Exotic Meat in Detroit Butcher Shops and Meat Markets

**Detronic** · November-18-12, 07:57 PM

Lately I've been experimenting with some pretty old school recipes involving various types of wild game as well as organ meat. I've searched many of Eastern Market's meat shops and various butchers throughout the suburbs and haven't found a whole lot. Although I found good rabbit at Ftoni in Eastern Market and a bunch of wild game at Butcher Boy in Warren, I'm still having trouble finding goose, pheasant, well priced wild boar, goose and/or pork livers, and veal "sweetbreads". Maybe I'm looking in all the wrong places and perhaps somebody has some insightful information. If not, perhaps some of you can talk about some of Detroit's great butcher shops from the days of yore!

**Honky Tonk** · November-18-12, 08:30 PM

There's a sign on Vernor, East of St. Aubin where someone is offering fresh racoon. But seriously, years ago there were bars that hosted "Wild Game Dinners". Most of the fare was very well prepared by the hunters and clubs, and it all free. The reason being, beside the obvious draw, was that the State of MI had stringent regulations govening the sale of wild game. I guess if you followed the regulations and raised the animals specifically for commercial sale you'd be Ok.

**adamjab19** · November-18-12, 08:37 PM

Hiller's advertises exotic fowl around the holiday times. Capons, geese, partridge, and pheasant.

Or here is a link for eatwild.com you could go right to the source: http://www.eatwild.com/products/michigan.html

**DetroitPlanner** · November-18-12, 09:31 PM

Where do I go to find some pigeon, or maybe some squirrel?

**p69rrh51** · November-18-12, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Where do I go to find some pigeon, or maybe some squirrel?

You could add muskrat too.

**p69rrh51** · November-18-12, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by Detronic

Lately I've been experimenting with some pretty old school recipes involving various types of wild game as well as organ meat. I've searched many of Eastern Market's meat shops and various butchers throughout the suburbs and haven't found a whole lot. Although I found good rabbit at Ftoni in Eastern Market and a bunch of wild game at Butcher Boy in Warren, I'm still having trouble finding goose, pheasant, well priced wild boar, goose and/or pork livers, and veal "sweetbreads". Maybe I'm looking in all the wrong places and perhaps somebody has some insightful information. If not, perhaps some of you can talk about some of Detroit's great butcher shops from the days of yore!

Though not a butcher shop, the Cadieux Cafe serves Belgian Rabbit every Sunday.

**mikefmich** · November-19-12, 12:58 AM

I know Schoeherr Fish & Poultry is no longer at their long time location, see if you can find if they moved and set up shop elsewhere. Squab, chicken, rabbit and other birds, live in a cage. You pick, they slaughter and dress.

Papa Joes on Rochester Rd did have goose livers, but you're gonna pay the price for those.

**gnome** · November-19-12, 06:46 AM

There is a place in Dearborn, Chase Road Poultry, on Chase just south of Warren, that may be able to help you out.

it is pretty old school, so the place carries the odor of all the animals that have breathed their last there. In the front they have coolers with freshly dressed birds. Turkeys. Duck. Chicken. Pheasant. You point to what you want, they ring you up and you're gone. Pretty standard stuff except for the smell.

however, you can ask to go in the back and select your own dining companion. You don't need a decoder ring or secret handshake or need to know a guy named Louie or anything like that. If they aren't too busy, just ask to see what they have.

in the back are small bird-size apartments with the residents inside. There you pick which one looks good to you, they reach inside and escort the little guy to the barber chair, then he gets a hot, hot bath and is asked to remove his feathers.

their standard fare are chickens, ducks and turkeys. But these guys are businessmen who know other businessmen who like to do business. If you are not looking for something illegal, like unicorn liver, they should be able to accommodate you.

**Zacha341** · November-19-12, 07:10 AM

Been there, and you're right it's a bit old school but the meat is very fresh, high quality. I visit many markets all along Warren in east Dearborn for my meats and fresh fruit and veggies. Thursdays are 'super shop' days where the prices are really low as the markets compete! The prices are great and quality hard to match!

When I want to get my 'fried' chicken groove on I do Chesters chicken not far on Warren, they have fresh fish with the heads still on and chicken butcher section in the back for specialty cuts of supposedly free range no antibodies.

Originally Posted by gnome

There is a place in Dearborn, Chase Road Poultry, on Chase just south of Warren, that may be able to help you out.

it is pretty old school, so the place carries the odor of all the animals that have breathed their last there. In the front they have coolers with freshly dressed birds. Turkeys. Duck. Chicken. Pheasant. You point to what you want, they ring you up and you're gone. Pretty standard stuff except for the smell.

however, you can ask to go in the back and select your own dining companion. You don't need a decoder ring or secret handshake or need to know a guy named Louie or anything like that. If they aren't too busy, just ask to see what they have....

**gnome** · November-19-12, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Been there, and you're right it's a bit old school but the meat is very fresh, high quality.

you know your bird is fresh when it is still warm on the drive home. That is the most unusual part about the Chase Road experience, you get home and your dinner is still in the process of assuming room temperature. I highly recommend the experience to those who have lost touch with their more primitive past.

Downtown · November-19-12, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by Detronic

I'm still having trouble finding goose, pheasant, well priced wild boar, goose and/or pork livers, and veal "sweetbreads".

Holiday Market should have sweetbreads. I purchased thymus [[or was it pancreas?) from them on two different occasions while trying to recreate a dish I had at the Forest Grill.

In fact, anything Holiday Market doesn't have in stock they can usually get with notice.

**canuck** · November-19-12, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

There is a place in Dearborn, Chase Road Poultry, on Chase just south of Warren, that may be able to help you out.

it is pretty old school, so the place carries the odor of all the animals that have breathed their last there. In the front they have coolers with freshly dressed birds. Turkeys. Duck. Chicken. Pheasant. You point to what you want, they ring you up and you're gone. Pretty standard stuff except for the smell.

however, you can ask to go in the back and select your own dining companion. You don't need a decoder ring or secret handshake or need to know a guy named Louie or anything like that. If they aren't too busy, just ask to see what they have.

in the back are small bird-size apartments with the residents inside. There you pick which one looks good to you, they reach inside and escort the little guy to the barber chair, then he gets a hot, hot bath and is asked to remove his feathers.

their standard fare are chickens, ducks and turkeys. But these guys are businessmen who know other businessmen who like to do business. If you are not looking for something illegal, like unicorn liver, they should be able to accommodate you.

Man, I really enjoyed your anthropomorphic description! Do the chicken have toothy smiles like the ones in "Chicken Run"?

I suppose your description of KFC fare would be like a zombie movie script. lol.

**Johnnny5** · November-19-12, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Detronic

Lately I've been experimenting with some pretty old school recipes involving various types of wild game as well as organ meat. I've searched many of Eastern Market's meat shops and various butchers throughout the suburbs and haven't found a whole lot. Although I found good rabbit at Ftoni in Eastern Market and a bunch of wild game at Butcher Boy in Warren, I'm still having trouble finding goose, pheasant, well priced wild boar, goose and/or pork livers, and veal "sweetbreads". Maybe I'm looking in all the wrong places and perhaps somebody has some insightful information. If not, perhaps some of you can talk about some of Detroit's great butcher shops from the days of yore!

If you're ever in the Milford area I can hook you up with some wild Canada goose. I normally only have breast meat and legs, but if you would like an entire bird I may have some fresh ones after this upcoming weekend. Some of your recipes may not work well with wild birds as they have a lot less fat than those that are domestically raised and can be tougher [[They actually fly =).

**piczka** · November-19-12, 05:35 PM

[QUOTE=p69rrh51;350806]You could add muskrat too.[/QUOT

Belle Isle.

**adamjab19** · November-20-12, 04:48 AM

Originally Posted by Downtown

Holiday Market should have sweetbreads. I purchased thymus [[or was it pancreas?) from them on two different occasions while trying to recreate a dish I had at the Forest Grill.

In fact, anything Holiday Market doesn't have in stock they can usually get with notice.

Holiday Market has little signs all over their store about the specialty items they can order. Really a great grocery store!

**Zacha341** · November-20-12, 06:06 AM

I LOVE HOLIDAY for some things. A bit high priced but worth it for certain items!

Originally Posted by Downtown

Holiday Market should have sweetbreads. I purchased thymus [[or was it pancreas?) from them on two different occasions while trying to recreate a dish I had at the Forest Grill.

In fact, anything Holiday Market doesn't have in stock they can usually get with notice.

**ronaldj** · November-26-12, 09:50 AM

Last week's home delivered flyer for Food Express Market featured duck, rabbit, stewing hens, hog maws, turkey necks and tails, capon, pork jowls and tails, chitterlings, lamb breast and split or whole pig's feet.

Address: 9911 East Jefferson/East of Van Dyke Phone: 313 822 4433.

Effective ad dates are through 1 DEC 2012.

**DetroitPlanner** · November-26-12, 10:53 AM

Where can I go and git me some muskrat? I ain't getting any younger so those river rats are moving faster than I can catch them these days!

**Jimaz** · November-26-12, 01:56 PM

You haven't lived here until ... you eat muskrat

... approximately 200 years ago, Father Gabriel Richard granted a dispensation, allowing starving fur trappers and their families to eat muskrat on Fridays during Lent, reasoning that the mammal spends a good chunk of its time in the water -- and Catholics are allowed to eat fish on Lenten Fridays.

**DetroitPlanner** · November-26-12, 10:27 PM

Where can I get a good haggis around here?

**MidTownMs** · November-26-12, 10:42 PM

[QUOTE=ronaldj;352055]Last week's home delivered flyer for Food Express Market featured duck, rabbit, stewing hens, hog maws, turkey necks and tails, capon, pork jowls and tails, chitterlings, lamb breast and split or whole pig's feet.

Address: 9911 East Jefferson/East of Van Dyke Phone: 313 822 4433.

They also have oxtails and chicken feet. Growing up a lot of the items you mentioned were part of our daily diet. We never considered them exotic. Maybe that's why I'm a vegan. BTW...It's chitlins....