quality time in the new cooking space.

The consensus requested beef, so I retraced my steps to Blue Ribbon Butcher Shop, a place I had mentioned here approximately two weeks before our renovations started.

The shop sits mid-block (and is easily overlooked) near the Northwest corner of Lake and Austin in Oak Park.

It's owned by two guys - Russ and Ron - and it's been in their hands for the past twenty-seven years. As I noted, it feels like a traditional butcher shop, all that's missing is some sawdust on the floor.

There's much more to this store than initially meets the eye, as well.

They carry Chiappetti Lamb (same as Whole Paycheck at much better prices) and they dry-age beef on premises - a friend often buys a whole short loin and they age it for him. (I'm going to do this as well)

My friend gave me two perfectly dry-aged Blue Ribbon ribeye steaks as a kitchen warming gift. They were the first thing cooked on my new range's grill and they were spectacular.

So, for Christmas Day dinner I bought a beautiful four-rib prime rib of beef, which I will roast until it's rare and serve it with Yorkshire puddings, crushed potatoes, artichokes and asparagus.

If you're in the market for a full-service butcher shop and live anywhere close to Oak Park, it's worth your while to stop in. I heartily recommend Blue Ribbon.


Blue Ribbon
426 N Austin Boulevard (just north of Lake St on west side of Austin)
Oak Park IL
(708)524.9766

M-F 8:30-6:30
Sa 8:30-6:00
Su Closed

Shortly after my previous post I made it out to Blue Ribbon. I went in hoping to get some ribeye, especially bone in, but all they had that remotely interested me were porterhouses, so I grabbed a nice 1.5/2" thick one.

The marbling was not particularly impressive, nor was the steak itself. The flavor was ok, the price was fine, but it just wasn't a particularly high grade of beef. Medium-grade choice or below, at least for that particular piece. Maybe they have better quality at other times, but it didn't wow me.

As an aside, my favorite recent beef purchase was a pair of usda prime butt steaks/top sirloin from Treasure Island on Clybourn. They were marked down to about $7/lb, and they were quite, quite nice. They don't seem to have them anymore, or the price has gone up, but it's something to keep an eye out for.

I went to Blue Ribbon yesterday and got 4 of their lamb and green onion sausages. They were fantastic. While there I saw a bunch of ribs that I want to buy my next visit. The area is kinda rough and if they still sell the lamb and dry age meat that were mentioned before, I don't know. After 4pm parking can be tough since the space in front of the store can't be used. I will probably call in my next order and just pick it up. I will keep you posted.

don

The owner is a nice guy. He will order just about anything you need. I don't go in here much because Whole Foods is just so much more convenient. But Whole Foods makes lousy sausage IMO. So that's good to know about those lamb and green onion sausages.

FYI - They're out of lamb sausage, making more Monday although they did offer to make some if I really wanted it - nice guys.