Easter Roasts

EASTER 2013

Cullens Quality Butchers Newsletter

Recipes, Tips & Special Offers!

In This Issue

Roast Tips

Roasting Lamb

Roast Leg of Lamb Tips

Roasting Pork

Roasting Beef

Roasting Chicken

Butcher's Blog

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Greetings!

What's on the menu this Easter? Whether it's Traditional Lamb you're after for the centre piece of the Feast, or some of your other family favourites such as Roast Beef, or a Loin of Pork with Crackling, Turkey, Ham, Roast Chicken or a side of Salmon. Cullens Quality Butcher's has plenty to choose from!! (Just leave room for the odd easter egg or three!!)

Below we explain about choosing the right cut for roasting Lamb, Pork, Beef & Chicken. Along with some Top Cooking Tips for each and delicious tried and tested Recipes! Enjoy!

always remember when

PREPARING a ROAST:

Buy from your local butcher.

Allow the meat to come to room temp before roasting.

Note the weight of the joint before roasting.

Season well.

Use a trivet rack or one out of veg for the meat to sit on.

Always let the oven heat up to the required temp before putting the joint of meat in.

For succulent juicy meat, Always rest the it when you take it out of the oven - this Allows the meat fibres to relax

again thus retains the juices. Making it easier to carve.

Handy Roasting Guide - click here

and for all the timmings try:

Great Gravy! Perfect for any dish! - view recipe

Goose Fat Roasted Potatoes - view recipe

Tray Roasted Veg - view recipe

don't forget we have delicious Gratin Potatoes and homemade Traditional Stuffing in store too!

LAMB

What makes Wicklow Lamb so special? Well, the animals are free to roam in the hilly countryside, eating heather, clover and of course the good green grass! This means the meat is so moist and full of flavour! The herbs and heathers on Wicklow's natural landscape. Add to the unique flavour that Wicklow lamb is renowned for!

Farming sheep in Wicklow is an age old tradition, with farming methods passed on through the generations. Wicklow Spring Lamb is synonymous with Tradition, quality and taste.

The colour and flavour of the flesh will vary depending on where the sheep were raised. Look for pale-pink flesh in a very young lamb, to a light- or dark-red colour in an older animal. Lamb is seasonal and this is reflected in the price.

LEG LAMB - can be cut in two- fillet or leg shank. Great roasted whole or boned and cooked on the BBQ. Like a shoulder, Lamb Leg can also be slow roasted for hours until it becomes really tender and the meat falls apart.

LAMB SHOULDER - This part of the animal works hard, so it's full of muscle. This means it takes longer to become tender, but is a great choice for stewing or for a slow roast.

RACK OF LAMB - lean meat that cooks quickly

LOIN OF LAMB - a boned loin of lamb- ideal for stuffing,

a little more fat than leg but not as much as shoulder.

LAMB SHANKS - This is a really cheap cut, usually taken from one of the hind legs. It is perfect for stews and slow cooking.

CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES:

Country Roast Spring Lamb - view recipe

Rack of Lamb - view recipe

Lamb Shanks - view recipe

What says spring-time more than Lamb.

A great Easter treat and ideal Sunday lunch!

LEG of LAMB

is complemented by so many ingredients:

try one of the following:

Studding

Make little scores in the surface of the Lamb

and stuff with Garlic & Rosemary.

Use a Marinade

Place Lamb with Natural Yoghurt, some Ground Cumin & Coriander in a food bag & refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Glazing

Brush the Lamb near the end of cooking

with Red Currant Jelly for a sticky outer layer.

TIPS FOR CARVING

LEG OF LAMB

Leg of Lamb

Hold the joint at the end of the bone using some kitchen paper for a firmer grip. Carve the meat away from the bone.

Boneless Joint

Hold the joint in place with a carving fork and carve the meat across the grain.

PORK

LOIN PORK- with or without crackling, on or off the bone (rack of pork)

LEG PORK- leaner than loin, but full of flavour, cook same way as loin

SHOULDER PORK- very tasty, not as lean as leg or loin. Ideal for cooking very slow 4-5 hrs, best cooked on the bone.

PORK FILLET / PORK STEAK - very lean, perfect for 2-3 people,

use stuffing or a marinade or wrap in streaky bacon before roasting.

PORK BELLY - slow roast

TIP: ROAST PORK IS GREAT COOKED WITH

PEARS OR PEACHES

HOW TO GET PERFECT PORK CRACKLING

Allow meat to come to room temp before you cook it.

Make sure the skin is dry.

Secret is to Score the skin (cross hatch) - allows fat from underneath to bubble up.

Sprinkle with sea salt. Rub in.

Start oven high 240 deg for 20 mins (this will make it sizzle) then reduce to 180 deg.

TIP:

You can also remove the crackling at the end of the cooking process and while the meat is resting, place the crackling under the grill to ensure extra crispy!

BEEF

Irish Beef is loved the world over..... Why?

It is a combination of our local climate and environment of soft rain and good green grass gives a unique flavour.

-but what is it that makes it a great product...

Grass fed produces excellence and high quality

Animal breed

Fat cover

A good Marbling content

Hanging process -Aged for tenderness and flavour

Deep red in colour

Nutritional lean full omega 3

TIP: AGED BEEF enhances flavour, has superior taste & texture. It takes time & effort and cost to a butcher but results in a superior product

'CHOOSE YOUR JOINT ACCORDING TO YOUR PURSE'

ROAST FILLET- very tender, but will dry, can be over cooked....perfect Beef Wellington

SIRLOIN ROAST - great flavour & tenderness - can be cooked on or off the bone

PRIME RIB ROAST- best all round depth of flavour & tenderness & value

TOP RIB ROAST (HOUSE KEEPERS CUT)- ideal for pot roast (slow roast with liquid)

EYE OF ROUND- very lean, need to keep covered (add some liquid)

ROUND ROAST- great value, but not as tender as rib roast ideal slow cooking

SILVERSIDE - usually used as Corned Beef

BRISKET - ideal for pot roast, seen in US & UK Cookbooks, needs to be cooked very slow

BEEF SHORT RIBS - slowly braised in wine or beer with veg and lots of aromatics, they come tender and have fantastic flavour.

Best Choice :

Sirloin or Prime Rib

- bit more expensive but hard to beat!

Beef should be tender & well marbled

Fat will melt & baste the meat in cooking process.

Rare / Medium/ Well done .....is personal preference

Season well with Salt & Pepper

Rub all over with a little Olive Oil to help seasoning stick.

Sear to form a crust seal in the juices.

CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES:

Prime Rib of Beef - view recipe

Fillet of Beef Roast - view recipe

CHICKEN

Best for value nothing beats a delicious roast chicken with crispy skin & roast potatoes!

FILL THE CAVITY

Imparts flavour & Retains moisture

Change what you fill the cavity with...

*garlic bulb halved with thyme sprigs

*quartered lemon

*Clementine halved

*garlic & 2 Bay leaves

Flavoured Butter under the skin

Gently loosen the skin, start at cavity end work fingers underneath to release. Spread the herbed butter evenly under and directly onto the meat.

Slash the legs with sharp knife ensures crispy skin once cooked.

Butter / lemon zest / crushed garlic clove / sea salt & cracked black pepper/ Proscuitto

(You can vary the flavour of the chicken according to what you add)

SEASON the Chicken ON THE OUTSIDE

with a little Olive Oil & Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper

Sit on a Trivet of veg...

A) Carrot/ Celery/ Onion

B) Fennel / Onion / Lemon/ Garlic

C) Garlic / Thyme / Rosemary

If cooking with stuffing inside the bird -

always weigh the bird with the stuffing inside

to calculate the correct cooking time.

Baste chicken regularly

CHECK OUT OUR RECIPE For:

Herbs de Provence Roast Chicken - view recipe

click here to see Cullens Quality Butcher's

the butchers blog

Remember to shop local.

Trust your Butcher

for the best in quality meat.

We take great pride in making items in store daily, use local suppliers, and all our meat is traceable from farm to fork.

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Many thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter. Please let us know what you think! - If you like it, why not send it on to your friends!

Sincerely,

Robert Cullen
Cullens Quality Butchers
The Mall
Main Street
Wicklow Town
0404 69719
WICKLOW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 'RETAILER OF THE YEAR' 2012 & 2010

Visit us on the web at www.cullensbutchers.com