Specialty shops are often the key to an exciting street life. Griffintown carnivores are beyond well taken care of in this respect thanks to Boucherie Grinder (butcher). For those who don’t know it yet, we expect that this article coinciding with BBQ season will convince you to check it out.
On the corner of Notre-Dame West and Richmond, this tasty butcher shop opened a little over a year ago, close to its namesake restaurant. The owners, who wanted to open a new kind of butcher shop, can consider their mission accomplished since Montreal has only a few such institutions. As soon as we enter, we can see that everything has been planned to the last detail.
We were instantly charmed by the inviting façade, which showcases beautiful pieces of meat; it’s simply outstanding.
For newcomers, it’s an amazing experience. The meat is carefully presented, causing us to quickly salivate. The decor is sleek and inviting all at once. You can easily spot the marinated meat, the BBQ primed chickens and homemade sausages you can throw straight on the grill. Don’t have time to cook? Never mind, this is your chance to sample one of their specialties: tataki. It’s ready to serve and oh so tasty!
Take the opportunity to browse their selection of gourmet products, carefully selected by the team. They also sell condiments, oils and sauces to better support each piece of meat, especially products from La Belle Excuse, Cafiti, and other products imported from France. Hard to resist!
Regulars will meanwhile be delighted to learn that the butcher pays special attention to the origin of their products. Also, in addition to traditional cuts of meat, you’ll find the most sought-after specialty products such as Wagyu beef and meat aged up to 150 days. As the shop is still young, it’s only a matter of time before they soon offer meats aged over 150 days. However, you can make special orders for even older pieces of meat. If you’ve never tried aged meats, know they are extremely tender because the fibers relax smoothly and the meat is more flavorful because it loses water and keeps only the flesh and fat. A mouth-watering treat!
For BBQ fanatics, this may be the opportunity to try the Tomahawk, a very popular piece of meat in the steakhouses of our neighbors to the south.
Beyond the products, we appreciate the friendly service the butchers offer on site. Available to advise you, they certainly know a trick or two to turn you into a grill master. Note that it isn’t enough to have a quality piece of meat, you must also master the cooking.
In this regard, Charles Bizeul, the master butcher, emphasizes the importance of tempering the meat for about an hour before cooking. The thermal shock of chilled meat on a hot baking tool causes a stiffening of the flesh; the opposite effect we desire. Conversely, letting it breathe a bit on the counter, makes it more tender and cook more evenly.
THE owner’s recommendation? The top skirt. This part of the beef, which is found inside the loin, is a bit like bavette; an exquisite and tender taste.
It’s no surprise several restaurants in the city, such as Mile-Ex, Bon Vivant and, of course, Le Hachoir, get their meat from Grinder. At the same time, we’re very happy to be doing our shopping there as well.
Finally, for the impatient or the regulars, know that you can order online and get it delivered straight to your home. No reason to miss out!
1654, Notre-Dame Street West
Griffintown
