Liehs & Steigerwald, Clay

Liehs & Steigerwald has been handcrafting sausages and meats in Syracuse since 1936, when its German-immigrant founders first began sharing their traditional recipes and culinary methods. Current owner Chuck Madonna, who began working at the shop at age 15, and co-owner Jeff Steigerwald now run an expanded operation that keeps butchery simple. Butchers custom-cut top-grade meats on request, grind chuck fresh several times a day, and craft sausages of all sorts, from traditional kielbasa to specialty cheddar and chicken-wing bratwurst.

Savory sausages reside in all-natural casings, free of additives and fillers, and acquire a smoky flavor and a husky timbre in an old-fashioned smokehouse. At-home delivery service ferries the shop’s meats directly to customers’ abodes, though some specialties, such as corned beef, take a little extra time to prepare. Profiled by the Post-Standard, the Irish-American staple takes three weeks to perfect, and Liehs & Steigerwald’s butchers carefully marinate the corned beef in brine, spices, and fresh four-leaf clovers, creating succulent slices that require no extra seasoning before cooking.