From the Smokehouse
The Stittsworth Blog
Cooking guides, sourcing stories, and hard-won knowledge from Turtle River, MN.
Steak Escape Bundle — How to Cook Four Cuts
Fifteen pounds of ribeye, NY strip, T-bone, and sirloin in one bundle. Here's how each cut is butchered in our Bemidji shop and how to cook it on the grill.
Made, Not Curated: Inside a Five-Generation Smokehouse
Most premium meat brands curate. We make. Five generations of vertical integration in our Bemidji smokehouse — every brat, stick, and strip under one roof.
How to Cook Smoked Brats: The Right Way, Every Time
Pre-cooked smoked brats need finesse, not flames. Learn the best methods -- grill, stovetop, or oven -- for perfectly juicy Stittsworth bratwurst every time.
Best Wood for Smoking Sausage: A No-Nonsense Guide
The wood you burn defines the flavor you get. Here's how to match wood smoke to sausage type -- from mild apple and cherry to bold hickory and mesquite.
Grass-Fed Beef in Minnesota: What It Means and Why It Matters
Minnesota has some of the best pasture land in the country. Here's what to look for when buying grass-fed beef in MN -- and why the source always matters.
Deals on St. Louis Ribs & Brisket, Plus the Value of Leaner Ground Beef
St. Louis Ribs & Brisket Deals: Why Leaner Ground Beef Is Worth It
Corned Beef, Green Beer, and Getting Ready for St. Patrick's Day
How to Make Corned Beef for St. Patrick's Day — Tips from a Butcher
Grass-Fed Beef and Seafood Specials for Fridays During Lent
Grass-Fed Beef Explained + Lenten Seafood Specials from a Local Butcher
Valentine's Day Dining Ideas and the Wide World of Sandwiches
Valentine's Day Dinner at Home: Steak, Sandwiches & Date Night Ideas
Post-Holiday Planning: Stretching Leftovers and Eating Better in the New Year
New Year Meal Planning: How to Stretch Holiday Leftovers Like a Pro
Prime Rib for the Holidays: How to Prep and Cook It Right
How to Cook Prime Rib: A Butcher's Guide to the Perfect Holiday Roast
Holiday Meals, Seafood Ideas, and What to Stock Up on in December
December Holiday Meal Planning: Meats & Seafood to Stock Up On
Turkey Prep Ideas and Brat Deals for Thanksgiving Week
Thanksgiving Turkey Prep: A Butcher's Tips for the Perfect Bird
Local Business and the Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Minnesota Commerce
Supporting Local: How COVID-19 Affected Minnesota Small Businesses & Butcher Shops
How to Make a Bacon Fatty (Bacon Bomb) and Other Creative Meat Builds
How to Make a Bacon Fatty (Bacon Bomb): Step-by-Step from a Butcher
Weekly Cuts, Specials, and What's Fresh at the Shop
What's Fresh This Week at Stittsworth Meats — Cuts, Specials & Picks
Fall Grilling Season, Hunting Season Prep, and Venison Ideas
Fall Grilling & Hunting Season: Venison Ideas from a Minnesota Butcher
October at the Smokehouse: What's on the Block
October Smokehouse Update: What's Fresh & Smoked at Stittsworth Meats
Late Summer Specials and Grilling Tips Heading into Fall
Late Summer Grilling: Tips & Specials Before Fall Hits
Back-to-School Weeknight Meals and Quick Cuts
Quick Weeknight Dinners: Best Cuts for Busy Back-to-School Nights
Tailgate Season, Brats, and Game Day Spreads
Tailgate Grilling Guide: Brats, Burgers & Game Day Spreads
Labor Day Weekend Cookout Guide
Labor Day Cookout Guide: What to Grill for the Last Big Weekend
End of Summer Grilling and What to Freeze Before Fall
Freezing Meat for Fall: A Butcher's Guide to Stocking Up
Minnesota State Fair Flavors and Backyard BBQ Alternatives
Minnesota State Fair Food at Home: DIY BBQ Alternatives
Mid-Summer Specials and Smoked Meat for a Crowd
Smoking Meat for a Crowd: Mid-Summer Tips from a Minnesota Butcher
Post-4th Cookout Tips and Summer Sausage Pairings
Summer Sausage Pairings & Post-July 4th Grilling Ideas
4th of July Cookout Guide: Burgers, Dogs, and Brats Done Right
4th of July Grilling Guide: Burgers, Hot Dogs & Brats from a Butcher
Summer Grilling Season in Full Swing: What's Hot at the Shop
Summer Grilling: What's Hot at Stittsworth Meats This Week
Father's Day Cookout Planning and Weekend Specials
Father's Day Grilling: The Perfect Cookout for Dad
Smoke Woods, Charcoal vs. Gas, and This Week's Deals
Charcoal vs. Gas & Smoke Wood Guide: Which Is Better for Grilling?
Reopening and Restocking After COVID — What's Back in the Case
Reopening After COVID: What's Back at the Butcher Counter
Memorial Day Weekend Cookout Guide and Best Brats for the Grill
Memorial Day Grilling Guide: Best Brats & Cookout Tips
Getting the Smoker Ready for the Season and New Products
How to Get Your Smoker Ready for the Season — Plus New Products
Spring Grilling, Cuts to Try, and the Local Supply Chain
Spring Grilling Guide: New Cuts to Try & Why Local Sourcing Matters
Mother's Day Dinner Ideas and What's Worth Splurging On
Mother's Day Dinner Ideas: What to Cook & Where to Splurge
COVID Distribution Challenges and Why Grilling Burgers Never Gets Old
COVID Meat Supply Challenges & The Perfect Burger — A Butcher's Take
The History of Brats and Creative Ways to Put Your Own Spin on Them
The History of Bratwurst & Creative Brat Recipes from a Minnesota Butcher
Easter Ham: How It's Prepared, Glazed, and Served
Easter Ham Guide: How to Prepare, Glaze & Serve the Perfect Ham
Series Premiere — Grilling, Cooking Meat, and How Stittsworth Packages It
Meat & Greet Premiere: Meet Myke Stittsworth of Stittsworth Meats
Pellet Grill vs. Charcoal vs. Gas vs. Electric — A Smokehouse's Honest Take
After four generations of smoking meat in Bemidji, Minnesota, here's our honest comparison of pellet, charcoal, gas, and electric grills — what each does well, what it doesn't, and what we use.
How to Reverse Sear a Steak — A Butcher's Guide to Edge-to-Edge Perfect
The reverse sear method delivers edge-to-edge medium-rare with a crackling crust. A 4th-generation butcher's foolproof step-by-step for thick-cut ribeye, NY strip, T-bone, and tomahawk.
Candied Bacon — The Sweet-Smoky Side That Disappears First
Brown sugar, black pepper, low oven heat. Three ingredients, one tray, and a side dish that gets eaten before the rest of the meal even hits the table.
Last Meal Smoked Ribs — The 3-2-1 Method, Tuned by a Butcher
Three hours of smoke, two hours wrapped, one hour glazed. The St. Louis rib method that makes the meat fall off without falling apart. From Stittsworth Meats.
Killer Brisket — Low and Slow Beef from a Butcher's Counter
A 14-hour brisket method that holds up. Salt-and-pepper rub, oak smoke, the Texas crutch, and a long rest. From a 4th-generation Bemidji butcher shop.