ButcherBox is a popular meat delivery service that provides high-quality cuts of beef, chicken, pork, and seafood directly to your door. While the convenience of having pre-portioned proteins delivered is a huge draw, many ButcherBox customers wonder how best to cook the meat to bring out maximum flavor and tenderness.
What is ButcherBox?
ButcherBox is a subscription service that delivers boxes of pre-portioned meat cuts and seafood on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. Customers can choose from curated boxes like the Mixed Box or Custom Box, which allows you to select your preferred protein cuts. The service aims to provide meat that is humanely raised without antibiotics or hormones from small farms across the U.S.
Some of the most popular meat cuts provided by ButcherBox include:
- Chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings
- Ground beef
- Steaks like sirloin, NY strip, ribeye
- Pork chops and sausage
- Salmon, shrimp, scallops, and whitefish
ButcherBox works directly with partner farms and fisheries to deliver freshly frozen, vacuum-sealed proteins to your doorstep. The portions are pre-determined based on meal planning for different household sizes, eliminating guesswork and minimizing food waste.
Tips for Cooking ButcherBox Meat
ButcherBox provides high-quality proteins, but it’s up to you to cook them properly to get the most out of each cut. Here are some tips for cooking ButcherBox meat:
Know the Cut
Get familiar with the different cuts and their characteristics. Tougher cuts like chuck roast will require slow cooking while tender cuts like sirloin can be quickly seared. Understand the grain of different cuts to slice properly.
Pat Meat Dry
Always pat meat dry before cooking. Excess moisture on the surface can cause steaming instead of searing. Use paper towels to absorb surface moisture.
Bring Meat to Room Temp
For even cooking, bring meat to room temperature before putting it in the pan or on the grill. Thick cuts like roasts and whole chickens benefit the most from coming to room temp before cooking.
Use an Instant-Read Thermometer
An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness. Refer to safe internal temperature charts and use a thermometer for accuracy.
Rest Meat Before Serving
Allowing meat to rest after cooking enables juices to redistribute evenly throughout the cut. Resting also allows the meat to come down a few degrees in temp before serving.
Salt Properly
Salt meat approximately 40 minutes before cooking to allow salt to penetrate deeper. For thinner cuts, salt just before cooking. When salting, season generously on all sides.
How to Cook Popular ButcherBox Cuts
From steaks to roasts to seafood, here are some tips for cooking popular proteins from ButcherBox:
Steaks
– Pat steaks dry and allow to come to room temp
– Season steaks generously with salt and pepper
– Get a cast iron skillet very hot before adding oil
– Sear steaks for 2-3 minutes per side, flipping just once
– Baste steaks with garlic herb butter the last 2 minutes (optional)
– Allow steaks to rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain
Roasts
– Pat roasts dry and bring to room temp
– Season roasts all over with salt and pepper
– Brown roasts in a hot pan before transferring to the oven
– Cook roasts to 10°F below target temp then rest before slicing
– Make pan sauce from the drippings for extra flavor
Pork Chops
– Pat pork dry and bring to room temp
– Season chops with a spice rub or herbs
– Sear chops in a hot pan 3-4 minutes per side
– Baste chops in pan sauce or melted butter
– Cook until chops reach an internal temp of 145°F
– Let rest 5 minutes before serving
Chicken Pieces
– Pat chicken dry and season all over
– Use skin-on bone-in pieces for the best flavor
– Pan fry, bake, or grill pieces until cooked through
– Cook chicken to an internal temp of 165°F for safety
– Allow thicker pieces like thighs and legs to rest before serving
Salmon
– Thaw salmon in the fridge overnight
– Pat fish dry and season with salt, pepper, and herbs
– Pan sear skin-side down until golden brown
– Finish cooking in a 400°F oven until opaque in center
– Cook until internal temp reaches 145°F for medium doneness
Shrimp
– Thaw shrimp overnight in the fridge
– Pat dry and season with Old Bay or other spices
– Grill shrimp quickly over high heat just until opaque
– Only flip shrimp once to prevent overcooking
– Be careful not to overcook – shrimp cooks very quickly
Recommended Cooking Methods
ButcherBox meat can be prepared using a variety of cooking methods. Here are some top techniques:
Pan Searing
Quickly cooking meat over high heat to develop a flavorful browned crust. Great for steaks, pork chops, chicken pieces, and more.
Roasting
Dry heat cooking method using an oven. Excellent for cooking large cuts like roasts, whole chickens, bone-in turkey.
Grilling
Cooking meat over direct high heat on a grill grate. Adds delicious charred flavor. Best for steaks, chops, chicken, shrimp, and vegetables.
Sous Vide
Cooking vacuum-sealed meat in a precisely temperature-controlled water bath. Keeps meat tender and juicy. Ideal for steak, pork, chicken.
Braising
Slow cooking tougher cuts like roasts and shoulders in flavorful liquid. Breaks down connective tissue for fall-apart meat.
Broiling
High-heat cooking under the broiler in your oven. Adds nice color and caramelization to meat. Good for finishing thicker steaks or giving casseroles a crusty top.
Sample ButcherBox Meal Ideas
With a variety of proteins on hand from ButcherBox, you can make amazing home-cooked meals. Try out recipe ideas like:
- Pan seared sirloin with roasted potatoes and vegetables
- Smokey grilled chicken thighs with pasta salad
- Pork tenderloin medallions with mushroom sauce over mashed potatoes
- Seared salmon topped with a lemon dill sauce with wild rice pilaf
- Marinated flank steak fajitas with sautéed peppers and onions
- Braised chuck roast with carrots and onion gravy
- Shrimp scampi linguine with garlic butter sauce
- Rosemary roasted whole chicken with roasted root vegetables
ButcherBox Cooking Times and Temperatures
Use this handy chart as a reference for cooking proteins from ButcherBox to proper doneness:
Protein | Cooking Method | Internal Temp | Rest Time |
---|---|---|---|
Steaks (ribeye, NY strip, filet mignon) | Pan seared, grilled, or broiled | 125°F (rare), 135°F (medium rare) | 5 minutes |
Roasts (chuck, rump, tri-tip) | Roasted in the oven | 135°F (medium rare) | 10-15 minutes |
Pork chops (bone-in, boneless) | Pan fried, grilled, baked | 145°F | 5 minutes |
Chicken pieces (breast, thighs) | Baked, grilled, sautéed | 165°F | 5-10 minutes |
Ground beef | Pan fried, broiled | 160°F | None |
Salmon fillets | Baked, grilled, pan seared | 145°F | None |
Shrimp | Grilled, sautéed | Opaque | None |
Conclusion
With some basic cooking knowledge and the use of a reliable thermometer, you can easily prepare fantastic meals with the quality meats and seafood delivered by ButcherBox. Their proteins make it simple to whip up delicious weeknight dinners or impressive entertaining fare. Follow these tips on properly cooking cuts like steak, chicken, pork chops, salmon, and shrimp to get the most out of your ButcherBox subscription.