Browsing through one of my mother-in-law’s cookbooks from the 1950s recently, The League of Mothers, I came across these instructions for making gravy. It’s good to see traditional techniques still work today! Here’s the recipe word-for-word: Gravy to serve with roasts After removing meat from pan, strain off fat, leaving only a tablespoon of fat … Read more
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
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
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
Beef has so many cuts and it can be used to create all sorts of delicious meals. But it’s good to know which cut is best for which types of dish. Here’s a quick guide to cuts of beef courtesy of Beef + Lamb New Zealand: Fast cooking cuts – fillet steaks, scotch fillet steaks, … Read more
Meat can sometimes be the most costly ingredient in a meal. So it’s important to make the most of every piece, just as our chef clients do to create delicious dishes for the customers in their restaurants. There’s always some loss as meat does tend to shrink naturally through cooking. Check out these easy tips … Read more