Good quality meat?

Stove Fan

We have lived here nearly 2 years and will be returning to the UK for personal reasons but the thing that is so dissapointing is the quality of meat or lack of.

We have bought from Tesco, Garveys and Lidl and have to say it's been mostly either tasteless or pretty tough when cooked.

We like a roast dinner and today had a New Zealand leg of lamb from Lidl and it was appalingly tough. It was cooked properly and everything as normal and my Grandparents cooked it so have 67 years cooking experience.

Last week we bought a fresh chicken from Garveys and put it in the fridge to use the next day and sniffed it before cooking and it had gone off:eek:
Took it back for a refund.

We have not found a decent place to buy quality meat. We just love Waitrose in the UK or Asda for good deals.

My relative in Western France says the Irish leg of lamb was superb and so cheap at 4 euro on promotion. Saw a freezer lorry with Tralee on the side.
Is it the case that the decent quality meat gets exported?
Spuds we only buy the baby ones from lidl otherwise they just turn to mush.

Where do you go in Kerry for good quality meat and spuds? We love the big spuds for going in the oven.

Thanks Stove Fan:)

Darkginger

Why are you buying New Zealand lamb in Ireland, when we're surrounded by home-produced lamb that's totally wonderful? I've been here almost 13 years now, and rarely buy meat from supermarkets - unlike the UK, Ireland still has a lot of local independent butchers (and fishmongers and greengrocers) and that's where I choose to spend my money. You can build up a great relationship with local suppliers, ask them what's good/in season, what will work with a given recipe, get them to order in special stuff for you. I can honestly say that the meat I eat here is of far better quality than I had access to in the UK (Mayo here, Brighton there, if you're interested).

Seriously, there are many things I can (and do) complain about regarding food in Ireland (mainly to do with not being able to get Ras El Hanout or similar at 11 pm on a Saturday night in the far rural west, nor having anywhere that delivers cardboard pizzas!), but the quality of meat is not one of them. I think we have some of the best meat in the world!

SunnyDub1

Emmmmmmn a butchers

Cardinal Richelieu

Stove Fan wrote: »

We have lived here nearly 2 years and will be returning to the UK for personal reasons but the thing that is so dissapointing is the quality of meat or lack of.

We have bought from Tesco, Garveys and Lidl and have to say it's been mostly either tasteless or pretty tough when cooked.

We like a roast dinner and today had a New Zealand leg of lamb from Lidl and it was appalingly tough. It was cooked properly and everything as normal and my Grandparents cooked it so have 67 years cooking experience.

Last week we bought a fresh chicken from Garveys and put it in the fridge to use the next day and sniffed it before cooking and it had gone off:eek:
Took it back for a refund.

We have not found a decent place to buy quality meat. We just love Waitrose in the UK or Asda for good deals.

My relative in Western France says the Irish leg of lamb was superb and so cheap at 4 euro on promotion. Saw a freezer lorry with Tralee on the side.
Is it the case that the decent quality meat gets exported?
Spuds we only buy the baby ones from lidl otherwise they just turn to mush.

Where do you go in Kerry for good quality meat and spuds? We love the big spuds for going in the oven.

Thanks Stove Fan:)

Actually heard the opposite from relatives and friends who live in the UK, when they come to Ireland they fill up with meat before heading back on the ferry because they consider the quality of some of the cuts are pretty bad in the UK. Each to their own.

Fart

I'm currently living in the U.K. and the quality of food here is not up to the standard as it is in Ireland.

Food can be bought cheaply and because of that, the quality is pretty bad.
Even when it comes to restaurants and pub grub, it can be so cheap and put a smile on your face but when eating it after a while, you realise how bad quality the food is.

Many that have grown up in the U.K. don't even realise it. They go on about quality British beef ,and other meats yet it's utter crap. (In most cases anyways).

I can't wait to come home this Summer.

Stove Fan

I will try a butchers but always worried about hygiene whether here or the UK.

I just love the harvester restaurant. Very good and reasonable price on the early bird. Get to Waitrose for meat. Pleasure to shop there.

I don't eat beef because of the mad cow outbreak in the 90's.

I certainly wouldn't stock up on food in Ireland to take back to the UK.

Every country has its fors and againsts and I don't want this to become this, it was simply where do you buy your meat?

Stove Fan:)

Meat in most supermarkets is pure muck.
Superquinn meat is beautiful, super valu can be good too. But yeh, butchers!

emeraldstar

Stove Fan wrote: »

We have lived here nearly 2 years and will be returning to the UK for personal reasons but the thing that is so dissapointing is the quality of meat or lack of.

We have bought from Tesco, Garveys and Lidl and have to say it's been mostly either tasteless or pretty tough when cooked.

We like a roast dinner and today had a New Zealand leg of lamb from Lidl and it was appalingly tough. It was cooked properly and everything as normal and my Grandparents cooked it so have 67 years cooking experience.

Last week we bought a fresh chicken from Garveys and put it in the fridge to use the next day and sniffed it before cooking and it had gone off:eek:
Took it back for a refund.

We have not found a decent place to buy quality meat. We just love Waitrose in the UK or Asda for good deals.

My relative in Western France says the Irish leg of lamb was superb and so cheap at 4 euro on promotion. Saw a freezer lorry with Tralee on the side.
Is it the case that the decent quality meat gets exported?
Spuds we only buy the baby ones from lidl otherwise they just turn to mush.

Where do you go in Kerry for good quality meat and spuds? We love the big spuds for going in the oven.

Thanks Stove Fan:)

None of this really makes sense. You're complaining about the quality of meat in Ireland, when you're buying your meat from international supermarket chains who often source their meat from various countries, even giving an example of being disappointed by the New Zealand lamb that you bought from a German store...

Then you seem surprised that your relative in France finds Irish meat great. But it seems you're not actually buying Irish meat, or trying particularly hard to make sure you are, if you're only limiting yourself to supermarkets. If you're as interested in getting good quality meat in Ireland as you say then why not go into a butcher's and buy local Irish meat?

BaZmO*

Deleted User wrote: »

Meat in most supermarkets is pure muck.
Superquinn meat is beautiful, super valu can be good too. But yeh, butchers!

Yeah, if you have to buy meat in a supermarket Superquinn is yer only man.

Stove Fan

emeraldstar wrote: »

None of this really makes sense. You're complaining about the quality of meat in Ireland, when you're buying your meat from international supermarket chains who often source their meat from various countries, even giving an example of being disappointed by the New Zealand lamb that you bought from a German store...

Then you seem surprised that your relative in France finds Irish meat great. But it seems you're not actually buying Irish meat, or trying particularly hard to make sure you are, if you're only limiting yourself to supermarkets. If you're as interested in getting good quality meat in Ireland as you say then why not go into a butcher's and buy local Irish meat?

The chicken we are buying is Irish as it says who is the producer but yes some of it isn't Irish. Unfortunately superquinn is an hours drive each way!!

Yes we will try the butchers:). See previous comment on why we didn't go to the butchers.

Drake66

Stove Fan wrote: »

I will try a butchers but always worried about hygiene whether here or the UK.

I just love the harvester restaurant. Very good and reasonable price on the early bird. Get to Waitrose for meat. Pleasure to shop there.

I don't eat beef because of the mad cow outbreak in the 90's.

I certainly wouldn't stock up on food in Ireland to take back to the UK.

Every country has its fors and againsts and I don't want this to become this, it was simply where do you buy your meat?

Stove Fan:)

. In a butcher???

Do yourself a favour and don't buy cheap poorly cut meat from hypermarkets. Meat existed a long time before they came up with cellophane packaging. Go to a butcher.

Cardinal Richelieu

Stove Fan wrote: »

I will try a butchers but always worried about hygiene whether here or the UK.

I just love the harvester restaurant. Very good and reasonable price on the early bird. Get to Waitrose for meat. Pleasure to shop there.

I don't eat beef because of the mad cow outbreak in the 90's.

I certainly wouldn't stock up on food in Ireland to take back to the UK.

Every country has its fors and againsts and I don't want this to become this, it was simply where do you buy your meat?

Stove Fan:)

Do butchers not get inspected like other food premises like the harvester restaurant?

BaZmO*

Drake66 wrote: »

Meat existed a long time before they came up with cellophane packaging.

and meat nappies!

Mrs Fox

Stove Fan wrote: »

See previous comment on why we didn't go to the butchers.

You worry about the hygiene of Irish butchers?
And not with the leg of lamb that travelled all the way from New Zealand? God knows what happened along the way

Stove Fan

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Do butchers not get inspected like other food premises like the harvester restaurant?

Yes they do, but I can't see the food being prepared/cooked like in the harvester. I worry about the hygiene in butchers here and the UK When I watch the environmental health inspector programs going round restaurants in the UK, it really puts me off what filth they allow the person to trade with.

I would imagine the leg of lamb was in deep freeze all the way here but I take your point.

Maybe we should get our own pigs to slaughter etc and quarantee the hygiene:DLOL.

There is a new butchers that has opened 20 minutes away, so all new equipment etc so will go there:)

Stove Fan:)

Cardinal Richelieu

Stove Fan wrote: »

Yes they do, but I can't see the food being prepared/cooked like in the harvester. I worry about the hygiene in butchers here and the UK When I watch the environmental health inspector programs going round restaurants in the UK, it really puts me off what filth they allow the person to trade with.

I would imagine the leg of lamb was in deep freeze all the way here but I take your point.

Maybe we should get our own pigs to slaughter etc and quarantee the hygiene:DLOL.

There is a new butchers that has opened 20 minutes away, so all new equipment etc so will go there:)

Stove Fan:)

So your not worried about the hygiene in the factories that the supermarkets buy from?

Cedrus

Stove Fan wrote: »

I just love the harvester restaurant. Very good and reasonable price on the early bird.

Salmonella Salad Bar!!:eek: Chips with everything, factory food cooked from frozen.

Stove Fan wrote: »

Get to Waitrose for meat. Pleasure to shop there.

One of the better supermarkets, but the thing that kills me about supermarket meat in Britain is there's bone chips in everything and none of it has been aged.

Stove Fan wrote: »

I don't eat beef because of the mad cow outbreak in the 90's.

That was a strictly English outbreak because of the perverse cattle feeding rules up till then, I remember all the restaurants advertising "We serve Scottish Beef Only". We aren't even allowed to give blood in Ireland now just because we lived in Britain then, just in case we are now carriers.

Stove Fan wrote: »

Every country has its fors and againsts and I don't want this to become this, it was simply where do you buy your meat?

Independent Butchers or In-house butchers in the local supermarkets are generally the best, although I had a fantastic Ribeye steak from LIDLs Deluxe range tonight.

Mellor

Stove Fan wrote: »

I would imagine the leg of lamb was in deep freeze all the way here but I take your point.

An do you not think the deep freeze would have an effect verses fresh meat?

Maybe we should get our own pigs to slaughter etc and quarantee the hygiene:DLOL.

Becasue that would be more hygienic right, :rolleyes:

There is a new butchers that has opened 20 minutes away, so all new equipment etc so will go there:)

Once the first day is over, the "new" equipment has to be cleaned just like old equipment to keep it hygenic.

Cedrus wrote: »

That was a strictly English outbreak because of the perverse cattle feeding rules up till then, I remember all the restaurants advertising "We serve Scottish Beef Only". We aren't even allowed to give blood in Ireland now just because we lived in Britain then, just in case we are now carriers.

It wasn't strictly an English out break. There are numbers on wiki.

In the UK, 183,841 cases of BSE. 175 of CJD
Ireland, 1,353 cases of BSE. 4 of CJD

So it was obviously much higher in the UK. And i still find it strange that the OP doesn't eat beef due to it.

Joey the lips

I only ever buy my meat in a butchers for all the reasons outlined

My butchers is local, small trader and values the business.

If i complain he listens

more importantly

He takes the time to serve me

Davidth88

I moved here ( Ireland ) from the UK about 10 yrs ago.

The meat here is so much better than the UK by and large . The UK 's butchers were destroyed by the supermarkets , and by and large the meat from supermarkets both here and in the UK is poor.

I but meat from my local butcher here in Ireland , its good quality , reasonably priced and the service is good. For example I can buy 5 chicken legs ( thigh incl ) for 2 euro 50 cent , and he will bone them for me , and I can keep the bones for stock.

Irish pork products are very good , and the lamb is fantastic.

OP , you need to find a local butcher ( my town has 3 good ones ) , go to him and enjoy good meat .

The only thing I can't seem to get here is pork which I can roast to make crackling ( the butcher has offered to sort that but I forget to order it ), but that's a whole different story

Stove Fan

I get it, go to a butchers!!:D

Stove Fan:)

Stove Fan

Mellor wrote: »

An do you not think the deep freeze would have an effect verses fresh meat?


Becasue that would be more hygienic right, :rolleyes:
Sarcastic!! It was tongue in cheek hence the LOL. Laughing out loud.


Once the first day is over, the "new" equipment has to be cleaned just like old equipment to keep it hygenic.
I was more reffering to the actual fabric of the building and food prep area not utensils. Ie steel table tops, wall tiles etc.


It wasn't strictly an English out break. There are numbers on wiki.

In the UK, 183,841 cases of BSE. 175 of CJD
Ireland, 1,353 cases of BSE. 4 of CJD

So it was obviously much higher in the UK. And i still find it strange that the OP doesn't eat beef due to it.

Why do you find it strange? Why do you wonder anyway? It's my choice I certainly wouldn't care if you ate it or not, quite simply it's non of my business:)

Stove Fan:)

Cedrus

Mellor wrote: »

It wasn't strictly an English out break. There are numbers on wiki.

In the UK, 183,841 cases of BSE. 175 of CJD
Ireland, 1,353 cases of BSE. 4 of CJD

So it was obviously much higher in the UK. And i still find it strange that the OP doesn't eat beef due to it.

Ah Wiki, the budget supermarket of the information superhighway

The BSE 'Epidemic in British cattle' referenced in that article is a little misleading as the law in Scotland was different and didn't allow unsterilised animal waste into the food chain and farming practice in Scotland, Wales and NI (as in Rep of Ireland) tended more towards grass fed animals so it was a predominantly (not strictly) English problem.

Irish Department of Agriculture shows a peak of 450 in 1995.

the beer revolu

Stove Fan wrote: »

I get it, go to a butchers!!:D

Stove Fan:)

Nope!
Go to a good butcher and be prepared to pay a bit more for good meat.
Many butchers are no better than supermarkets and also give bad a advice regarding cuts and cooking. You need to find a good butcher and build up a rapport with them.

rubadub

the beer revolu wrote: »

Go to a good butcher

Exactly, I have mentioned this in several threads, people talk of 'The Butchers' as though its a brand or chain of shops which are all identical and beyond reproach. I know and ex butcher who would tell you sickening tales, and I have heard the place he worked in being regarded as good too.

Cardinal Richelieu

Any tips on telling a good butcher from a bull artist?

Mrs Fox

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Any tips on telling a good butcher from a bull artist?

Unfortunately it's a trial and error with butchers.

Jezek

I buy meat from my local Halal butcher (pork from elsewhere,obs.) . Not because I'm muslim but because all the meat is local, he takes the time to serve me, bone/skin the meat, is very friendly and most of all he is very cheap. Even makes his own amazing sausages.

As for hygiene, think about is logically. You feel more comfortable with the supermarket just because you can't see what's going on. Another example of bizarre logic is not eating beef because of mad cow. That was ages ago , mostly in another country, and with different rules than we have now.

Darkginger

You can usually tell a good butcher by the quality of the meat on display, the number of customers in the shop (a high turnover implies freshness, I like to think), and the response you get when asking which cut your butcher recommends for a given dish. If he/she suggests stewing steak for a stir-fry, go elsewhere! Also ask about where the meat comes from, how it's aged, whether they can get 'special' things in for you and so on.

I think people are a bit afraid to start up a conversation with butchers, greengrocers etc., years of self-service in supermarkets have got us out of the habit of talking to shopkeepers! Any butcher worth the name will be happy to chat to you (so long as you're not at the front of a 20 person queue) about their skills and the meat they have on offer. Same goes for fishmongers and greengrocers - I've learned a lot about fish by pointing at things and asking 'what's that, then?'. I think it's better to look silly in the shop than feel silly when you get home and find you've bought something horrible!

Miaireland

Joey the lips wrote: »

I only ever buy my meat in a butchers for all the reasons outlined

My butchers is local, small trader and values the business.

If i complain he listens

more importantly

He takes the time to serve me

I am the same. I can tell you I would have much more faith in him than the butcher section of an International Supermarket chain or a chain pub/restaurant.

aidan24326

Stove fan, for someone that obviously likes his food you have some strange and misguided ideas about meat.

The hygiene levels in a decent butcher shop will be as least as good as for how your supermarket meat has been handled, and is likely to be fresher.

The mad cow thing was years ago, and different rules and regulations apply now. Not eating beef for fear of the mad cow situation is comepletely irrational. The chance of contracting cjd from a good piece of Irish beef right now is effectively zero. There has not been one single case of it. You'd be twice as likely to get struck by lightning.

Also, if potatoes are turning to mush, maybe you're overboiling them? Buy a good quality potato like maris piper or king edward, or even roosters or kerrs pink would suffice, and if you cook them right they shouldn't turn to mush at all. Find a good butcher to buy proper meat and you'll find there's a fair chance he sells bags of decent quality spuds aswell.