Steve Ford of Butcher’s Best Market on South Main Street took First Place in the Meat category of the 2011 Connecticut Specialty Food competition for his hand-cut, all-natural jerky. Some may say that Newtown business owner Steve Ford has great taste, especially when it comes to his own personal brand of specialty food. But when it comes to delivering winning entries into the 10th Annual Connecticut Specialty Food competition, it’s all about tasting good.
As a local entrepreneur, Steve walked away with honors as the Connecticut Specialty Food Association (CSFA) held its annual competition on February 17. The CSFA is a subdivision of the Connecticut Food Association and is a nonprofit organization that represents small food businesses based in the state.
Mr. Ford, who has been a meat cutter and food entrepreneur for more than 30 years, said his hand-cut jerky was the first specialty food product he ever made, and it has been a favorite of his and his customers since he produced his first few batches.
“We always start with hand-cut, certified antibiotic- and hormone-free angus beef from either here in Connecticut or Pennsylvania,” he said. “But it’s the secret cut we put on the meat that makes the jerky so popular, because it allows for a bit of chew without the toughness of other jerky products.”
Once the meat is cut, it heads into an all-natural marinade of spices, molasses, and soy sauce.
“And we don’t smoke our jerky,” he said, because the preserving technique is “just too overpowering.”
When you bite into a piece of Butcher’s Best jerky, Mr Ford said, “you taste each layer from the marinade down to the beef.”
Sold by the bag for easy grab-and-go convenience, the local jerky runs about $30 a pound or $3.75 for a bog containing four to six pieces.
Butchers Best Market, at 79 South Main Street, also provides quality cuts to restaurants, caterers and chefs as well daily selections of fish products, aged, smoked and cured to customers’ specifications. For more information, visit butchersbestmarket.com.
From the Newtown Bee
3/3/2011
By John Voket
