I've used Donald Russell for some things that I couldn't get locally and I was very impressed with the service and the quality, so tend to use just them when I need to, but luckily here in Devon I can source most things I want locally.
I've not found a top butcher locally so it's typically supermarket meat we buy. However, I keep seeing meat advertised online. Does anyone buy from these meat specialists? Any thoughts you'd care to share?
I've used Donald Russell for some things that I couldn't get locally and I was very impressed with the service and the quality, so tend to use just them when I need to, but luckily here in Devon I can source most things I want locally.
I´m glad I have a supermarket and a butcher where I can buy meat.
Online I probably would not buy meat. You don´t know how old it is... for me too risky I guess...
I'd echo the Donald Russell suggestion. All the cuts I've had from them were excellent.
They also have regular offers to new customers so it's worth looking out for them.
Donald Russell fan here also, excellent quality and service every time.
I know few who use Donald Russell. All are impressed with the cuts and selections of meat. One person enjoys their ready-cooked meals.
Depends what you are after,but I'd also recommend http://www.pipersfarm.com
Thanks for the thoughts. Donald Russell was the one that caught my eye initially so I will give them a try first.
i hadn't seen pipers farm, but that looks good too.
Yes, a thumbs up for Russell here as well, with excellent texture to the meat and proper flavour (so often you get only one or the other).
We were attracted by special offers, but we're not going to be regular customers because fortunately we have a brilliant supplier of Aberdeen Angus meat locally with reliable texture and flavour.
It's worth mentioning that the meat arrives frozen in a large expanded polystyrene box with dry ice packs and associated food miles...
My local butcher died a couple of years ago and having become fed up with poor quality supermarket meat decided to try online. I use musclefood.co.uk . They provide excellent quality meat and are used by a lot of professional athletes. The grass fed fillet steaks I had were amongst the best I have had and are no more (and often cheaper) than supermarket meat. Highly recommended
There's a good variety there. Apart from the usual meats I see they offer: Reindeer, venison, Buffalo, Zebra, Llama, Kangaroo, Crocodile, Ostrich and horse.
Edit: And they also supply some items from these guys: link.
If you're not into their exotic offerings, they do seem to offer good value for more normal products.
Last edited by PickleB; 20th July 2015 at 11:25.
I have used these people several times.... really good meat and as it's Halal there is very little fat.
http://www.mullaco.com/
rgds
V
The fact that a shipment bound for UK online retailers from China last month was found to be 50 years old put me off a bit.
Last edited by Mexico75; 20th July 2015 at 18:26.
^
The Chinese have investigated lots of their companies and destroyed ~70,000 tons of meat that was ancient, having been frozen, melted, refrozen endlessly. Simple. Don't buy from dodgy retailers. QVC - no, I'm not being ironic - regularly has some really good stuff on I can't afford, some of it from the estate of the Duke of Buccleuch.
Some of their stuff is a bit left field for me but the steaks are all superb. I tend to go for the fillet and also the hache steaks ( made from the steak offcuts) which are excellent value. All grass fed in Ireland.
If you sign up to e mail they often have regular special offers
Another option if you have one in your area is Costco, they provide aged Aberdeen Angus and it is very good.
I tend to buy whole cuts and then trim them myself at home, vac pack and freeze.
I got a ~3.4kg rib eye that gave me 12 healthy steaks for £76 by memory, I also got a Sirloin around the same size and price that we get three roasting joints out of.
Waiting for Aldi to be mentioned.
I've used Donald Russell too and the stuff was pretty good. they do lots of cuts that are stuffed or herb rubbed already; so might be handy for the lazy chefs.
These guys are good http://www.stiltonbutchers.co.uk/
If you live in the Kent area then these guys are fantastic http://salvatoributchersboy.co.uk/ meat is superb and very reasonably priced. Used them often - everything always comes wrapped in wax paper and tied with string as well. A nice touch
Donald Russell popped up on Groupon today, looks like a decent deal.
http://m.groupon.co.uk/deals/donald-russell-5
Quidco also offer 6% cash back on Groupon, I won't say anymore for fear of being banished to Mumsnet.
After reading this thread, I ordered some meat from musclefood. It was delivered yesterday and we had some fillet steak last night, amongst the best I've ever had. If you want to give them a try and fancy 4 free chicken breasts with your order, use the code on this link:
http://www.musclefood.com/hidden/?code=EP208495
In the interests of transparency, I get bonus points for anyone using this code.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
I followed that link and saw that the most expensive "deal" was £94 reduced to £39. The *average* cost of the meat, at full price, would have been £28/kg, and that includes sausages and burgers (equating to over half of the total weight).
I've never used DR, but at full price, it's one of the most expensive butchers I've ever seen.
For context, I buy bone-in ribeye for a lot less than £28/kg
Last edited by Broussard; 24th July 2015 at 09:40.
How is frozen meat delivered? Presumably they can't just post it out?
M.
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Cool (no pun intended).
Maybe I'll give it a try...
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Aubrey Allen in Leamington is superb as well!
Turner and George are excellent, I have only ordered from them on-line once but regularly use their shop in Clerkenwell/Islington. They also operate the butchers counter in Selfridges food hall. Prices are reasonable, quality is very good and every time I have asked for advice they have been helpful, often suggesting better value for money cuts than I had been originally intending to buy. Their burgers are the best I have found anywhere.
http://www.turnerandgeorge.co.uk/buy-online.html/
I also use a butcher in South London called The Butchery who have a shop in Forest Hill and have various other places where you can buy their meat, I am equally impressed by the quality and service they provide. They offer the option to buy on line via Natoora, I haven't done so as their shop is fairly close to where I live.
http://www.thebutcheryltd.com/locations.html
http://www.natoora.co.uk/shop/butcher/c1AA-p1.html
I buy my chicken in bulk from musclefood.co.uk (they also do some more exotic/different meats as well), some steak from donaldrussell.co.uk (they have some good offers from time to time) but by far the best is westingourmet.co.uk. To be fair I have never had a bad piece of meat from any of them but westin do some amazing and sometimes unusual meats.
Been using T&G since before it was T&G - it used to be the East London Steak Co. Agree re Nathan and Ruth's butchery too. There are plenty of good butchers around, but they aren't as common as they used to be. I do like the Ginger Pig, for example, and have attended one of their butchery courses. Well worth doing. See also Cannon & Cannon. And a host of others.