THE BUTCHER
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A MEDLEY OF CUTS Meet Kyle Snow, regular steak lover and selfproclaimed meat man from The Local Grill. In this issue, we visit the steak house and their butcher to get the secrets to a great cut of meat.
big part of butchering is starting with the best quality of meat and keeping it in the appropriate temperatures with extreme hygiene standards. That is the most critical part. I always say that we can improve a bad cut of meat but the flip side is that bad practices can take a great meat cut and ruin it. The different cuts of beef all have their unique characteristics and need to be treated in the appropriate way to get the maximum potential from each cut. For all meat, how the animal was raised is important in the final taste outcome. When you buy your meat, it’s good to have a chat with your butcher to find out the origin of that meat, and if they don’t know then they are just ‘Meat Slinging’ and you should walk away. Be patient, eventually, you will find someone who can ensure quality and consistency without trying to fool you. Not all beef is created equal so finding a butcher who is passionate about his craft is step one as the difference between a well reared, the wellfed animal makes all the difference. If we are planning on eating the meat then quality should be the number one factor of your selection. A good butcher will also be able to guide you to the best cut for your usage, as even the shape of the cut and which fat gets trimmed makes a big difference. If you are buying from a butchery, also use your nose, a clean hygienic butchery should not smell bad and you will tell the difference between a butchery that smells of meat and butchery that smells of poor cleaning habits. BOEREWORS This braai (South African Heritage Day staple) is one of the most popular and versatile ways to use non-primal cuts of meat. It is for this reason that it became very popular with South African farmers, where it gets its name from (Boere= farmers + Wors= sausage). Though the spice mixture is mainly comprised of coriander, black pepper, salt and cloves, it varies regionally and areas like the Kalahari have a distinct flavour profile in their sausage. Coarsely minced beef and fat are pumped into either hog, sheep or collagen casings, which also hold in fats during the cooking process. The best ways to serve Boerewors are either to slice it as a snack or to place it inside a hotdog bun, with a tomato and onion relish.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK GITAU
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Yummy. Food. Drink. Life
WING-RIB A Wing-Rib is also known as Rib-eye on the Bone or Tomahawk and gets its name from the long rib bone that gives it a wing-shaped profile. Not only does the bone create a dramatic presentation, but it also is delicious to gnaw on. It is known as the cut with the
