Southern Steer Butcher Features Tasty Marinated Meats for Grilling

By Local Editor Sunde Farquhar

Looking for something delicious to grill at your Fourth of July bash? 

You might want to check out a new butcher shop that's jam-packed with everything you'd need for a barbecue; from marinated steak tips, to chicken, to prime cuts of beef, sauces, seasonings, side dishes, salads, wine, beer, frozen treats and even cigars.

"We're your premiere neighborhood full-service butcher," said Dave LaGree, 45, of Oldsmar, who is one of the business' three owners.

Southern Steer Butcher opened up shop in May at the busy shopping center at the corner of Curlew Road and U.S. 19. LaGree owns the butcher shop with Greg Snyder, 42, of Palm Harbor and Eric LaFleur, 44, of Derry, New Hampshire. 

The men decided to open Southern Steer after noticing there were not any local butcher shops in Florida that specialized in marinated meats for grilling. LaGree, who is from New Hampshire, says neighborhood butchers were the destination of choice for tailgaters and grilling aficionados. 

"These neighborhood butchers were the first thing on our list when we barbecued or tailgated. The marinade concept was basically what separated the butchers from anything else," he said.

The owners are especially proud of the unique method of marinating and tenderizing the meat that is sold at Southern Steer Butcher. The marinated meat is put in a large, refrigerated stainless steel vacuum tumbler that tosses and tenderizes it at the same time. The vacuum part of the tumbler also sucks the marinade to the center of the meat. The result is flavorful meat that is surprisingly tender.

Patch tasted three flavors of marinated steak tips; Butter Garlic, which tastes just like it sounds, Caribbean, which is a tad sweet, and Steakhouse, which has a sweet, smoky flavor. All were very good, but the Butter Garlic stood out for its great garlicky flavor and tenderness.

So far, the marinated meats are the top sellers at Southern Steer Butcher.

"This early in the game, of what that comes out of the meat case, it's about 65 percent of what we sell," said Greg Snyder.

The owners think that the marinated meat will continue to be a big hit in Florida because residents like to grill year-round.

Southern Steer Butcher also sells side salads, prepared meals, seasonings, sauces, side dishes, deli meats and sandwiches, and a wide variety of beef, beef roasts, pork, lamb, fish, sausage and chicken. 

If you go:

Southern Steer Butcher

30124 U.S. 19, Clearwater

Southern Steer Butcher website 

Southern Steer Butcher on Facebook 

Call: 727-784-4100.