We get a lot of requests to sample food products, and unfortunately I just don’t have time to review everything. Luckily, the Jersey Bites mighty band of biters is willing to step in and pick up the reviewing responsibilities on occasion. However, when Sam Vitiello, owner of Sam’s Butcher Shop, emailed me to ask if I would like to sample some of his smoked pork products, I have to admit, he got my attention. And this time, I decided to find the time and take one for the team.
When the package arrived on my front porch, I could smell its smokey goodness before I even cut into the cardboard. Once inside, out poured a plethora of smoked pork in every shape and size. Peter and I have a smoker, but we’re just dabblers. It was obvious this guy knows a thing or two.
Since I’m a huge bacon fan, the first thing I dove into was the Buckboard bacon. I had never heard of it so I asked for some details. “It’s derived from a part of the wagon that kept the pioneers from getting bucked by the horses,” Vitiello explained. I guess “buckboard” is supposed to impart a pioneer/rustic image.” It definitely doesn’t look like your typical bacon. Actually, it’s the perfect shape for sandwich making. Now I don’t use the word “lucious” often, especially when talking about food, but this bacon was the L word for sure. Of all the products, the Buckboard bacon was my favorite.
Another product we really enjoyed was the porchetta. It’s not something we’re used to since we’re more traditional barbecue pulled pork eaters, so it was a nice treat and just may make its way onto our menu more often.
I sautéed up some baby broccoli and served it with roasted red peppers on a fresh baked roll. If you’d like to see exactly how Vitiello prepares his porchetta, here’s a video explaining the process. Porchetta is known as the “Italian pulled pork” and is very popular in South Jersey and Philadelphia. I was impressed with the bark on the meat and the balance of spices. We had company visiting from England, and they described it as “lovely.” (Gotta love those Brits.)
Next up was sausage. Vitiello makes all of his sausages by hand and they are made from his own personal recipes.
Pictured above are the kielbasa grillers, a skinless (no casing) version of kielbasa that’s more finely ground than the original. Just add a little sauerkraut and mustard and enjoy. We also sampled the smoked andouille sausage, which Sam the Butcher’s website describes as “Cajun sausage loaded with ingredients including ancho chile powder, garlic, red pepper and gumbo filé.” This was a hit with my boys.
To ensure freshness, Vitiello only ships within a one-day radius, which covers NY, NJ, CT, DE, MD, the eastern half of PA, and the DC Metro Area (including parts of VA and WV). He recently added a few new products: smoked rainbow trout and smoked salmon, as well as a few add-ons in the barbecue realm: Bonesuckin’ BBQ sauce and Fire Dancer jalapeño peanuts.
For a limited time only, Jersey Bites readers can get 10% off of their order at Sam’s Butcher Shop by using the coupon code JERSEYBITES.
Sam’s Butcher Shop
570-842-7392
Launched in 2007, JerseyBites.com began as a home for Deborah’s growing collection of recipes, but soon grew into a hub for food news in the Garden State. In addition to her duties on JerseyBites, Deborah is the owner of Foxtrot Media, a full service digital marketing company that specializes in content development, social media marketing and search engine optimization. She is also a highly sought after speaker on the topic of restaurant marketing, social media and blogging. You can learn more about her services and marketing through social media on her blog www.DeborahLSmith.com.
