Homestead Meats — Local services in Evanston Township

Excellent service, very high quality product, middle-of-the-road pricing for the quality of product, and a proper butcher shop atmosphere. As they grow I hope they can expand with a few spices, sauces, or other seasonings (perhaps work with the Spice House up on Central St at some point?).

I went in initially to see if they had any dried sausage (I was looking for Spanish chorizo picante for a slow-cooked dish), and while they didn't have any at the moment the owner said he'd look into possibly supplying what I use in the coming weeks.

The next visit was for several pounds of pork shoulder for that same dish, and the owner was happy to go in back, pull the slab out of the walk-in cooler, and carve what I needed, right there within full view. It was great when he looked up and asked, "Do you need the fat or should I trim it off?". It took perhaps 10 minutes to cut and weigh out, but I wasn't rushed and was worth every second.

The prices for meat, considering the quality of locally sourced meat, is mid-range. Sure, it's not going to be supermarket prices, but if you're reading this then you're hopefully looking for...

Saturday afternoon, 4:50 pm. Used to buy here every week. Now I live 40 min away. Was semi-close by and drove 20 min out of my way to come to my favorite butcher for some prosciutto. 😃. Walked in and was told “we clean the slicer 15 min before we close.”

Mentioned I live in the city and that I’d driven over specifically for this. Was told “ if you call ahead, we could slice it for you before you get here.”

Had been ready to drop $150 on an extravagant treat I’d not get elsewhere— as Homestead has been my fave for years.

Mentioned the amount I planned to spend and asked how long it takes them to clean the slicer. “About 10 minutes.”

The 2 young gentlemen and 1 young lady “working” preferred to stand around chatting rather than slice $150 worth of meat and the. clean the slicer. (Literally — they were chatting when I walked in, two of the three continued chatting while the other one told me they were apparently too busy to actually serve me, and they went back to chatting together while doing nothing else as I tapped out this review, sitting on a stool in the front of the...

Homestead is a staple of our community here in Evanston, but also of our household's food supply! They've also been REALLY safe this year, which we appreciate - we feel safer, and we're glad they've taken precautions for all of us and their team.

Ehran (the owner) is awesome with making suggestions for which meats would best complement a recipe (offering a "special ingredient" to toss in a Brazilian meat stew), an occasion (choosing the perfect sausage for hosting a BBQ with picky eaters), or an adventurous new meal (suggesting chorizo rather than nduja for my husband's breakfast eggs). We buy sandwich meat, breakfast bacon, and eggs here on the regular, and it's so reassuring to know that we're purchasing food that's sustainable, local, and healthy.

Also, quick tip: Ehran's dog treats make my pup go bananas...