Longhorn & Lager: It’s what’s for dinner tonight – and more
If the Styrofoam trays and cellophane wrap in your supermarket’s refrigerated case is the closest you’ve come to a piece of beef, you might want to hear what you’re missing directly from Eric Anderson, a fifth-generation butcher and owner of the Danish-inspired Longhorn and Lager in Midlothian. He knows his stuff. In a recent interview with WTVR CBS 6, he waxed on eloquently during a demo of the fine art of buying, grilling and biting into a genuine, dry-aged, prime New York strip. After trimming off the aged, rubbery coating, Eureka! “You get a beautiful, unbelievable, mouth-watering steak inside. Dry-aging really, really, really enhances the flavor and tenderness. It almost turns the marbling into a buttery taste.”
Longhorn and Lager, which opened in June, is riding the crest of a new generation of smart, health-conscious consumers. Quality, not quantity, matters. They know about grass-fed, grain-fed, organic, wild-caught and free-range. And they can tell the differences between wet- and dry-aged beef and Angus, Charolais and Devon beef. They’re – well – a lot like their grandparents whose most intimate relationship outside their marriage was with the local butcher – the guy who knew what they had for dinner last night, what they were having tonight and sent them out the door with a string-wrapped package of the best porterhouse in town. Butchers like that are rarity now and reside at the opposite end of the food chain from the supermarket meat mechanic – who doesn’t know the difference between a New York strip and another bum night at the local Big Apple Burlesque.
But Longhorn and Lager is about more than beef. The shop invites you in and seduces you into a gastronomic adventure with cases of high-quality pork, chicken, fish and seafood, cheeses, gourmet deli carry outs, and vast inventories of wine and micro and imported beer. And you know you’re in the right place when your butcher makes his own fresh sausage to compete against dozens of the other homemade, ethnic sausages.
But as Old World as Anderson’s butchering skills are, he’s a thoroughly modern man. He and his staff can suggest just the right wine pairings for the Sea Bass or the basil Genovese, marinated, all-natural chicken breast or the most complimentary cheese for the choice, aged rib eyes.
Longhorn & Lager is also a happening place online. It boasts a devoted Facebook following of foodie, checking on daily specials, trumpeting their culinary conquests, interacting with Anderson, and scheduling themselves for the next of the frequent tasting events. For lovers of a little kitsch, stop by and guess the number of corks in the bottle. You could win a $75 grilling package.
Hours
Mon.-Wed. – 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Thur.-Sat. – 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sun. – 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Behind the Scene
Eric Anderson is a chip off the old butcher block – as was his dad – and before that his grandfather, his great-grandfather and his great-great-grandfather, J.S. Anderson. J.S. emigrated to America at the turn of the last century with a suitcase of belongings, his Old World skills as a butcher and lots of hope. More than 100 years after founding Anderson Packing Company, his legend lives on. His company – now the Meat Block – is still family-owned, alive and well in Muskegon, Mich. And his great-great grandson and fifth-generation butcher, Eric, has taken up the cause at his newly opened Longhorn & Lager Meat and Beverage Company in Midlothian. Eric has added his own East Coast spin to his heritage with a bountiful offering of traditional, high-end beef, chicken, pork, lamb, homemade sausages, fish and seafood, cheeses and gourmet deli items as well as a world-class collection of beer (øl in Danish) and wine from every corner of the globe.
Reviews
“Thank you so much for all the info for this week. I just want to let you know everything I bought last Friday was wonderful. The filet and your aged ribeye/chuck were GREAT!!! I have told everyone I can about you. Good Luck and see you soon!!” – Sharon in Midlothian
“My husband and I ate your tenderloin and wild caught colossal brown shrimp last night and we loved it. It rivaled Ruth Chris Steakhouse! You'll be seeing us again.” – Jan in Powhatan
“Love your shop!!! That was my first visit on Friday and I'm very impressed. The Duroc B/I Pork Butts were incredible this weekend at our catered event, many thanks for getting them in on Friday morning. Nothing but good reports, and that's due in part simply to buying the best meats available. We will certainly be returning for many of our future catering endeavors.” – David in Virginia
“I've never had chuck steak before and they were amazing! I'll be spreading the word.” – Corlis in Richmond
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