Meat and Greet: Premium cuts at new market arrive in time for BBQ season

James Benedetti

Now that we’ve survived another Eugene Junuary, summer is officially unfurling, and we’ve got barbecue on our mind. Thankfully, there’s a new meat market in town. 

James Benedetti isn’t exactly new on the scene. Formerly the sausage maker at Long’s Meat Market, he has recently hung his own shingle: Benedetti’s Meat Market and Deli in Springfield. The market has been open for about three months, featuring the freshest local meats available, cold cuts, cheese and a few salads. Benedetti also supplies meat to local restaurants, including Three Forks Wok and Grill and Oakway Wine and Deli.

When asked about the inevitable comparison to Long’s, Benedetti acknowledges that both sell Boar’s Head lunch meats and cheeses and Anderson Ranches lamb from Brownsville, but Benedetti chose Sweet Briar Farms in Eugene for both pork and beef, and does his own butchery from whole carcasses.

“Both Long’s and I break down our own lamb and beef from the whole carcass,” Benedetti notes, “but I’m the only one in town who breaks down pork.”

The bulk purchasing translates into lower costs for the consumer, as does his choice to work out of Springfield. Benedetti’s storefront is humble, positioned next to a Curves gym in a strip mall that has seen better days, but the location also has its advantages in keeping overhead low. 

On a recent visit, I was inspired by a frenched rack of lamb and a wide range of beef cuts, including flank steak, prime rib and ribeyes for the grill. Belly-on spareribs, fresh ham roasts and a tied pork shoulder roast looked fresh and delicious as well. 

Another plus at Benedetti’s: hamburger. For folks watching both the quality and cost of their meat, premium ground beef is a great deal. Both grass-fed ($3.29) and all-natural grain-fed hamburger meat ($2.79) are ground in house on the large machine in the back of the store.

“The ground beef goes through the grinder twice for the best texture,” says Benedetti. 

And he’s right. The grind yields a delicious burger that can hold its own at a lower fat ratio (between 10-12 percent) as opposed to the often-recommended 20 percent. 

As good as the raw meat cuts are, the real star at the market is the sausage. Benedetti grinds his sausage meat with a coarser grind than other premium butchers in town, yielding a moister sausage. The sausage comes in many varieties, including kielbasa, chicken fennel, bratwurst, hot and mild Italian, chorizo and lamb. 

Mark Hughes, chef and developer of Benedetti’s sandwich and grill menu, is currently working on a new house-smoked brisket jerky with maple and wasabi. He steered us toward the all-natural, locally made barbecue sauce as we chatted about the increasing traffic in the store.

“The community has really supported us so far,” Hughes says. “There’s been good word of mouth and we appreciate it.”

Weekends are the days to visit, when the smoker and grill are fired up outside
the store, filling the air with the inimitable scent of spice-rubbed, crusty,
tenderly glorious roasting flesh. One recent Saturday featured pork sirloin
steaks; another, barbecue pulled chicken and baby back ribs. Saturday grills
are served with two sides. On Sundays, stop by for hamburgers and hot dogs.

Open hours always include sandwich service. Grinders and other sandwiches are
served up on Hideaway Bakery and Marché Provisions bread. The house special,
a meatball grinder with mozzarella, is Benedetti’s grandfather’s recipe from
Sicily. He makes about 200 meatballs every two weeks, offering them fresh and
frozen when available, as well as on the grinder.

“For the house special grinder,” he says, “we sear the meatballs on three sides, then cook them with fresh herbs and spices in sauce with a whole Italian sausage. The fennel seeps out and flavors the meatballs.”

Um, excuse me while I wipe up my drool.

Benedetti’s also offers discount meat boxes and packages for the grill as well as a picnic box with an Italian grinder, sides and drinks. 

And for those who aren’t meat eaters, Benedetti has it covered, with a few vegetarian lunch specialties that include a broccoli soup, a Portobello mushroom sandwich with chipotle aioli, and a walnut, dried cherry and Monterey jack salad.

“The Curves ladies have been good to us,” Benedetti says with a smile, “and we wanted to have salads and veggie sandwiches as an alternative.”

Benedetti’s Meat Market & Deli, 533 W. Centennial Blvd., Springfield. 746-7424. Open 9 am-7 pm Tuesday-Saturday and 10 am-4 pm Sunday.