Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Artisanal Carnivores Sink Teeth into New Meaty Venture

Having a budding and extremely promising business questionably targeted by the government and drained of its monetary lifeblood via combative legal fees. It would have been enough to make lesser men throw in the cheesecloth. But when you’re as passionate about charcuterie as Albert Juarez, battle scars increase rather than detract from the desire—and ability—to bring artisanal meats to a carnivorous clientele.

Roughly a year since his first business, Knight Salumi, went out of business, he’s started a new business called Meat Men. Like Knight Salumi, which was headed by youthful yet seasoned charcuterie guy, Rey Knight, it’s a collaborative effort, but this time around Juarez is the head man while Knight (who’s focus is now on his new business, Butchers Brewing Co.) is a part-time contributor.

Meat Men is still in its infancy, but I was recently able to sample some of their handiwork at Rancho Bernardo’s Urge Gastropub. The night I went in, they were offering up a duo of the company’s offerings that included chorizo and pepperoni. The chorizo had all the rich paprika essence of a top tier Spanish variety while the pepperoni had even more zing than the often bland Americanized takes on this Italian staple offered stateside.

The only things that seemed a bit off was a scent so nose-splinteringly pungent and funky that it made me hold my breath every time I took a bite. The process of crafting charcuterie requires bacterial reactions to take place, so one expects some trick-versus-treat nose candy, but this went a tad too far. Still, the flavors were bold and enjoyable, especially for such an early effort. I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes (just not my nostrils) on these guys.

Pictured: Plate of artisanal meats from local charcuterie company Meat Men served up at Urge Gastropub in Rancho Bernardo.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

San Diego Dim Sum Tour, Warwick’s Holiday Open House

Events November 24-November 27, 2024

Having a budding and extremely promising business questionably targeted by the government and drained of its monetary lifeblood via combative legal fees. It would have been enough to make lesser men throw in the cheesecloth. But when you’re as passionate about charcuterie as Albert Juarez, battle scars increase rather than detract from the desire—and ability—to bring artisanal meats to a carnivorous clientele.

Roughly a year since his first business, Knight Salumi, went out of business, he’s started a new business called Meat Men. Like Knight Salumi, which was headed by youthful yet seasoned charcuterie guy, Rey Knight, it’s a collaborative effort, but this time around Juarez is the head man while Knight (who’s focus is now on his new business, Butchers Brewing Co.) is a part-time contributor.

Meat Men is still in its infancy, but I was recently able to sample some of their handiwork at Rancho Bernardo’s Urge Gastropub. The night I went in, they were offering up a duo of the company’s offerings that included chorizo and pepperoni. The chorizo had all the rich paprika essence of a top tier Spanish variety while the pepperoni had even more zing than the often bland Americanized takes on this Italian staple offered stateside.

The only things that seemed a bit off was a scent so nose-splinteringly pungent and funky that it made me hold my breath every time I took a bite. The process of crafting charcuterie requires bacterial reactions to take place, so one expects some trick-versus-treat nose candy, but this went a tad too far. Still, the flavors were bold and enjoyable, especially for such an early effort. I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes (just not my nostrils) on these guys.

Pictured: Plate of artisanal meats from local charcuterie company Meat Men served up at Urge Gastropub in Rancho Bernardo.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Sweet Ideas

Next Article

My Halloween trip back in time to Juarez Elementary

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader