Long-awaited butcher shop is now open in Phoenix. Here's a look inside the case

More than a year after Dustin Dahlin announced his intention to bring local, sustainable meat to Phoenix, Underbelly Meat Co. opened at My Florist Plaza on McDowell Road and Seventh Avenue on Nov. 19.

Though the shop opens at 10 a.m., Dahlin's day had started long before, at 4:30 a.m., on a recent visit that found him using a boning knife to remove gristle from two pieces of flatiron steak, while his partner, Karen Martin shaved slices of house-made pastrami.

The shop's cases were filled with a variety of meats: ground beef, boneless pork chops, 21-day aged chop, hanger steak, chuck roast and cured meats, a number of which he makes in-house. Along with pastrami, they house cure corned beef, Parisian-style ham, smoked ham, bacon, smoked turkey, sirloin bacon, hatch green chili salami cotto and capicola cotto made from pork neck, he said, adding that he's currently working on making blood sausage to add to the menu.

In addition to the meat and poultry, two stand-up fridges are stocked with local products, such as produce, eggs, stock and raw milk. Provisions like local wine (we spotted Los Milics), oil, vinegar, crackers, pastas and sauces round out the offerings.

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What makes Underbelly a different kind of butcher shop?

Before he ever opened his shop, Dahlin knew he wanted to work with people who respected the animals whose lives are taken to feed us. Underbelly is a place where he can be selective about the ranchers he works with to supply what he considers ethically raised and humanely processed meats. So far, he offers poultry from Black Ranch and Two Wash Ranch, pork from Llano Seco, beef from Arizona Grass Raised Beef Co. and soon Moon River as well as lamb from Emigh.

One acre, Desert Oasis family and Rosebird farms supply free-range eggs on rotation and he plans to add Crow's Dairy cheese as well.

People are already responding to his hard work and transparency. "It's been beyond my expectation as far as how people feel about the place," Dahlin said. "The neighborhood has been very supportive. I'd say 50% of my customers are return customers."

Sandwiches are also on the menu

Dahlin and Martin make sandwiches using Nice Buns Bakery bread, which they also sell at the store. The selection will rotate on a weekly basis, and so far, he has made a smoked ham version of jambon beurre — the French classic ham and butter sandwich — and a Chicago-style beef sandwich along with a hot pastrami and Swiss with cheese from Sawatch in Colorado. The same company supplies a European butter with a higher fat content than typical U.S. butters, "that we haven't been able to keep on the shelf," Dahlin said.

"The sandwiches are made with what we butcher here," he said as he stopped to sharpen his knife. "I'm not trying to cut any corners here."

As though house curing wasn't enough, Dahlin plans to start making and sourcing a variety of condiments and relishes in the near future. "Things that you can add to sandwiches."

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Butchery classes and more local collaboration are on the horizon

Starting in January, Dahlin will add butchery demonstrations and classes on Sundays. The shop closes at 4 p.m. and class will begin at 5 p.m. Over two hours of music, wine, beer, cheese and charcuterie, guests will learn how to "put knives into flesh."

He also plans to be an incubator for small businesses by hosting pop-up events at the shop. "I'd love to be someone who is involved with and responsible for developing others," he said. "Passing along this knowledge is really big for me."

And they are committed to making sure their shop is accessible. "I want to keep things affordable," he said, adding that Martin has applied to be able to accept EBT payments.

Dahlin explained that this shop was a long time coming and the business is everything to him. "My wife, my mistress, my child, my alimony payment. It's everything, but I wouldn't have it any other way," he said. "As Roald Dahl says, 'Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.'"

Details: 1605 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix. 602-316-5348, underbellymeatco.com.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New Phoenix butcher shop Underbelly Meat Co. opens in midtown