1 November 2011

2 minute read

Europe

The ‘Taste of England’ event, hosted by Peter and Sue Coverdale at Barnard Castle, included a look at a progressive farm, followed by a combined butchery and cookery demonstration by EBLEX master butcher Dick van Leeuwen and top chef Nigel Haworth, on how to cook six less-well-known cuts of lamb and beef.

Following a tour of the beef and sheep enterprise, run by John Have, EBLEX regional manager Jonathan Eckley explained EBLEX’s role in helping farmers to secure better returns for their business.

“By benchmarking their cost of production against the national average, we can help farmers control their costs. For example, better grassland management reduces cost and improves efficiency. Better handling and selection of animals for slaughter helps them to get closer to market requirements,” he said.

The EBLEX team also highlighted the benefits of signing up to the Quality Standard scheme for beef and lamb and the Red Tractor scheme from Assured Food Standards which provide guarantees on food safety, animal welfare and care for the environment.

EBLEX foodservice project manager Hugh Judd said: “More chefs than ever are keen to explore under-used and less well-known cuts, to exploit the added value potential they can offer."

"Carcase balance is even more critical when every penny counts and while these cheaper cuts may previously have been minced or diced, they are now being more imaginatively used and are delivering better value throughout the whole of the supply chain.”

The entire range of 320 beef and lamb cuts, each with its own unique identifying code, are featured in the Fourth Edition of EBLEX’s acclaimed Meat Purchasing Guide and Cutting Specification Manual, all of which are available to download from www.eblextrade.co.uk