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Four years ago, Australians surpassed Americans to claim the title of 'World's Most Voracious Meat Eaters'. It's not surprising really, is it? We love our meat dishes!

...But not so much lamb. Its popularity has been declining since 1985. And at Butcher Direct, we don't understand why, as lamb cuts really are delicious pieces of meat. So come join the Baa-side; follow our guide to fall in love with lamb and gain the confidence to cook it well.

Lamb Cuts - The tastiest, most flavoursome meat around

Lamb really is a delightful meat. The general rule of thumb is that many of the more affordable cuts deliver the best taste. Also, the longer you can cook it for, the better, as the dense fibres break down over time to create incredibly tender pieces of meat.

Here are some of our choicest cuts.

Lamb Cuts	Description
Neck of lamb	Incredibly tasty, ideal for slow cooking. Perfect for stews.
Shoulder of lamb	Powerful flavours. Exemplary for roasting, using in curries, or slow cooking for casseroles. Can also be minced to use in Shepard's Pie.
Rack of lamb	Best roasted. If trimmed and tied in a circle, can create a Crown of Lamb, an impressive dish to serve at your table.
Lamb Cutlets	Very palatable. Ideal for pan-frying, grilling or putting on the BBQ.
Lamb Loin	Very tender and cooks quickly. Can be grilled or fried. A large joint, roasted, can serve 8 - 10 people.
Lamb Chump	A perfect joint for putting on the BBQ. Even more delicious if slow cooked.
Leg of lamb	As a joint makes the perfect roast. Can also be cubed for tasty kebabs or sliced for delectable stir-frys.
Lamb Shank	Needs to be slow cooked. The result is phenomenal flavours and meat so tender it falls off the bone.
Lamb Breast	Typically sold as a rolled joint for roasting. Can be quite fatty but if slow cooked will melt away to leave a delicious and supple meat.

How to cook lamb

There are three main ways to cook lamb: slow cooking, roasting and grilling.

Slow cooking lamb, as the name implies isn't the quickest method. However, it will give you the most flavoursome and most tender of meats. Put your joint (covered) in an oven for a minimum of 3 hours on a low temperature, roughly 160ºC/320ºF/gas 3. Larger joints will require longer in the oven; the longer you can leave any cut cooking for, the tastier the result.

Roasting lamb doesn't take as long as slow cooking, but still results in a scrumptious dish, particularly if you season with garlic and rosemary. Place the covered lamb in the oven at approximately 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5, for about 2 hours. Remove the foil 30 - 45 minutes before so the lamb can brown.

Grilling or putting lamb cuts of meat on the 'barbie' are the fastest way to enjoy this taste sensation. You can cook these lamb cuts in the same way as you would beef. So make sure your grill or BBQ is hot, and cook one side until the first signs of moisture appear. Turn once for rare and medium, twice for well-done. Test for 'doneness' with tongs. Rare is soft, medium is springy but soft and well-done is firm.

Ready to join the Baa-side?

So there you have it, our guide to lamb. We hope that we have inspired you to eat more of this delicious meat and we look forward to receiving your orders.

At Butcher Direct, we believe cooking is an art form. Which is why we believe that high-quality, nutritious, premium cuts of meat such as ours deserve to be prepared in the best way possible.

But how do you go about doing this?

Well, when it comes to carving meat and prepping meals to a high standard, it boils down to the different kitchen knives that you use. But what types of cooking knives should you opt for? After all, there are so many different cooking knives to choose from. Why do you even need to invest in different types of kitchen knives? Do they really make that much of a difference to your cooking? The answer is, yes, they do.

Why it's essential to use good quality, chef-inspired cooking knives

Each variety of kitchen knife is specifically designed with a particular function in mind. Using a quality knife that's matched to the task at hand will not only increase productivity in your kitchen but will also provide you with better meals. We'd go so far as to say that investing in a range of kitchen knives will really revolutionise your cooking experience.

So what types of cooking knives are there?

When it comes to preparing raw meats and slicing cooked food, there are several options to choose from. The ideal knife will depend on what job you're doing.

Job	Type of Knife
Slicing cooked meats	Carving, Cimeter or Slicing knife
Removing raw meat from bones	Boning or Filleting knife
Cutting cleanly through bone	Meat Cleaver
Preparing steaks	Flank & Shoulder knife
Dicing and chopping	Butcher, Chef's, Deba or Gyuto knife

Considerations when buying cooking knives

The types of metal used to create a knife will not only affect its price, but also its performance. If you're on a budget, stainless steel cooking knives are the most affordable. However, they do require regular sharpening which can be quite tricky and time-consuming, especially if you've never sharpened a knife before.

Carbon steel is much more durable than stainless steel and is easier to keep sharp. However, the improvements come at a heftier price and the knives themselves are more weighty.

Ceramic blades are 10 times harder than carbon steel but are much lighter to hold. They also retain their edges for longer so they don't require regular sharpening. However, they can be prone to chipping and can be quite expensive.

How to care for your different types of cooking knives

A well-cared for knife will cut through meat more easily, meaning you can complete your meal preparation with little difficulty and at a quicker pace than you would with a dull knife or the wrong type of knife.

It's important to clean your knives in hot, soapy water rather than putting them in the dishwasher. And, as mentioned earlier, they will need regular sharpening. You can sharpen your knives using a variety of different tools including a honing steel (also known as a butcher's steel or knife sharpening steel), a waterstone (also known as a whetstone), or an electric knife sharpener.

Check out this YouTube video by chef Gordon Ramsay on how to sharpen your culinary blades.

Remember, knives are designed for cutting flesh, so make sure it's not your flesh they cut! Respect your knives, use them properly and they will transform your cooking experience.

Modern life always seems hectic, doesn't it? There never seems to be enough time in the day to do everything on your ever-evolving to-do list. And there certainly never seems to be enough time to go out and do a high-quality, healthy food shop each week or every month. But at Butcher Direct, we're here to tell you otherwise! In a world where the best things in life require little effort and give us first-rate results every time, meat delivery is the only option for busy people on the go who want to enjoy the finest, healthiest meats around. 

The Benefits of Buying Meat Online with Butcher Direct

First and foremost, our meat home delivery service lets you order wholesome, nutritious, high-quality local meats, quickly and easily. Combine this with the convenience of having your order delivered directly to your door, and you're onto a winner!

But why else should you consider a meat delivery service?

It Saves You Time

Opting for a meat home delivery service guarantees to free up a lot of your time. Imagine, no more running to the market after a hectic day of work, no more having to visit your neighbourhood butcher during your lunch break. No more precious hours spent traipsing around a supermarket and spending hours battling the queues. All you have to do is take a moment to browse our online store of ethically produced, hormone free meats, select the items and cuts you'd like, choose a delivery date and make a secure online payment. Buying meat online leaves you plenty of time to get on with other, more important things.

It Gives You More Choice

Another benefit of home delivered meat is that you'll have access to a greater variety of meats than you would normally get at a conventional butcher or supermarket. For example, here at Butcher Direct, hungry carnivores with comprehensive palettes can not only order gourmet cuts of beef, chicken, pork, and lamb, but they can also buy seasonal gourmet specialty products, as well as meat boxes, veal, and deli meats.

It Saves You Money Whilst Never Compromising on Quality

Contrary to what people might think, online meat delivery prices aren’t excessive. In fact, having premium quality meats cut to order and delivered directly to your door is more cost-effective than it is if you were going to the shops. That's because ordinary butchers and supermarkets price their meats to cover the expense of having the products delivered. Whereas with us, our meat orders are never stored and then dispatched in bulk, rather, we prepare all our orders fresh with tender love and care, only storing them in climate-controlled rooms for short periods until it's time for a quick local dispatch. Therefore, the money we save on distribution means greater savings for you!

Order from Butcher Direct

So what are you waiting for? Save yourself time, money and effort by ordering five-star restaurant grade quality meats from Sydney's best online butcher, now!

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There’s nothing more gastronomically satisfying than a perfectly-cooked steak, which is why going out to your favourite restaurant or local steakhouse for a juicy steak is always a treat

But, if you knew how to cook steak at home to perfection, you could enjoy a fine dining meal at your table, for a great value. And, even better, you’ll impress your family and friends with your chef-level steak cooking skills.

With quality cuts, you can prepare a melt-in-your-mouth, impressive piece of meat. Cooking the perfect steak is a science. Once you know the tricks of the trade – the ones most steakhouse chefs are using – you’ll know how to cook the perfect steak at home like a pro, every time.

Prepping for the Perfect Steak

The key to cooking the ultimate steak is preparing the meat. One thing a lot of people don’t realise is that the meat shouldn’t go from cold refrigeration straight to the frying pan or grill. Give your meat time to rest at room temperature before cooking.

Let the meat sit for about an hour. This rest period is a great time to salt your meat – with a high-quality sea salt – which will help to draw out moisture and enhance the flavour.

Using the Right Pan to Cook the Steak

Ask any chef what pan to use to prepare a mouthwatering steak. They’ll all tell you a cast-iron skillet. You’ll achieve a more balanced temperature throughout your meat because cast-iron can maintain a consistent temperature while cooking.

Heat your pan and drizzle with your cooking oil. Canola, grapeseed and peanut oil work well – just be sure not to use olive oil, even premium extra virgin olive oils, because it burns at high temperatures. Once your oil is hot, it’s time to start cooking your perfect steak.

Getting the Right Temperature

How to cook a steak to the right temperature? When cooking your meats, you’ll notice that a rare or medium-rare steak will feel plump to the touch. A well-done steak will be firm if you press down the centre with your finger or a utensil.

To help get the temperature you want, you can put a cake tester in the meat and then feel how warm the metal tip is. If it’s only room temperature, your steak is medium-rare. With a medium-well or well-done steak, the cake tester will feel hot.

The Secret to Amazing Flavour Is Butter

As your steak is cooking, you can add your preferred spices and herbs to flavour the meat. Use black pepper, garlic, thyme, or any other aromatics. The trick to getting that rich, buttery flavour and texture, however, is to use butter.

Throw in a tablespoon of butter and your spices in when the steak is a little more than halfway done. Spoon the butter over your meat while it’s cooking.

When your meat is done, remove it from the pan and let it rest for about ten minutes. If you slice into it right away, the juices will run out.

Then, your perfect steak is ready to enjoy. Open up a bottle of Cabernet or a full-bodied Merlot, invite everyone to the table and savour every bite of your perfectly cooked steak. At Butcher Direct, you can order premium cuts of meat at fantastic prices, guaranteeing a restaurant-quality steak, every time.

ww.butcherdirect.com.au http://www.butcherdirect.com.au http://butcherdirect.com.au/index.php/ Check out the Butcher Direct specials this week! ** SPECIALS ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ** sausages ONE DAY ONLY! 500g Hand Picked Local T Bone Steaks on Special! $25.99 per kg ------------------------------------------------------------ RRP $39.99 p/kg. Sale price ends Thurs 3/8 4pm Click Here to Shop Special Priced T Bone Steaks (https://butcherdirect.com.au/index.php/beef/t-bone-400g-delivered-direct-to-your-door-sydney-wide.html) ** sausages Special Sample Meat Box Save $52! ------------------------------------------------------------ The perfect meat box for you if you are wanting to try a bit of everything at a discounted price! Our amazing quality will have you coming back for more! 4x 250g Grass Fed New York Steaks 1kg Free Range Chicken Schnitzel 1kg Premium Beef Mince 1kg Berkshire Pork Belly 1x Marinated Butterflied Free Range Chicken 1x Frenched Cowra Lamb Rack ONLY $90! - RRP $142 - SAVE $52! Available until Sunday! A new meat box available every Monday. Order your Sample Box Now! (https://butcherdirect.com.au/index.php/meat-boxes/special-sample-meat-box.html) Like our Facebook Page for Specials & Updates! (https://www.facebook.com/butcherdirect2012/) ============================================================ ** (http://www.twitter.com/butcherdirect) ** (http://www.facebook.com/orangevillemeatco) ** (http://instagram.com/orangevillemeatco) ** (http://www.orangevillemeatco.com.au/)

www.butcherdirect.com.au http://www.butcherdirect.com.au http://butcherdirect.com.au/index.php/ Check out the Butcher Direct specials this week! ** SPECIALS ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ** sausages Family Favourite's Meat Box! Save 25% ------------------------------------------------------------ 4x 200g Dry Aged Beef Rump Steaks 2x 500g Beef Mince 4x Lamb Shanks 2x 1kg Beef Sausages 2x 500g Free Range Chicken Breast 4x 250g Berkshire Pork Loin Chops ONLY $99 - RRP $126.94 - SAVE 25% Click Here to Order This Week's Meat Box (https://butcherdirect.com.au/index.php/meat-boxes/this-weeks-meat-box.html) ** sausages Traditional Beef Rissoles On Special! $10.99 per kg ------------------------------------------------------------ RRP $14.99 p/kg. Offer available for a limited time only. Click Here to Shop Beef Rissoles (https://butcherdirect.com.au/index.php/meat-boxes/traditional-rissoles-delivered-direct-to-your-door-sydney-wide.html) ** ABOUT US ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ** mince Your Local Butcher ------------------------------------------------------------ The convenience of home delivery is one thing, but the freshness of our premium grade local meats is what sets us apart from other butchers. All of our home delivered meats are cut and packed to order and delivered on a day that suits you. - $10 delivery to selected NSW and ACT areas - FREE Delivery for all orders over $150 - Click & Collect from our Gregory Hills store Like our Facebook Page for Specials & Updates! (https://www.facebook.com/butcherdirect2012/) ** OUR PRODUCTS ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ** mince Jalapeno & Cheddar Sausages (Hot Links) ------------------------------------------------------------ Mouth watering & flying out the door! Spot on flavours with oozing cheddar which balances the spiciness of the peppers in a plump & juicy link. Buy online to get your hands on them! Click Here to Shop Jalapeño & Cheddar Sausages (https://butcherdirect.com.au/index.php/sausages/hot-links-jalapeno-cheddar-sausages.html) ** mince Nonna's Chicken Schnitzel ------------------------------------------------------------ Our secret recipe handed down through the family, these schnitzels are a favourite for everyone. Easy to cook and coated in Nonna’s world famous crumb, these are sure to keep the whole family happy. Click Here to Shop Chicken Schnitzel (https://butcherdirect.com.au/index.php/chicken/nonnas-schnitzel-delivered-direct-to-your-door-sydney-wide.html) ** mince Lillie's Q Sauces ------------------------------------------------------------ One of our long time, best selling sauces! Lillie's are always our go to at home and is always in the fridge! From Carolina to Smoky, each of the Lillie’s Q sauces is made from a unique blend of all natural ingredients and pays homage to a specific Southern region. So whether you’re in the mood for a bite of South Carolina pepper, a sweet and tangy Alabama original with a pinch of Cajun spice, a touch of Memphis sweet brown sugar or the bold and spicy cayenne of North Carolina, Lillie’s Q has a sauce to fit every mood, and every dish this side of the Mason Dixon. ** mince Chef's Table @ Orangeville Meat Co ------------------------------------------------------------ ▸ Head to Tail Dinner By Head Chef Darren ▸ Butcher Ardi discussing the break down of the beautiful beef cuts that we are using and butchery skills ▸ Menu discusssion with Head Chef who will explain the meals presented and cooking techniques ▸ Wine Pairing by Razorback Ridge Wine An exclusive fine dining dinner, to show case the beautiful beef that we supply and work with and to exhibit the skills that our amazing chefs have to offer to celebrate the expansion of our cafe and new trading hours that will be revealed soon! Friday 18th Aug // $110 Per Head // Limited Seating // Taking Prepaid Booking's Now! Call 4623 1269 or email hello@orangevillemeatco.com.au Click Here to Read the Special Menu (https://www.facebook.com/orangevillemeatco/photos/a.690920710953279.1073741827.159388244106531/1590113377700670/?type=3&theater) ** RECIPES ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ** Recipe - Beef Brisket Ragu & Pasta ------------------------------------------------------------ INGREDIENTS * 1.2kg beef brisket or any other slow cooking beef, cut into equal 4 pieces * 1 tbsp salt * Black pepper * 3 tbsp olive oil, separated * 3 cloves garlic, minced * 1 onion, diced * 1 cup carrots, diced (optional) * 1 cup celery, diced (optional) * 800g crushed canned tomatoes * 3 tbsp tomato paste * 2 beef bouillon cubes * 3 cups water (750ml) * 3 dried bay leaves * Extra salt and pepper, to taste TO SERVE * 500g dried spaghetti or other pasta of choice (rigatoni/pappardelle are ideal) * Freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano * Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional) INSTRUCTIONS 1. Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper 2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece on all sides until browned (around 3 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate. 3. Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. 4. Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes. 5. Add remaining Ragu ingredients (except extra salt and pepper) and return the beef to the pot (add the juices too). Turn the stove up and bring it to a simmer, then turn it down to low. Cover the pot and let it cook for 1 hr 45 minutes. Then remove the lid and let it cook for a further 30 minutes until the beef is tender enough to pull apart with forks and the liquid has reduced to be a thick sauce. 6. Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. ALSO add a little bit of sugar (1/2 tsp at a time!) if it is a bit sour for your taste 7. Turn the stove off and remove the beef from the sauce into a large bowl. Shred it coarsely with two forks. Then return it to the sauce. Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (it's even better the next day!). TO SERVE 1. Bring a very large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to the boil. 2. Add pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time as per the packet instructions. 3. Meanwhile, place 5 cups of the Ragu in a very large fry pan, or use 2 normal size fry pans. Heat over high heat while the pasta is cooking. 4. When the pasta is ready, transfer it directly from the pot into the fry pan using tongs. 5. Add 1 cup of pasta water into the fry pan. 6. Gently toss the pasta for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce water evaporates and leaves you with a thick Ragu sauce that coats the pasta. 7. Yell for your family to sit down at the dinner table because you need to serve it immediately! 8. Serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, or parmigiano reggiano. Beef Brisket Ragu & Pasta Click Here to Shop Beef Brisket (https://butcherdirect.com.au/index.php/beef/brisket-portion-delivered-direct-to-your-door-sydney-wide.html) ============================================================ ** (http://www.twitter.com/butcherdirect) ** (http://www.facebook.com/orangevillemeatco) ** (http://instagram.com/orangevillemeatco) ** (http://www.orangevillemeatco.com.au/)