What’s the Beef?
I was thrilled to be invited again by the lovely peeps at ‘Love Food Hate Waste.’ This time to get involved with a new campaign which launches officially 25th Feb, What’s the beef Britain?
This time it’s all about beef waste! What’s the beef Britain
Now I love a bit of beef and I was shocked by the stats.
Do you know, we, yes us, the British public, we throw away the equivalent to 300 million beef burgers a year, according to figures by LFHW! (Alternatively if you want that stat in *steak* well that’s 150 million steaks! – in the bin!).
I was shocked and to be honest a little bit ashamed.
It really is a crying shame that we toss good food in the bin.
I’m not perfect at all, but I do try my best not to waste too much food, how is it possible that we collectively chuck out that much beef?! 🙁
Basically these are living animals, that are cared for by hard working farmers across the UK.
They are nurtured for us, to enable us to eat wonderful meat.
It’s so sad that we don’t care for our food quite as much as we probably should.
The National Campaign
The National campaign has joined forces with television presenter and farmer Adam Henson to launch the #MeatyIssues campaign.
It calls on Britain to make the most of their meat.
Adam said “As a farmer by trade, I’m passionate about the issue of wasted meat and how to minimise it – I’m fully behind Love Food Hate Waste’s campaign to highlight the issue.
Beef is one of the favourite meats in the UK, and we really should be doing everything we can to make the most of it once we’ve put it in our shopping trolleys.”
Smiths of Smithfields
The event was launched at Smiths of Smithfields – perfect venue for the event.
“Smiths” is the Grade II listed four-floor restaurant in the heart of Smithfield Market – London’s only working meat market.
Really nice place, which I fully intend to revisit 🙂 Check out Smiths here
What’s the beef, Britain? #MeatyIssues
We started the event with a selection of starters all using ‘rarely used cuts of beef,’ a ravioli, an Asian salad and a lovely bolognese.
And we were treated to a Butchery demonstration by the lovely Butcher Steve 🙂 Steve explained all about different cuts of beef.
It’s quite incredible that all the value of the cow is in the centre of the animal, the more unusual cuts just don’t get utilised.
So it’s up to us to ask for these more unusual cuts from the Butchers, so they get popular again- but first we need to understand how to use these cuts and how to cook these cuts.
What I tasted today was amazing and all from unusual cuts!
Leg of mutton cut
We sat down for a wonderful main course – this cut was ‘Leg of Mutton cut’ and it’s beef yes!
I know – weird name. BUT there are so many cuts we could be using.
We need to learn and that’s where the education comes in.
Over the next few weeks I am going to try and develop a really good ‘Beef Dish’ for easypeasylemnsqueezy using an unusual cut (typically much lower cost too) and I will Blog it.
We also need to consider what we can each do to reduce this meat waste ourselves.
I was thinking about this on the journey home. (steady) Well it has to be collective that’s for sure, each of us doing our own little bit.
I think the best plan for all of us is to do just that, plan!
Plan
One idea is if we plan our meals more we can then buy a larger piece of beef on a Sunday to roast.
Then Monday – cold with Jacket potatoes, then Wednesday shredded for an Asian stir Fry etc. it doesn’t seem so expensive.
And always remember the freezer – make those cottage pies with the minced roast beef and freeze! Delicious!
Love Food Hate Waste
Love Food Hate Waste have a competition on their website, they are on the hunt for Britain’s best leftover beef & meat recipes.
The lovely Nancy!
And as a lovely surprise I got to see the lovely Nancy again (always a pleasure)!
We are all fighting Food Waste 🙂
Let me have your comments below – have you any good ideas?
Have you a great recipe using leftover beef?
Or an unusual cut?
I would LOVE to hear about it and you never know maybe you could win that competition!! 😉
Big Love Cx
Victoria
Can’t beat leftover beef and horseradish sandwich – simple but tasty!!
Sue Terry
I’m really shocked by this and that’s just beef, imagine what it amounts to for all food that’s thrown away!
Suzanne
Your article has inspired me to speak to my butcher this wkd about unusual cuts of beef, if I have success cooking with it I will share with you xx
Clare x
great to hear Suzanne Cx
Jacqui
I hate waste massively and if I over cook I would definitely freeze to make a another meal with. I need to start shopping at the butchers, as supermarket meat is tasteless. Would be great to hear what the unusual cuts are!
KAREN WILLIES
When my 2 boys were young and had to take packing up to school, I would mince any leftover beef and mix with either tomato sauce or a bit of chutney to use as a sandwich filling. Never any left.