Speciality Food April 2024

specialityfoodmagazine.com 41 few sausages, people will do a whole brisket, slow smoked and carved into bits like a sharing platter.” Alistair says he’s seen consumers’ confidence go “through the roof, whereas before they would have veered away from anything large.” James is also seeing an uptick in American-style grilling, saying it’s “definitely opening up the barbecue market” and adding that “provenance is key. Customers aren’t afraid to experiment, and we love to see how they turn a whole homegrown beef fillet or impressive tomahawk into a sharing barbecue feast for friends and family.” Christian is delightedmore people are cooking with cuts like brisket. “They’re sourcing these American- style cuts, and getting good results, putting a really nice crust on the outside. The other thing I’m seeing is people are taking the main event outdoors. Instead of doing a Sunday roast inside, they’ll take a whole leg of lamb or a topside of beef and do it outside using the direct grill method.” Experimentation is one of the key trends andmajor factors driving consumer buying patterns, Christian adds. “Two years ago the big thing was the Oklahoma-style smash burger where you get a whole bunch of thinly sliced onions on a ball of meat and smash them in, then hit with yellowmustard. I’m seeing people trying new things and getting more adventurous, and we’re seeing more foods fromdifferent cultures, like birria tacos – they were so hot last year – and burgers and smokedmeats with dips, gravies and consommés.” Another factor butchers and farm shops should take into account this year is the ‘low and slow’ movement. Greg laughs, saying, “Cows haven’t changed that much, but things like brisket are gettingmore popular every year. And forerib of beef is ideal to cook slowly, but you’ve got to talk to customers to understand what they need. If you’re selling them a lean fillet and they go away and cook low and slow, it’s not going to give them the results they want. Pork shoulder is great for this, or lamb shoulder or butterflied leg.” Making the cut When it comes to meat choices, ‘bigger is better’ according to butchers and barbecue experts. Greg says the cut of steak customers are looking for changes almost every year. “At the moment I’m seeing a lot more sales of things like picanha steaks,” he reveals, adding that people want “a bit more fat – definitelymore than 10 years ago when it was all about cooking lean. The picanha is the cap of the rump, with a layer of fat around the top. It’s a really tender steak, and until now it’s beenmore seen as a South American thing. But it’s very on trend here. We sell so much of it nowwe end up left with the sirloin or rump steak!” Greg says there’s still an appetite for ribeye steaks – though increasingly he’s being asked for them on the bone, or for tomahawks. And steaks are no longer limited to just beef. “Pork steaks and pork on the bone is taking off,” he adds. “We sell an awful lot of those, and we’re talking loads of pork tomahawks and pork ribeyes.” Pork is “cheaper, but it’s been underused over the years. People tend to think about pulled pork, but there’s so muchmore to it,” Greg says. There is still a bit of educating to be done at the counter, though, he continues, sayingmany people are scared of cooking pork, or serving it pink. “We do training days here where we show you can have pork a little bit pink. Medium rare is a bit weird, but a little pink is absolutely fine, andmore people are learning that.” Greg points out that, at just a few pounds, compared to upwards of £10 or more for beef, pork steaks present a great, affordable opportunity to lure shoppers who want something that’s a cut above, out of the supermarket, and into the fine food realm. Christian says following on from the popularity of hanger steaks, 2024 is all about tender bavettes and flanks. “We’re starting to see bavettes not only in butcher shops, but you can order them on Ocado now!” There appears to be, he says, more interest in the belly of the cow, fattier pieces of meat, and steaks sliced off the shoulder. “I love everything around that shoulder,” he enthuses. “It works a bit harder, and there’s more flavour there. “When you cook it down slowly, all that cartilage and fat melts into butter fromwithin.” Butchers, Christian says, are being askedmore Rather than going into a butcher just to get a few sausages, people will do a whole brisket, slow smoked and carved into bits like a sharing platter ALISTAIR ANGUS