It took me a while to build up the courage to do some cooking with pork belly, as there always seemed a bit of mystery about whether it needed to be twice cooked. Well, I’ve finally done it and wonder now why I waited so long! Pork belly is a fatty cut taken from – … Read more
Part of the fun of travelling is visiting local markets and sampling the local cuisines. Cambodian cuisine is traditionally simple and fresh with an emphasis on layers of flavours from fresh herbs and spices, resulting in dishes with delightfully contrasting textures and flavours. When we were in Cambodia in June 2018 we participated in a … Read more
Beef short ribs is a cut that responds well to slow cooking, resulting in a rich and tasty dish. Winter is the perfect time of year to try them. Once destined for the “mincer”, beef short ribs now have a new lease of life as one of the “fashionable” meat cuts, and yet are still … Read more
It’s often hard to know how much meat to serve when you have people round for dinner. Whether it’s for 6 people or 60, here are a few things to consider: If you’re serving individual meat items, e.g. steaks or chicken breasts, portions are fairly straightforward – one per person or maybe two for hungry … Read more
So many of us grew up with the Sunday roast. Mum would “throw the meat” in the oven with some dripping and it would cook itself! Somehow, it always worked, tasted tender and succulent and was considered an easy-to-cook meal. Here are a few easy tips on how to cook the perfect roast, whether it … Read more
Versatile venison is naturally low in fat and high in iron so is a valuable component of a healthy diet. New Zealand venison is produced on natural free-range farm environments which adhere to strong quality assurance programmes. These programmes follow through to the processing plants, ensuring the end consumer is receiving a monitored, quality product. … Read more
New Zealand lamb is some of the best in the world and Kiwis love it! But lamb can be expensive, so it’s important to know which type of cut of meat you have to ensure you get the best out of your meat. The tenderest cuts of lamb are ideal for fast cooking, while the … Read more
Do you ever feel tired or lethargic, seem irritable or grumpy, suffer frequent infections, feel the cold, tire easily when exercising or have difficulty concentrating? It may surprise you these common symptoms are often caused by iron deficiency; easily avoided by eating more iron-rich foods. At Meat Direct we know how good beef, lamb and … Read more
We love stirfries in our house because they are quick, nutritious and delicious. A stirfry is also a great opportunity to use up vegetables that have been sitting in the fridge. Adding a little bit of meat makes the dish go a long way, so it becomes an economical meal. All meats can be used … Read more
The easy answer to the question “which steak is best?” is – it depends! Basically, it comes down to personal preference as to the type of steak you enjoy most, whether it be a cut with a more robust flavour or a cut that is more tender. The four main cuts for beef steak are: … Read more