Meat, My Grandfather the Butcher

This is a WWII photo of my grandfather Robert Butcher Gregson. Oddly enough he actually grew up to be a butcher, however he preferred to call himself a Meat Cutter. As a kid, I always thought his parents must have been clairvoyant when they named him that. In fact, the name Butcher comes from a family friend of his grandfathers, who was, (are you ready??) a teacher.

Robert Butcher Gregson

My grandfather tried other professions as well. At one point he sold PEZ candy. He also tried his luck selling insurance. But his real loves were singing and food. When he sang, he took the stage name of Bobby Young. Legend has it, he sang in his high, sweet irish tenor voice on the radio and was billed as "The Singing Butcher from Chatham." Today we are going to focus on the meat part of his career, specifically London Broil. As the weekend nears, I can only hope that at some point I will be enjoying some London Broil myself.

My Uncle, Bob Gregson while in Art School.

My Grandfather died in 1966 when I was not quite 5 years old, so my memories of him while fond, are few and faded.

When I started this blog I asked some family members to share stories about the people they loved and the food they associated with those people. One the first relatives to offer me help was my Uncle Bob. He has not only been a great Uncle to me, he is one of the people I hold most dear.

This is what my Uncle Bob had to say about his cooking abilities and what he remembered about my grandfather's cooking.

My Uncle Bob writes:

I take after my mom. I'm not a good cook but a I am a terrific table setter. I just designed 25 centerpieces for the Creative Arts Workshop.

Bob Gregson with one of his recent centerpieces

The intention was to get people to interact. Some people do that with food and I do that with table settings. Not to say food is not important, in fact I seem to be drawn to people who love to cook.

Growing up in New Jersey in the 1950's and 60's we had the best cuts of meat. Having a father who was a butcher (he preferred "meat cutter"), and was a cook in the Army, was helpful.

My grandfather Bob Gregson grilling in the backyard of his NJ home

I can't tell you how his leg of lamb was roasted but it was smothered in rosemary. To this day I have never had lamb like it.

I also loved Dad's London Broil. He would marinate it overnight in the refrigerator and then he would grill it slowly over charcoal outside. I remember how he surgically carved it on the bias very thin. I could not stop eating those delicate little pieces of beef!

I remember one day at the butcher shop he told a customer how to cook something. I said that he had never done that before. He said "It's just common sense."

Well, for those of us who need to be armed in the kitchen with a little more than just common sense, I offer this easy London Broil recipe:

Top Round London Broil

You might find this cut of meat listed as either "London Broil"or "Top Round Roast". You can also use Bottom Round London Broil. Talk with your Butcher to see what they have on hand that day and what they recommend.

London Broil is an economical and full-flavored cut. For best eating, slice very thinly. Marinate before grilling.

Ingredients:

2 pounds top round London broil; cut 1 1/2 inches thick
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
6 ears corn on the cob
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Instructions:

1. Place meat in zipper locking plastic bag. Prepare marinade by combining oil, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and pour over steak. Remove all air from bag. Refrigerate and marinate 6 to 8 hours, turning frequently.

2. Remove the meat from marinade; discard marinade.

3. Place marinated beef on preheated grill over moderately hot heat. Grill steak to desired doneness. London Broil is best rare. For meat that is medium rare, it should take between 8 to 14 minutes. If you prefer your meat cooked to medium wellness, allow 12 to 18 minutes. Again, ask your butcher to advise you based on the meat you select to purchase.

4. Remove the London Broil from the grill and let it rest 5 minutes before slicing. Be sure to slice across the grain and very thin.

When my Dad makes his London Broil, he has a different recipe. Jim's grandmother has another twist on it (which includes a bit of teriyaki sauce). There is not just one right way to make a great London Broil. But I will say, it all starts with the right cut of meat.

I have to have my London Broil with Potato Salad. They just go together for me like Peanut Butter and Jelly. If you are going to be grilling this weekend, I hope you will try this version of London Broil and pair it with Mom's potato salad.

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.