We carted our two esky-fulls of meat home and spent an hour or so dividing the meat into bags. There was bags of cutlets (I used to love these as kids, but sadly they became trendy and have been outside the budget until now), a bag of lamb shanks, four leg roasts, huge ribs, chops and a bag of scraps for the dogs. On Daniel's instructions we didn't get any liver or kidney, but I'm going to ask for them next time. Sorry Daniel.
The beef rump was cut into steaks, cubes and stir fry pieces. I'm only just starting to learn about meat, but the creamy fat and marbling is supposed to be a good thing. And thank goodness for a sharp knife.
I had never thought bulk meat could be such an enjoyable process of preparing, bagging and popping (or cramming) in the freezer. It was a joint effort between the two of us.
That night we enjoyed a barbeque of lamb chops, cutlets and steak. The next night we enjoyed a roast lamb dinner. Then cutlets the next. I think we need to slow down! But the thing is, I don't think I've ever had such delicious and tender meat. The difference in taste and tenderness was amazing. I've never been a meat and three veg type person, even though it was what I was brought up on. But I think I'm converted.
Not wanting any to go to waste I have started saving meat dripping which have already made the tastiest and crunchiest roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding.
So I am hoping that this meat will last us quite some time. Trouble being, with so much meat to choose from, and it being so delicious, it may not last all that long in this house.
Your roast looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteWe buy our meat in bulk too. It is the only way we can afford to eat well on one income.
We have bought half a beast before, but struggled to get through some of the more unfamiliar cuts, so now we take a trip out to a great butcher shop and buy everything in bulk, whole rumps etc, or 5kg bulk lots of bacon, mince, pork chops and the like. It does save a lot of money.
One thing that really interests me though is finding someone local, like you have done, who rears grass fed beef and lamb.
I know that when we eat meat out at my husband's parent's place, their home reared meat is spectacular. You can't even begin to compare the flavour. And the fat is much yellower, which I'm assuming is from the betacarotene in the grass.
It's a nice feeling having a full freezer isn't it?
Ooooh I have meat envy! I have wanted to buy meat in bulk for a long time now, but am not sure how to go about finding how to do so. Must get onto that..
ReplyDeleteOne question though, do you have a chest freezer? Or did you manage to fit it all into an upright one?
Rhiannon - we have a side-by-side fridge/ freezer and managed to fit it in the shelves, two drawers and door shelves of the freezer. Just. Would love to have a chest freezer one day though.
ReplyDeleteholey moley. what a meat mission. the cooked product did look delicious. i like how you save the drippings for yorkshire pudding. yum! i love slow cooked meat where it falls off the bone. osso buco is a favourite in our house. peter is always asking me to cook it. enjoy your day tania. look forward to seeing your next meaty dish!
ReplyDeleteOh man...did you have to go and post about meat? :) I have meat envy!!
ReplyDeleteIn NZ we got meat straight from the farm. Hubby worked for NZ Dairy Foods and gave alot of the surplus to pig farmers so we would get whole pigs for free and then barter pork for beef and lamb...it was such a great way to live and as wages were poor it definitely helped us to eat well. We were raised on not letting anything go to waste either...dad used to bleed the pigs (they were dead) and make black pudding - not to everyones liking and use the intestines to mold it in..and we ate all the offal too :) It sounds quite primitive saying that in this day and age but they were raised in an age where food was precious.
One thing I found with moving to Australia was just how different the meat tasted...I think that is the difference between grain fed and grass fed animals. Nothing quite like eating meat that tastes as it should and melts in your mouth :)
Maybe it's time we found a local farmer here who we can purchase off.
Yay, we do this too, i can't wait until we have our own cows to 'butcher' & do the ultimate in bulk meat. Love Posie
ReplyDeleteOh i got a chest freezer for my 28th birthday (just what you need when you're pregnant with your 4th child) & i LOVE IT, love Posie
ReplyDeleteI have an acquaintance who has grass fed beef and we got a side from him... Delicious! It simply cannot compare to grain fed and I'd rather not buy supermarket meat again.
ReplyDeleteMind you I'm in the middle of reading the reprint of "River Cottage" and am just at the meat section!
We are the same as Posie, can't wait to move to our little slice of paradise and raise our own.
Enjoy your stash!
Another envious meat lover here - especially seeings as we have NO meat in the house and won't be restocking until the weekend. Hubby is not enjoying the week of vegetarian. I bulk buy my meat, but from a local wholesale butcher - I'd love to go direct to the farmer. In light of wanting to use everything - keep the bones and use them for stock. Just pop them back into the freezer until you have enough.
ReplyDeleteI've got lots to say about meat, buying in bulk, eating more 'eco-friendly' meats like goat, rabbit and kangaroo, my husband learning how to bowhunt, cooking with lard/ shortening, and smoking meat, that I think I should just write a blog post about it myself!!
ReplyDeletedear tania,
ReplyDeletei make the same, i buy meat in bulk and freeze it. i have a chest freezer and a upright freezer,but both are full.
your roast looks delicious !!!!!!!
have a wonderful restweek,
love regina
reginassimplelife.blogspot.com
A meat lover here, Tania and I thoroughly enjoyed this post. I remember the mobile butcher coming to our farm once or twice a year and we would fill an industrial freezer with homegrown lamb and beef. Mum knew every cut and it was our job to help her pack it, get the air out of the bags and label them. I took regular roast lamb dinners for granted back then. Once we get a bit more space and/or leave Sydney, it's something I really should do as well. Have a great week with lotsa meat :)
ReplyDeleteHi there...wow, what a post...I think I might need some meat now ha ha!!! I love to come up to the Canberra shops from time to time...Have just found your blog and love it...Dzintra
ReplyDeleteA freezer full of meat is the best! Im lucky enough to have a butcher husband who "slaughters" (horrile word I know)all of our meat. We have many different types pass through our freezer, from our own free range piggies, chicken, beef, lamb and at the moment we are finishing our last pieces of venison. Theres nothing better then raising your own and knowing where and what you are eating. Meat, YUM!
ReplyDelete