What if I told you there’s a butcher shop in Hunt Valley that’s doing everything the right way? John Brown General and Butchery is changing the game when it comes to a butcher shops. Near the intersection of Shawan Road and Falls Road in Hunt Valley, JBGB is an amazing butcher shop that also has a general store. The general store portion sells an assortment of local goods that are perfect for any party or if you crave some delicious treats (like delicious Mouth Party Caramel Sauce!!!)
When you walk into JBGB you see a newly renovated space that is both rustic and modern in its design. Their aim is to restore the age old tradition of a community butcher shop, that’s one I can appreciate as finding great quality meat at a local grocery store is not always an option. They have a close relationship with their farmers and as a result they can ensure their customers that they are getting meat that is humanely raised. The best thing though, is that they get all of their cuts of meat come whole to the shop, where they cut the meat themselves. As a result you can get essentially ANY cut of meat you want.
JBGB is primarily a butcher shop that has practically any cut of meat you could ever want (if they don’t have it readily available you can request it and they’ll get it for you). They offer a slew of options for you, everything from dry aged steaks to house made hot dogs & charcuterie.
Their prices can tend to run on the higher side than what you may be used to, but I say good meat is worth paying a little extra for if you can afford it in your budget. It’s one of the few ingredients where you can truly taste the difference. We’ve ordered hot dogs, house-made mortadella, and steaks; all of which were fabulous.
I’d be remiss though if I didn’t talk about their lunch menu, or more appropriately described as Option A or B. It’s almost easy to miss that they even offer lunch, but if you look on the chalkboard near their butcher counter you’ll see that they offer two lunch options that change daily. The prices are reasonable or at least comparable to other lunch options in the Cockeysville area, it’s about 8 to 9 bucks for a lunch sandwich. On the surface that sounds high, and it sort of is, but it’s worth it in the level of satisfaction you’ll get from it when you compare it to a fast food lunch option that will cost almost if not the same.
I’ve gone three separate times for lunch here and every time I’ve been blown away by how tasty it can be. Allow yourself some time to get your order because it takes about 10 minutes for them to make your order, every sandwich is made to order. I was lucky enough to try the Italian Cold-Cut sandwich, it’s made with delicious house made charcuterie along with fresh local bread; when you bite into it’s a heavenly mixture of salty Italian cold-cuts and fresh provolone cheese. It’s spectacular. Another time I ordered the brisket which is incredible, it’s brisket sourced from the shop (obviously) smoked to perfection and topped with a delicious barbecue sauce. You’ll need a nap afterwards because it’s so good.
But my favorite sandwich of all, was their ham and cheese sandwich. Why? Because they used REAL ham, you get delicious chunks of fresh shaved ham. The sandwich then has chunks of shredded cheddar cheese that work perfectly with the ham to create a divine concoction that would make the swine gods proud. Or probably not proud because that’s a dead pig. But whatever, it’s good! Really good!
Overall, John Brown General and Butchery hits a home run; there’s nothing you can buy here in my opinion that will leave you disappointed. If you’re into raw animal food, they even have that available for you to buy! This place is a perfect lunch spot and it’s a hidden gem. You need to go visit now! Bring money! Lots of it!
