M A I N S
OX C H E E K
OFFAL
“This is an incredible cut of beef, and quite literally the cheeks of an ox,” says Anna Bury, sales and marketing director at Eversfield Organic. “This needs a truly low and lazy cook, no cutting corners or you’ll end up with something tough and chewy. But give it the day in a low oven or slow cooker, with shallots, winter herbs and a generous glass of red wine, and ox cheek transforms into super tender, melt-in-the-mouth beef. To serve, don’t forget the silky pillow of creamy mash underneath – and no skimping on the butter!”
“Offal has had a bit of a bad rep, but we love it!” says Anna from Eversfield Organic. “It’s basically organs from the animal, so this includes liver, heart, kidney and brain. It’s sometimes known as pluck, organ meat or variety meat. My personal favourite, and a great introduction to eating offal, is the classic steak and kidney combination. There’s not much that can beat a proper pie with our diced organic ox kidney and braising steak. Throw in a handful of mushrooms and a serious gravy and I’m happy.”
RUMP
OX T O N G U E “This is something I remember from my childhood, as my grandma used to make it,” says Peter Greig, owner of Pipers Farm. “You slow cook it and then press it. It’s quite fatty and when you press it the important thing is to pour the cooking juices in with it. Then it sets with the beef fat, which adds to the smoothness of the texture and to the flavour. You can eat it hot, but I prefer it cold with salad or in sandwiches.”
As the name suggests, this is the backside of the cow and, while not as tender as the sirloin, is a cheaper cut that’s full of flavour. You can either roast a rump joint or fry it as a steak. “As we hang the animal for two months, the rump is as tender as fillet steak,” explains Robin at The Rusty Pig. “We use Dexter Beef from Chris Davis in Dunkeswell or Hayman’s in Ottery St Mary; one animal is a perfect size to use for the restaurant and charcuterie. It’s short grained meat, sweet and nutty. The rump is one cut we prefer to cook with simplicity, as the flavour speaks for itself. So, we will cook it over charcoal or perhaps chargrilled, with a simple marinade of garlic, thyme, plenty of sea salt and pepper.”
SH I N This cut comes from the foreshank of the animal and, because it supports a lot of weight, is full of muscle, as Peter at Pipers Farm explains: “All our beef comes from Red Ruby Devon cattle that have matured the traditional way on mother’s milk and grass. We believe strongly that it’s the best way to produce maximum nutritional value. At the farm, we sell a lot of stewing steak, which is made from the shin of beef, which has a lot of connective tissue in it. It’s that tissue that makes it very well suited to heating low and slow for a long period of time, as the flavours simply melt into the meat. You can make a wonderful casserole with the shin if you cook it with Devon root vegetables, like carrots, swede and potatoes. Make a big batch of it, because if you allow it to cool and then reheat it, it just tastes better each time.”
OXTAIL “This is simply the tail of an ox, steer or bullock [different names for castrated male cattle],” explains Anna at Eversfield Organic. “Our oxtail comes from organic, grass fed traditional breeds like Aberdeen Angus or Red Ruby Devon – these are beautifully marbled and incredibly flavoursome. Oxtail needs to be cooked low and slow until the meat falls from the bone; there’s no quick way to fantastic oxtail. By eating organic oxtail, you get a good dose of calcium, vitamin B12, iron and B6. To feed the family you’ll need about 1kg of oxtail, maybe more if you’re a hungry bunch. Oxtail was always one of my granny’s favourites – she would make a broth for the cold Devon winter. Now, my ultimate favourite recipe is slow-cooked oxtail ragu – it’s silky and rich and coats homemade linguine like a dream.”
SH O R T R I B S “These are the beef equivalent of pork spare ribs and, as they are situated on the lower edge of the rib cage of the bullock, those muscles are doing a lot of work,” explains Peter at Pipers Farm. “They’re marvellous to eat because they have a delicious honeycomb marrow running through the rib bone, giving it a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth flavour. You cook the ribs long and slow, so that the meat just flakes away from the bone with a fork. It’s a real comfort food.” Robin at Rusty Pig agrees, saying: “The short ribs, also known as Jacob’s Ladder, are full of flavour and have a superb fat ratio. I like to slow cook them at 108C overnight – with a cheeky dash of Bourbon.”
51
Quick, add these to your contacts book! Eversfield Organic, Okehampton EX20 4LB; 01837 871400; eversfieldorganic.co.uk Pipers Farm, Cullompton EX15 1SD; 01392 881380; pipersfarm.com Red Ruby Devon, Ottery St Mary EX11 1QA; 01404 812800; redrubydevon-beef.co.uk Rusty Pig, Ottery St Mary EX11 1HD; 01404 815 580; rustypig.co.uk
CRUMBSMAG.COM