Sizzling Steaks
E&A Meats Boutique Butcher Offers Fresh Specialty Cuts and Mediterranean-Flavored Kabobs
By Amy Morgan
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Summer is about to start sizzling — time to fire up the grill! Looking for a specialty cut like a Tomahawk or Prime Rib Eye steak to impress your guests? There’s a new source of fresh, organic, meat in Stone Oak. Boutique butcher shop E&A Meats, located in the Stone Oak Crossing Center across from popular Copa Wine Bar, opened in January and offers locally sourced and processed Halal beef, lamb, goat and chicken.
You’ll find a wide variety of unique meats, as well as many pre-seasoned ready-to-cook selections. Attractive cases display products that can be purchased in quantities large or small. No need to worry about items languishing in a cooler. The fresh, never frozen batches are cut on premises by hand and packaged at time of purchase. E&A Meats can accommodate any price point, offer bulk box service and pricing or can custom wrap just one steak for an impressive, unique gift.
While E&A Meats may be new to Stone Oak, owners Samara and Mustapha Makinsi are not new to the butcher shop business. They’ve had 14 years of experience at a previous location during which they perfected their premium line of products. The Makinsis take pride in personally supervising every detail of maintaining, butchering and processing the animals selected from carefully bred herds raised just up the road in the Texas Hill Country. Mustapha personally slaughters each animal in a USDA inspected facility just five miles from their pasture, which reduces stress on the animal and keeps transportation costs low.
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“There’s a big desire right now for people to know where their food is coming from,” Samara said. “We are involved in the process from the beginning until the product reaches the customer’s hands. When we say the meat is humanely raised, natural, hormone-free, and grass-fed, we can guarantee that every step of the way. We process every week, so we always have fresh meat. And because we do it ourselves, we eliminate the middleman expense that is normally passed on to the consumer. Additionally, because of how we raise and process our meat, it is a more health-conscious option.”
Once the meat is delivered to the Stone Oak retail location, Mustapha starts a several-week dry aging process for his beef that not only tenderizes the meat but enhances the already great flavor achieved by starting with quality livestock.
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​E&A Meats offers a unique selection of olive oil, preserved lemons, jarred olives, imported sauces and a large variety of spices sourced directly from Mustapha’s native Morocco. Items are available for retail sale, and Mustapha also uses them to infuse the flavors of Northern Africa, Turkey, India and the Mediterranean into many of their marinades and pre-made kabobs, perfect to pick up on the way home for a quick meal.
Spices are custom ground fresh and sourced from the supplier in Morocco with no added caking agents or preservatives, Samara said. This again ensures no additional additives or by-products are added to the meats. Although she grew up on San Antonio’s Northside, Samara’s mother also comes from Morocco, as her father brought home the bride he met while serving in the
U.S. Navy.
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The Makinsis believe E&A Meats fills a need in the community after being frustrated themselves when they couldn’t find the quality meat cuts and spices they wanted to create their favorite dishes. “San Antonio is a diverse melting pot, and we are pleased that our customer base and product offerings reflect that,” Samara said.
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Stone Oak neighbors have been delighted to find not
just delicious meat for grilling, but also an authentic, gourmet source for new flavors they may have experienced while traveling.
One of the first specialty meat cuts the Makinsis chose to offer was Picanha, a versatile and flavorful beef cut made popular in Brazil. They also get frequent requests for one of their specialties, Kefta, a spiced ground beef mixture that has gained popularity with many customers and is sold by the pound or as a kabob.
Many find their deli selections a perfect option for a charcuterie board or sandwich tray. Their in-house beef chorizo and Parisa are a must try. A wide variety of hand-sliced deli meats such as mortadella, Basterma, roast beef, Pastrami, and turkey make great options. A small selection of freezer items including veal sausage, quail, turkey and beef bacon are also for purchase. Because they slice most items fresh in store, customers can get the exact quantity of deli items they want. They even sell Pita bread!
Samara and Mustapha met and married in San Antonio 22 years ago while attending college. They began raising their two children, Emad and Alia (NEISD students who lend the first letters of their names to E&A Meats), while both establishing successful corporate careers. However, they were interested in taking their experience and using that to run a business of their own to build a legacy for their family while providing a much-needed service to
the community.
Mustapha’s grandfather was well known for his butchering techniques and services in Morocco. Growing up, Mustapha helped when the family harvested animals for holidays, so when the Makinsis considered a family-owned business, butchering was a logical choice. “This is our investment in our future and that of our children,” Samara said. “Everything in our store is personally selected with the customer experience in mind. No decisions are going to happen without our head in it and hands on it.”
Not sure what you want to try? Visit E&A Meats, and Samara or Mustapha will help you find the perfect item to suit your needs. You also can place special orders through their website, www.eameats.com, or by calling them directly at 210-314-MEAT.
Join their Prime Cuts VIP Club to receive advance notice of discounts and specials – including a giveaway. Mention this article in Right at HOME when you visit to receive 10% off your order and follow E&A Meats on social media for real
time updates.
