We’ve waited a long time for this – it’s finally summer here in Southwest Washington and that means barbecue season. If you’re like me, you can’t to wait cook outside and give the oven a rest. But barbecue is an art form that requires the right ingredients, recipes and cooking knowledge to make a delicious meal. The secret to a great barbecue is quality meat – it’s the pièce de résistance of any grilled meal. Luckily for us, we have Northwest Sausage & Deli at Dick’s Brewing Company in Centralia to provide us with fresh, quality meat in savory flavors that will make you king or queen of barbecue season.
Northwest Sausage & Deli was started in 1983 by Dick Young, a man whose entire professional career involved the processing of meat, starting as a meat cutter when he was still in high school. Dick developed all his own secret recipes that are still used by the deli today.
“I continue to use my dad’s recipes because they are tried and true,” says Julie Pendleton, Dick’s daughter who now owns and operates the company. “Why change something that so many people have come to love over the years? I have experimented with a few new recipes over the years, but nothing has replaced the recipes we use of my dad’s.”
His original recipes include classics like summer sausage, as well as unique flavors you won’t find anywhere else. One of their best sellers is a Chinese-style barbecue pork, for example. “This is not something people can find anywhere else. It’s unique and different,” Julie explains.
The Best for Barbecuing
The deli purchases their meats from Western Meats in Tumwater, who sources mostly from Oregon and Washington. Buying local means their meat is fresher than what you will find at the grocery store, which produces a better tasting barbecue.
They then process the meat at least once a month, so the end product is super fresh. Because it’s fresh, they don’t have to use as many preservatives as packaged meats found at the store so it’s better for you, too. “That’s the way Dad did it, so we just keep doing it that way,” Julie says.
All of their meats are hickory smoked right at Northwest Sausage & Deli in their three large smoke houses that can smoke up to 2,000 pounds of meat at a time. “The hickory smokers give the meat a flavor of its own and it’s unique,” Julie says. “It’s not something you will find everywhere.”
The different meats are smoked for varying lengths of time, from 4 to 6 hours or longer – like the pepperoni, which is smoked overnight for 14 hours. They do this instead of using a dehydrator. It still dries it out – turning the meat into the pepperoni – and really locks in the hickory flavor.
Many Flavor Options
For barbecuing, the deli has a full line of sausages, franks and hamburger meat perfect for grilling up summer backyard parties. For example, they have a classic German frank as well as a garlic frank that is perfectly seasoned and ready to be paired with whatever condiments you prefer. Julie recommends Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, though she says they are delicious plain in a bun too.
“Our bratwurst are pork and are also great for barbecuing, and we have a couple flavors including a jalapeno one that’s got a bit of a kick,” Julie adds. The deli also has beef franks.
Since their brats and franks are pre-cooked, Julie says cooking them is easy: “Just pop them on the grill for 10 to 20 minutes at not too high a temperature.”
Last but not definitely not least, their hamburger meat is not to be missed. Burgers come pre-seasoned with a secret mix of salt, pepper, garlic and spices (gives them a little kick) so you can just toss them on the grill – no need to marinate or season.
Of course, nothing pairs with burgers and franks like fresh beer straight from the tap. That’s where Dick’s Brewing Company has you covered. They have over 20 varieties of beer with 11 on tap at the deli every day. “We have many unique flavors that are perfect for summertime barbecues,” Julie says. “And you can grab a jug to go that’s fresh and straight from the tap.”
Going camping this summer? Northwest Sausage & Deli has loads of summer sausage (just add some cheese and crackers) and pepperoni flavors that are perfect to take for snacks at the camp and on the trail. “The jalapeno summer sausage is my personal favorite,” Julie says.
And since you’ll be eating breakfast al fresco, don’t forget the bacon and breakfast sausage. They make their bacon sweet with a maple syrup flavor and their sausage is a country pork that is also a little sweet, perfect for the first meal of a long day outdoors.
Taste it Before You Bring it Home
One of the best things about Northwest Sausage & Deli is you can try many of their delicious meats before you buy it at their deli. Everything on the menu is available to purchase, so you can come and sample their German franks, burgers or summer sausage and then take home the one you like best. This is something you just can’t do at the grocery store. It also gives you ideas on what to pair their delectable meats with – for example their barbecue pork is served at the deli with Chinese hot mustard and sesame seeds for dipping.
To visit the deli and taste their delectable meats, visit Northwest Sausage & Deli at 5945 Prather Road SW in Centralia. You can also check out their menu on the the deli’s website or call 360-736-7760.
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