National Butcher’s Week: An Interview with Nick “The Knife”

March 16, 2017
by Rebecca Down Uncategorized

    To celebrate National Butcher’s Week, we caught up with one of our butchers,  Nick “The Knife” of Roaming Roosters to hear what he thought would be the bit hitters in the meat market this year. Yes, he may have a frightening name but he’s one of the most cheerful chappies we work with (just look at that grin!), working tirelessly to produce the top-quality beef, lamb and sausages in your HelloFresh boxes…

    So tell us Nick, which meat is set to have its moment in 2017?

    The big new meat is going to be goat, which I know doesn’t sound appetising to a lot of people but we have been one of the only countries in the world that doesn’t commonly eat goat’s meat and I think all of that is about to change! It actually makes up 60% of the red meat eaten worldwide. The meat is low in fat, but it’s also high in protein and iron meaning that the health conscious are really switching on to it. In terms of taste it’s somewhere between lamb and venison but has a slightly firmer texture.

    We think your meat is a CUT above the rest (sorry we can’t help ourselves) What meat cuts can we expect to see more of this year?

    We’re going to see a rise in big, bold and brashness from America, and I’m not talking about the new President. There’s going to be a rise in whopper steaks following a trend that’s been established in the US, so we’re expecting to see a rise in demand for things such as the Tomahawk Steak. The Tomahawk is the mother of all steaks, and is named as it is because it apparently resembles a Tomahawk axe. It’s an on the bone rib steak, with the entire rib bone left in – it’s absolutely delicious!

    Whatever new cuts we’re going to see, it’s all about the dry aging. More and more now, people are wanting their meat dry aged for 28 days. It makes the meat much more tender and really increases the flavour.

    And what about traditional cuts of meat, are they making a comeback?

    We’re seeing the return of some cuts which would have probably been a grandparents’ favourite. It’s great news because it’s making more use of all of the meat, leading to less waste which is great news. Cuts like brisket (below) which would usually have been reserved for older generations are now being picked up, and shin meat sales are rising too because of new cooking methods. Osso Bucco is bang on trend right now too, which is shin meat on the bone. It’s relatively cheap and full of flavour.

    You mentioned these ‘new cooking methods’. What are they?

    The big new thing is cooking in a temperature controlled water oven. It makes cooking to perfection so much easier. Its use is rocketing now, water oven cooking has actually been around for a couple of hundred years, but it’s only just becoming accessible to the cook-at-home market now.

    What’s your go-to marinade?

    Definitely barbecue. It might sound a bit old school, but it fits perfectly with what we’re seeing in terms of a return to more traditional cuts.

    What’s your predicted headline for 2017?

    Everything we’ll see coming through this year, from goat, to bigger cuts, and the old school comeback are brilliant news for food waste, so that’s what I think the headline is. The war on waste is here!

    Click here for more information about our lovely butchers at Roaming Roosters.

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