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Andrea Behrends
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Andrea Behrends
Chefs James Peisker and Chris Carter, co-founders of Porter Road Butcher, are celebrating ten years of delivering life-changing meat.
When the two men initially decided to join forces in a catering business, they had no idea it would lead them to becoming premier whole animal butchers. In a sense, that decision was life changing for them.“We wanted to do it right,” Peisker says. “We only wanted to use hormone- and antibiotic-free, pasture raised meats and poultry. “But we’d go to the area farmers’ markets, and they had limited cuts in limited supply, and in a frozen state,” Carter adds.
They saw a great void that needed filling: There were no local butchers who had formed relationships with farmers and ranchers, and could provide customers with fresh quality meats they could trust. Empowered by the belief that they could fill that need, the two men began to devote their work to whole animal butchery. In 2011, Porter Road Butcher came to be.Their shop was initially slated to open on Porter Road, but the deal fell through. They found what became their main location on Gallatin Pike. Legal work and logo aside, they liked and kept the Porter Road name.“Besides, Gallatin Pike Butcher sounded like an axe murderer,” Carter laughs.Reception for Porter Road was overwhelming, with customers grateful to have a reliable source for their meats. It was also a game changer for area restaurants. Places like Lockeland Table, Arnold’s, and Josephine now had access to the products they wanted. Peisker and Carter had set (and maintain to this day) high standards, visiting the farms to see firsthand that the animals were raised outside and well cared for.
“As we grew in our business, we kept learning,” says Carter. “We saw how terms like ‘organic,’ ‘cage-free,’ and ‘farm-raised’ got thrown around. We pulled back the curtain. For instance, most people don’t know that 80 percent of grass-fed meats sold in our country are imported. We wanted to share our knowledge with the consumer. We value transparency.”
They also realized that if they could control more steps of the process, it would be better for all involved, especially the consumer. In 2015, they bought a 6,000-square-foot slaughterhouse, which gave them the ability to ramp up production and create more jobs. By 2018, they were able to launch their online business. In light of all that happened to the industry in the pandemic, this move proved prescient. Their sales more than doubled in 2020.
“There was mass disruption in the big box meat industry, but we never experienced that,” Peisker says. “We were able to supply our customers without any trouble, and pay everyone—our workers, the farmers—well.” The tremendous growth spurred the men to expand. Securing a 10-million-dollar investment, they opened a processing facility this summer in Princeton, Kentucky that is more than quadruple the size of the former. All aspects of the facility have been mindfully thought through. Porter Road can increase their workforce of 53 to 80.“Now we have our office, an H.R. conference room, a breakroom, a dressing area, and locker room,” says Carter. “We want to give our employees the tools to be successful. Each butcher has his own table, built to fit his size. We want to instill pride in the butchers’ work. They are family to us.”
At the crux of Porter Road Butcher is utmost respect for the animal, and for the farmer who spent two years responsibly raising it. Peisker and Carter are dedicated to training their butchers in the art of seam butchery. This is an Old World method that follows the natural anatomical breaks—seams–of the muscles. Nothing goes to waste. Beyond producing what you’d expect—stocks, sausages, special grinds, and rendered fat—this also increases the variety of offerings. You’ll be introduced to unique cuts such as Denver steak, Sierra steak, Merlot steak, chuck eye, bavette, tri-tip, and picanha. All of the meats are hand-cut, dry-aged for a minimum of 14 days, and shipped fresh.
“We can help you pick out the perfect steak for any purpose, and give you the confidence to cook different cuts,” says Peisker. Carter adds, “It makes this a fun adventure for the customer.”
The two partners are passionate about their purpose, and over ten years, they have been able to increase their impact. To be sure, Nashville area chefs have valued them as a resource and Nashville dining is better for it. Surprisingly, Peisker and Carter do not advocate eating more meat. It’s about balance. Yes, responsibly raised and butchered is expensive. Eat less and savor the difference. It is life changing.“Look, our agricultural system is broken,” says Carter. “The answer is not fake meat. We want to bring back the practices of the past to ensure the future of our planet. We want to show farmers that there is demand for pasture raised meats and poultry across the country.”
Peisker notes that there is a miniscule group doing it right, and that represents less than one percent of all meat sold. “We want to move that number, move the industry,” he says. “We want to encourage and reward those who practice responsible farming. It’s going to take all of us together to fight the Big Meat Industry.” (porterroad.com)