Big Steer Meats

Sometimes our relationships with local vendor partners are formed in a roundabout way. Case in point is Big Steer Meats of St. Paul. Years ago, owner Charlie Cory came to Kowalski's with his jambalaya – not exactly a dish you would associate with a meat company specializing more in Italian fare. However, his partnership with Kowalski's has evolved throughout the years, and Big Steer now produces and packages many of Kowalski's Signature meat products, including our Beef Sticks, Beef Jerky, Smoked Sausages and Fresh Sausage.

Charlie's dad started the company back in 1978. This corner butcher shop, currently located on the East Side of St. Paul, is a local favorite, where their products are produced and sold. Charlie has worked in the business since it began, and his passion is evident in everything he does.

When we began talking with Big Steer Meats about producing our Signature Smoked Meat items, Kowalski's Meat Director Boyd Oase (now VP of Operations) was confident that the partnership would be a great fit.

"I asked Charlie when we could send someone over to look at his operation," said Boyd. "When he said anytime, I asked if our person could stop by within the next half hour. He never hesitated, and that meant a lot to us. It told us his standards were high enough that he didn't need any time to clean things up before we came."

A highlight of our Signature smoked meats program is our line of Smoked Brats. "Their natural casing gives you that characteristic snap when you bite into them and lets you know they have that old-fashioned quality that many people are looking for," says Charlie. "Our sausages are made with meat that has been raised with no growth stimulants or antibiotics, and we smoke them in small batches in our in-store smoker, using a hickory wood blend, on a daily basis."

Find Big Steer Meats products in the Meat Department of your nearest Kowalski's location.