Ends Meat Salumeria - Producer Spotlight
We first met John years and years ago when he was doing his infamous whole pig roasts in the backyard of a bar in Williamsburg. He’d expertly turn a huge animal into the most succulent and tender meat you could imagine. You’d get a huge plate of pork and a couple of sides for a totally reasonable price; that paired with a cold beer on a summer evening as the sun was going down was about as close to heaven as two twenty-somethings could hope for.
Right then we knew we had stumbled upon an incredibly talented producer and a few years down the road when it was time to plan the food for our wedding, we thought nothing could be more fun and more delicious than one of John’s pigs. There was a mix up at the farm and we ended up with a pig that was about 100 pounds larger than what we ordered. That means a longer cooking time, and the roast that was supposed to start at 9 am had to be pushed up to 3 am!! Chris didn’t get much sleep the night before saying his vows helping John with the HUGE pig. But he probably wasn't going to anyway.
Fast forward many more years and John’s business Ends Meat has become a great success. From making amazing whole animal charcuterie, to expanding to two retail locations in the city, we’re so glad that more people are able to get their hands on John and his team’s delicious creations. What helps make John’s meat so fantastic is his impeccable sourcing. All his animals come from NY and NJ farmers who raise their animals on pasture in a sustainable and responsible way: Pork from Roaming Acres Farm in NJ, Beef from Duell Hollow Farm in NY and Chickens from Cascun Farm in NY. (Have you had these chickens? Seriously, they are flavorful enough to make someone passionate about chicken…) John and his team care about their impact on the environment and the way they are supporting the farmers that they partner with and that is why we chose them as our partners! Especially with meat, the care for the animal and the farmer has to be paramount, their is too much bad meat from food lots out there, it isn't healthy and it isn't as delicious.
Whole animal butchery is harder, the margins are slimmer, the labor is higher, but at the end of the day you know that your farmers are not on the brink of failure (the well being of their business totally dependent on the price whims of the Mercantile Exchange futures market). Just as important, because they buy whole animals the farmers don't have to choose between turning a profit and doing what is right for the animals! They don't have to spend half their time trying to sell the off cuts below cost to cover the in-demand steaks and chops, they get to focus on raising the best animal the best way they know how and you can taste it. Butchers like Ends Meat take on the burden of finding a home for every part of an animal from the farmer and they do it because they love to teach and educate. We have learned a LOT since this all started and John and his team of amazing butchers have been at the forefront of our meat education!
We’re so proud to be partnering with Ends Meats to bring beautiful pastured meats to all of our customers! The upcoming holiday is the perfect time to pick some up for the grill! What could be more American?