Chef Matt Moore joins us with two dishes from his latest cookbook, Butcher on the Block, compiling more than 125 everyday recipes, plus stories and expert tips from butchers around the world. The all-inclusive book is a butchering primer, cookbook and travelogue, all in one.

Loose Meat “Cheesesteak” Sandwich

A loose meat, or tavern, sandwich is adored in parts of the Midwest, most specifically the state of Iowa and

its origin city of Sioux City. While you can find these in local taverns or the statewide Made-Rite

chains, perhaps most of the recognition and notoriety came from the 1990s hit sitcom Roseanne, where their local

Lanford Lunch Box diner served these up as a specialty of delight. Wherever the credit is due is less on my

radar—the fact is this sandwich is delicious. A loose meat sandwich is more hamburger than sloppy joe:

Cooked ground beef and onion are piled high on a bun, often accompanied with traditional burger toppings

like pickles, ketchup, mustard, and cheese. While that’s all fine and great, I’m here to confuse the process

even more with my version—leaning a bit more sloppy joe with the tomato paste, and also a bit Philly

cheesesteak, or perhaps even pizza steak. Moral of the story, there’s endless ways to use up that ground

beef from your butcher. Not only is this a quick and hearty, delicious sandwich, it’s fun to eat. Enjoy stuffing

your mouth while using your hands to pick up the crumbled beef and gooey cheese that falls to the plate. This is the late-night sandwich of your dreams.

☐ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

☐ 1 pound 80/20 ground beef

☐ 1 teaspoon kosher salt

☐ 1/2 teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper

☐ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

☐ 1 cup very thinly sliced onion

☐ 1 cup very thinly sliced green bell pepper

☐ 1 teaspoon tomato paste

☐ 1/2 cup dark amber beer

☐ 8 slices white American cheese

☐ 4 soft sandwich rolls, such as Amoroso brand, toasted and splits 4

1 Melt the butter over medium-high

heat in a large cast-iron skillet. Add the beef, season

with the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder,

and brown, breaking up the beef into small

pieces or crumbles, 4 to 5 minutes.

2 Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion and

bell pepper and sauté until tender, 5 to

7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the

tomato paste and stir into the beef and pepper

mixture for 1 minute. Next, add the beer and

deglaze the skillet, using a wooden spoon to

scrape up any of the browned bits from the

bottom. Allow the mixture to simmer and

reduce for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and

allow the mixture to rest and thicken for 3 to

5 minutes.

3 Place 2 slices of cheese into the split of each

of the rolls. Generously fill the rolls with the

loose meat mixture. Serve immediately.Hautes Total:

Polish Cucumber Salad

A creamy, crunchy side staple you’ll find at any venerable Polish establishment throughout the country,

this cucumber salad is a mainstay that’s simple to prepare at home. The key to making this dish perfect is

to “butcher” the cucumber correctly. Common garden and kirby cucumbers typically contain larger seeds,

and more of a soft interior. If that’s your cuke of choice, it’s a good idea to slice them lengthwise and use

a spoon to scrape out all of the middle. After that, you can cut the cucumber into half-moons.

Persian and English cucumbers typically have a firmer texture and smaller seeds, saving you some of the work since

you wouldn’t necessarily need to remove the core unless desired. I like to add just a touch of vinegar to the

mixture to cut the thick, creaminess of the sour cream. This dish pairs especially well with grilled foods, as

a cool, refreshing summertime side.3\