The Butcher’s Ball: The Ultimate Meat-Up for Texans!
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The Butcher’s Ball 2022
The Butcher’s Ball 2022 this coming November 12-13 is a celebration of Texas ranching tradition with an emphasis on practicing sustainability in land cultivation and rearing livestock. This once-in-a-year event brings together different talented individuals from different facets of the local Texas food industry.
Expect advocates, chefs, and butchers to participate in this event that’s packed with all kinds of activities and, of course, different opportunities to sample the best sustainably-raised meats in the Lone Star State.
If you’re a fan of Texas BBQ and pit-cooking, the Open Fire Farm & Ranch Showcase is where local producers and culinary professionals gather to present local meats cooked over an open flame.
There’s also the Golden Cleaver Competition where Texas’ expert chefs duke it out for the best dish of the day to win the Golden Cleaver.
Learn the tricks of the trade at the butchery demonstrations at this year’s Butcher’s Ball where you’ll get to watch a variety of showcased meats by Texas’ best butchers.
If you plan to bring your kids along, there are plenty of different classes and workshops that they can experience and enjoy. These will cover demos with seasoned chefs - making it a great avenue for learning.
Boozy food pairings also await guests with handcrafted cocktails from some of the best bartenders and different kinds of craft beers that are always great meat pairings.
You can also participate in the different panel discussions that cover everything under the sun when it comes to the local food industry in Texas.
And if you’re planning your weekly pantry run, be sure to bring an extra eco-bag because there’s also a farmers market on the event grounds where you’ll find farm-fresh seasonal produce, locally made jars of honey, desserts, and a lot more.
And if you’re quite the music lover, there’s also live music blasting throughout the day so expect good times, good booze, good food, and great people.
The Butcher’s Ball Farm-to-Table Dinner Series
The Butcher’s Ball 2022 will also host the Farm-to-Table Dinner (What wine goes well with dinner?) Series this November 12th from 5 pm to 9 pm. This will feature a night of gastronomic delights where 12 of the selected chefs for the Butcher’s Ball 2022 will serve up an extensive multi-course dinner. There are also cocktails, beer, and wine that have been selected to make the perfect pairings. And to top it all off is a sunset hayride, cocktail hour, and musical entertainment to add to the festive vibe.
Be sure to book your tickets for the Farm-to-Table Dinner Series in advance because it’s only limited to 100 guests.
Texans with a special love for sustainably raised meats are grinning ear to ear, eagerly waiting for the fifth annual Butcher’s Ball.
After taking off last year due to the pandemic, this year, The Butcher’s Ball returns to a new location; Round Top, Fayette County.
Content from the Previous Butcher’s Balls
What is The Butcher’s Ball?
If you haven’t been, the annual Butcher’s Ball is a blissful haven for people who love eating meat, talking about meat and cooking meat. And it’s all sustainably raised. The event celebrates the top chefs from Texas and the state’s small, independent farms and ranches engaging in environmentally viable growing practices.
The Butcher’s Ball was founded back in 2016 by three friends who came from different backgrounds but their passion to support and champion the local culinary industry was common. Chef Jason Kerr, fundraiser and event producer Elaine Dillard and publicist Jonathan Beitler wished to develop a chance for people to learn, understand and appreciate more about what goes on behind the working of Texas’s sustainable farms.
The event started off small with just 15 chefs and a handful of ranches and has soared in popularity since. In 2019, at the last Butcher’s Ball event, there were more than 2,000 people showcasing close to 100 different culinary delights.
All for a Good Cause
The Butcher’s Ball has till date raised over $100,000 for many food related initiatives across Texas.
The Butcher’s Ball 2019
Back in 2019, when social distancing was unheard of, the Butcher’s Ball held its 4th installment just outside of Brenham. It was a day of butchery demos, cook-offs, craft beer and wines, live music and the whole spectacle was quite like a flavorful brisket plate straight from heaven served on a beautiful bed of rich Texan landscape. Despite the chilly breeze trying its best to cool the smoldering fires under the racks of meat, resourceful chefs handed out samples to 1200 hungry attendees.
There were more than 30 chefs from across the state, including Dawn Burell (Kulture), Martin Stayer (Nobie’s), Austin Simmons (Tris in The Woodlands), Peja Krstic (Mot Hai Ba), Tony Luhrman (El Topo) and more.
The chefs collaborated with a farmer or a ranch to showcase the signature cut of meat. Some of the beautifully prepared dishes that we saw were smoked Osso Bucco with red eye gravy, roasted red pepper and pecan gremolata, bone marrow biscuit, smoked dry-aged Akaushi short ribs, a double beef tongue, and Wagyu sirloin Taco.
Another fascinating and educational event that went about at the 2019 butcher’s Ball was the Le Boucherie or La Matanza. It was all about the traditional French-Cajun and Spanish art of butchering and preparing a hog to feed a large crowd on a single day. For us, modern city dwellers, who are disconnected with the animal that gives us our daily protein, this was an eye-opening lesson. There were panel discussions on the state of Texas barbecue and farm policy, and the speakers also covered topics like how to source local foods.
Drinks were curated by leading local bartending stars like Cat Nguyen, Linda Salinas from local Texan wineries and breweries like 8th Wonder Distillery, Ketel One vodka, and Llano Estacado, among others.
Phenomenal Live performances by the Mexican Blackbird, Dawn & Dupree, and Jaime Wyatt kept the atmosphere upbeat as attendees took in the complete experience of ‘farm to table’.
All in all, the Butcher’s Ball 2019 was a full 6 hours of ranching, butchering, barbecuing, and cooking pleasures, and the 5th-Butcher’s Ball 2021 only promises to be bigger and better.
The Butcher’s Ball 2021
In 2021, The Butcher's Ball has expanded beyond it's signature weekend-long event to produce a series of Farm to Table culinary experiences, and an array of additional immersive events on the horizon.
During this year's Ball you will get a chance to witness the following:
The Golden Cleaver competition. Twenty of Texas’s best chefs battle it out for the best bite of the day and win the coveted Golden Cleaver award and a cash prize.
Open fire farm and ranch showcase. This event highlights Texan butchers that utilize regenerative and ethical farming practices. They will team up with the chefs to create incredible open flame demonstrations and tastings.
Butchery demonstrations. The state's leading butchers will showcase a variety of proteins and give you tips and tricks of the trade.
Classes and workshops. There are kids cooking classes and chef-led demos which means - plenty of chances to learn from.
Craft beer and cocktails. You will find the perfect accompaniments to your eats in handcrafted cocktails from some of the leading bartenders in the game.
Panel discussions. Talk about everything that’s going on in the food industry.
Farmers market. A lively market to find some the best locally made honeys, pickles, chocolate, sauces and more!
Live music. Need we say more?
The Butcher's Ball Farm to Table Dinner Series
A series of four dinners will take place on March 20-21 and March 27-28. These will be hosted at the new event venue called The Halles at 1465 Texas 237, in Round Top. Each dinner will feature two prominent Texas-based chefs(check here to know who’s cooking!) who will work together to create a five-course meal from products sourced within a 100-mile radius. From show-stopping open-flame cooking techniques to locally sourced and designed tablescapes available for purchase, to live music and interactive art experiences, each Farm to Table Dinner will present an unforgettable dining experience. Seating for each dinner is capped at 70 people for safety reasons. Tickets are available for purchase now and are selling out fast, so head on there right now and reserve you seat!.
If you are a local business wishing to sponsor the Butcher’s Ball or be a part of the Farmers Market, drop an email at sponsorship@butchersball.com
A magnificent tribute to the relationship between man and animals, the Butcher’s Ball is an exceptional opportunity to go back to our roots and reconnect with the gifts our land provides us with.
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