Austin takes meat seriously, and there is more choice here than in most cities. If you are deciding where to buy — or what to ask for once you get there — here is a straight guide from people who cut it for a living.

Butcher counter vs grocery case

The difference is not simply quality. It is information and control.

• You can ask where it came from. A butcher knows the ranch or the packer, the grade, and how long it has been in the case. A grocery clerk usually cannot tell you.
• You get the thickness you want. Pre-packed steaks are cut to a weight target, not to a cooking plan. If you want a two-inch ribeye for a reverse sear, someone has to cut it for you.
• Nothing sits. Cut-to-order means the surface has not been oxidizing under film for three days.
• You can buy the whole thing. Whole packer brisket, a standing rib roast tied to order, a case of sausage, a primal broken down your way.
• Advice is free. Tell us the headcount, the cooker and the budget, and we will point you at the right cut — often a cheaper one than you walked in for.

What to actually ask for

Most people ask for a cut. Ask for an outcome instead — you will get better meat.

• "I am feeding eight, I have a kettle grill, and I want to spend about sixty dollars."
• "I want to reverse sear something thick."
• "Something I can braise on Sunday and eat all week."
• "I want to learn to cook a cut I have never used."

Specific requests worth making: cut it thicker than standard, leave the fat cap on, tie the roast, grind it coarse, grind chuck and brisket together for burgers, save me the bones, trim the packer but leave a quarter inch.

Brisket in Austin

Austin is a brisket town, and around barbecue season good whole packers move fast. A few practical notes:

• Order ahead for anything big. Give us a week for multiple packers, and two weeks around holidays.
• Buy by feel, not by weight. A brisket that drapes over your hand has more intramuscular fat than a stiff one of the same weight.
• Prime is real insurance on the flat. The lean side is what dries out across fourteen hours.
• We will trim it. Ask, and you take home a brisket ready for the rub.

Our full method is in the brisket smoking guide.

Local delivery and shipping

We deliver across the greater Austin area, and we ship UPS anywhere in the lower 48. Local delivery has a $40 minimum. You can check the ZIP codes we deliver to before you order.

Everything ships cold with appropriate packing. If you are ordering for a specific date — a party, a holiday, a delivery to someone else — order early and tell us the date.

Buying for a restaurant

We have supplied Austin restaurants for decades, and wholesale is a different conversation from retail. Butchers start cutting at 5:30 a.m., we deliver Monday through Saturday with morning and afternoon runs, and there is a $200 minimum for free delivery in the Austin area. Pickup orders have no minimum.

If you run a kitchen and you are tired of a broadline distributor deciding what your beef looks like, see our wholesale page or call the shop.

Common questions

Where is Longhorn Meat Market?

11600 Menchaca Rd, Suite H, Austin, TX 78748, in South Austin. Phone (512) 280-6514.

Do you deliver in Austin?

Yes — local delivery across the greater Austin area with a $40 minimum, plus UPS shipping to the lower 48. See the delivery ZIP codes.

Can I order a whole brisket or a custom cut?

Yes. Whole packers, standing rib roasts, custom thickness, custom grinds, whole primals. Give us a day's notice for anything unusual and about a week for large orders.

Do you sell to restaurants?

Yes. Wholesale and food distribution across Austin, with daily morning and afternoon delivery runs.

What should I buy if I have never bought from a butcher before?

A thick-cut ribeye, or a flat iron if you want to see how good a cheap cut can be. Tell whoever is behind the counter that it is your first time — that is a good conversation, not an awkward one.

Come by

Longhorn Meat Market, 11600 Menchaca Rd, Suite H, Austin, TX 78748. Call (512) 280-6514 or shop online.