When nothing but live fire for your feast will do, few options exist, especially in the urban realm. But the folks at Williamsburg’s The Meat Hook are hoping to shake up local catering offerings with their recently launched asado-style, on-site barbecue operation.
“It’s an Argentinian style of cooking made popular by Francis Mallmann that’s become really popular over the last seven or eight years,” Meat Hook co-founder Brent Young says of the asado process. “The whole idea is that you make a live fire and you use that as your cooking fuel and nothing else.”
We’re sitting on a stoop outside the butcher shop and grocer’s newish location on Graham Avenue on a beautiful sunny Friday, our conversation interrupted every several minutes by hellos and high fives from neighbors and customers. Though they’ve only been at this corner spot for just over a year since leaving their Brooklyn Kitchen location, the Meat Hook’s clearly secured their place on the block.
It’s this type of conviviality the group brings to their catering program, which is staffed by Meat Hook day staff, with the butchers doing the cooking and serving. In-house they’ve all been cooking for years, with their sandwich shop, their “sausage library,” now notably up to 100 recipes, and with their collaboration with Threes Brewing.
For catered events there are options. Grand-scale, the operation prepares a whole animal. Steaks, poultry, sausages and charcuterie can be added to the mix or be the featured meal, as desired, all served with plentiful sides prepared by their house chef.
With the finishing welds placed on the asado grill late this spring, the Meat Hook is now primed to bring fire to your festivities. Events on the horizon include a party at collaborative workspace Supersmith in Red Hook, a few dates at Threes Brewing and several weddings booked for the fall. For those not ready to go whole hog, there are also Wednesday night barbecues at the shop, where burgers, dogs, sausages, sides and a chef’s pick are served up from 6 to 9 p.m.
Young says they’re the only ones in town providing this type of fire on wheels, but be advised: “We’re not white tablecloth caterers and do not aspire to be, but if you want to have a really nice, fun, delicious event that’s more interactive, we’re your guys.”
Photos courtesy of The Meat Hook.
