Gear Up For The Big Game With High Quality Meats
Head down to The Lazy Butcher for some delicious BBQ, high quality meats and sports
Photo courtesy of Kevin Austin
Hello my fellow foodies and welcome back! The beautiful mountain town of Evergreen, CO just got a new restaurant/lounge/butcher shop. I had to go check this out because I literally could smell the meat smoking from the highway with my car window down. Since the big game is soon upon us, and everyone needs snacks when watching football, I had to stop in and check it out. This is not just an ordinary BBQ joint, there is a story here, so off I popped to discover this new gem in Evergreen.
Evan Jeffries opened The Lazy Butcher October 2024, and The Cowboy Lounge opened a few months after that. All their beef is dry aged and comes from Lazy Acre Ranch in Otis Colorado. An Evergreen resident himself, Evan’s family has been here since 1863. Evan is also the owner of the Lazy Acre Ranch so the two go hand in hand. The beef on the ranch is naturally raised at 4,360 ft, so the mountain air and fresh creek water truly make a difference. There are no hormones or antibiotics in their beef or pork and thus you are really getting that “ranch to table” experience. They also ship nationwide if you want to send some to your loved ones. The beef is all prime. I was hungry so, as usual, let’s eat!
There are three choices you have when entering The Lazy Butcher: grab some to-go deliciousness from the butcher counter, eat in the center restaurant, or head back to The Cowboy Lounge for sports watching, libations galore, and the same menu as in the adjoining restaurant. Everything at The Lazy Butcher is smoked in house. The sides, all sauces, and pies are also made on premise. Additionally, they partner with Tom’s seafood for dry goods and other specialties. The beef and pork are, you guessed it, straight from Lazy Acre Ranch and you certainly can tell the difference it makes from the first bite.
I started with cocktails, and they take them seriously here. Allie’s Old Fashioned was perfect, and aptly named after the bartender and mix master, Allie. I also ordered the Cowboy Cure made with whiskey, rosemary and lemon. The beer is flowing here, and they have many wines to choose from as well.
I am a smoked brisket lover, and I have had many variations. The Lazy Butcher smokes all their meat with Cherrywood and uses a house made rub before it heads to the smoker. I decided to order the two-meat plate so I could try the Cheddar jalapeno Sausage as well. The brisket was one of the best I have had, tender, juicy, and had the “bark” on the outside that always makes a perfect smoked brisket. The sausage was one of the best I have ever had. It has a bite to it because of the jalapeno, and the cheddar gives it a creamy like texture. The coleslaw, and mac and cheese were both a perfect match to this heavenly plate. The fries at The Lazy Butcher are fried in house rendered beef tallow, and absolutely something to try. I could eat plates of them. I also tried a half rack of ribs, which practically fell off the bone. They were smoky perfection.
If BBQ is not your thing, try the Smash Burger made with Angus beef from Lazy Acre Ranch. They just added wings to the menu, and they are special. Dipped in buttermilk prior to being cooked, they were the best wings I have ever had. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, they are competition worthy, and something I will always order there.
Thursday steak nights are new. Come in and pick your own steak from the counter and sit down for a true ranch to table experience. Their prime grade Colorado beef is aged between 21-60 days, which makes their steak nights extra special. Evan is also partnering with other local businesses for pop-up events, like an oyster night with Tom’s seafood.
Before you leave The Lazy Butcher, you must visit the market. The butcher counter is chockfull of dry aged steaks, chicken, pork, house made sausages, house made soup stock, and many other take-home delights. While the restaurant is closed on Tuesdays, you can still visit the butcher shop for grab and go BBQ. I took home a 21 day aged steak, and can tell you the quality of meat made a huge difference in the meal on my table.
Catering is available for the big game with meat by the pound and all the yummy sides as well, just give them a call. Evan Jeffries has a true passion for what he does. His “mountain style BBQ” as he describes it, is perfection. As my motto goes, when a lot of love goes into your food, it pours out tenfold onto the plate. You can’t miss The Lazy Butcher when driving down Highway 74 in Evergreen. Just open the car window, and let your nose lead the way. Until next time my fellow foodies, eat well, drink well, and be well.
