Rockies & Southwest

Salt Lake City | Snider Bros. Meats. Owner “Big Willie” Wilson can trace his family’s history in the biz back a century, and he carries on the tradition from behind the largest meat counter in the valley. Quality meats are custom-cut if you like, and handed over with grilling and smoking tips from Big Willie himself. Our pick: The Santa Maria tri-tip—a marbled loin cut you won’t find anywhere else around here, flavored and tenderized in a secret family marinade. 6245 Highland Dr.; 801/272-6469.

Scottsdale | The Bull Market. In this honest-to-goodness butcher shop complete with a gleaming workspace and white-jacketed talent, the frozen meat is presented in a vacuum wrap that makes it glitter like jewelry. If you talk to the owners, they will have you drooling in anticipation of highly marbled, 21-day-aged beef; robust Chairman’s Reserve pork; and specialties like buffalo, quail, and elk. Our pick: The Scottsdale skirt steak, in a marinade of wine and the shop’s blend of zingy spices. 8763 E. Bell Rd.; 480/656-4777.