Winter is well and truly here, and when it comes to cold weather feasting there’s nothing we love more than a roast dinner headlined by a succulent cut of meat. Our butchers in Bracher Arcade are some of the best in the business, working closely with their producers to ensure you get your hands on the finest quality meats daily. So, naturally, we thought they were the perfect people to ask what red meat cuts are best for our next Sunday Roast.
For Simon of Ian’s Meats it’s all about their new Butterfly Lamb Shoulder.
“Our Butterfly Lamb Shoulder is made here in-house with lambs bred just outside of Geelong. We have worked with our farmer for 25 years and they always deliver great meat for our customers. We butterfly the shoulder and then turn it into a traditional Italian roast with Italian herbs, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. It really is a flavoursome, succulent roast to share with the family.”
Simon recommends cooking in a slow cooker on medium for 3 hours, or in a 100 degree oven for 5 hours. Serve with roasted veggies that have been marinated with fresh rosemary and garlic.
John at Hagen’s Organic Meats can’t go past a well-aged, tender Rib Eye when it comes to the perfect winter roast for family and friends. And for those who may not know, John tells us that Rib Eye is essentially a scotch fillet on the bone.
“Our beef is 100% grass fed, certified organic and directly sourced from Wattle Grove Farm in Euroa, North-West Victoria. We have worked with our organic beef producer since the 1990s and they have a strong herd that have been grazing on the lush green pastures of the farm. The grass-fed flavour really comes through in the meat.”
Take the meat out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking and season with salt. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees. Sear on all sides in a pan before cooking in the oven in an open roasting pan. Season with pepper after cooking and serve medium rare.
Last minute dinner plans got you pressed for time? Graeme of J&L Meats suggests going for an Easy Carve Lamb Leg, which has a quicker cooking time and is packed with flavour from roasting on the bone.
“Our lamb is certified grass-fed from Gippsland and we’ve worked with the farmer for over 20-years. It’s seasoned with sweet paprika, oregano, pepper and other herbs. It really is delicious and exactly as it’s called: easy to carve. We do sell a plain version as well but I can’t go past the seasoned one as it means you can just cook up some simple, fresh veg and it goes perfectly.”
An hour before cooking, take the meat out of the fridge so it gets to room temperature. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. For the best results, and to keep the meat deliciously moist, use a cake rack so you can put some oil or water in the tray and sit the meat on the rack. Top up the liquid if it evaporates during cooking. Cook for 1hour 10 mins and rest for another 10 minutes before carving.
Paul is loving the delicious Pork Shoulder that just hit the counter down at Neil’s Meats. It has an apple, sage and honey balsamic glaze (yum!) and is proving to be a real winner amongst the crowds.
“We only use female pork at Neil’s Meats and our farmer is in Mount Mercer in Victoria. We wanted to create a pork roast that was easy for our customers to just pop in the oven. Our glaze creates crispy crackling with a fantastic flavour that embodies a traditional pork roast.”
Paul recommends cooking on high (240-250 degrees) for 20 minutes to create the perfect crackling. Then reduce the oven to 160 degrees and cook for a further 3 hours. Serve with seasonal roasted veggies.
Ash of Gary’s Meats tells us that a favourite amongst the team and their customers is the Saltbush Dorper Lamb Belly Roast.
“It is the perfect winter roast. Saltbush free range and organic lamb with an Ottolenghi marinade. For one, it’s the belly, which is a really tasty cut, it’s got such great flavour. And it’s Saltbush raised, which means the flavour is in its own league. Then our marinade seals the deal with garlic, chilli, soy, fresh parsley, mint and coriander.”
And if you don’t know much about Saltbush Dorper Lamb yet, you need to. Saltbush Lamb has grazed on pastures of Australian Saltbush, a native Australian shrub that thrives in hot, dry conditions in and around central Australia. It gives the lamb a flavour profile that is delicious, clean and quite unique. These Saltbush Dorper Lambs are perfect as they breed all year round so you can have fresh lamb at any time. Use the belly of the animal and you’re looking at one of the lesser known but tastiest cuts going around.
To cook? It’s so simple. Just cover with foil and cook for approximately 4 hours at 140 degrees. All the fat will render away and you are left with super tender and juicy lamb.
And don’t forget to pop into Blackhearts & Sparrows to pick up a bottle of red to enjoy with your roast. The expert team will be happy to make recommendations that pair perfectly with your cut of choice.
Oh and keep your eyes peeled for Pt.2 of our Favourite Winter Roasts, where our Traders share their favourite fish and poultry roasts, coming soon…
