mail-order butchery

Larumbelle

Hi all, I lurk here a lot and couldn't find what I was looking for, so apologies if I am repeating other people here.

I have recently started a new job and I can't get to my local butchers' any more

I am a bit gutted because he is great, a proper OS butcher who only works with a few farms, runs his own abbatoir, will sharpen your knives for free, even taught me how to save money, such as how to prep the meat properly and spending half an hour teaching me how to 'dismantle' a chicken (that's his word, not mine). He even hangs and prepare pheasants for me if I get given them. But I don't have a car, I am working in the city now, and it simply isn't feasible for me to get down there more than occasionally.

So I need somewhere else to buy my meat. I'm really not a fan of supermarket meat and there are no decent butchers near where I live, so I think that mail order is my best bet. Nobody I know can give me a personal recommendation so I hoped someone here would be able to.

These are the meats I prefer:

Whole chicken (got to be free range, preferably organic and corn fed too)

Beef: Ribeye steak (tends to be a bit of a treat), oxtails, shin and other slow cooker beef (I usually went with whatever my butcher said was good right now)

Lamb: neck, shank and shoulder. Also lambs liver sometimes. My butcher didn't sell mutton but I would love to try some.

Pork: occasionally belly, but I don't buy pork often. Sausages (have to be good ones) and occasionally bacon.

I also like to get hold of marrow bones every once in a while.



It's a bit of a wish-list I know, Can anyone recommend anywhere I can get any or all of them mail order or online? Price is a factor but quality is more important to me.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I can't believe I have lost the rosy glow of getting a better job becuase of this.

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

Not sure that they deliver where you are, or if it is what you are looking for .. but when i lived in suffolk i used https://www.johnshepparddirect.com for last years xmas meat etc.... and it was stunning.. hope it helps

thriftlady_2

I've been tempted to try Riverford Meat Boxes, but, lucky me, I have a butcher such as you describe handy.

http://www.riverfordmeatbox.co.uk/

buyitall

Have you tried asking your local butcher if he will deliver? Ours does not advertise the fact but is quite happy to do deliveries.

vixtress

i dont know what you think about frozen meat but what about going once, doing a hige bulk buy and freezing it if you have space, i am lucky enoufgh to have an extra freezer in the garage and i do this.
if you have space it may even be worth asking on freecycle for an extra freezer

docij

This farmer at Manor Farm near Chester rears his own cattle and all the meat is prepared by the butcher in the farm shop. Their sausages are amazing - no cheap stuff in them. I've had their joints of meat too and it's top quality.

They deliver all over the country. Deliveries are in special containers so it stays at the right temperature.

https://www.sausagesrus.co.uk

Larumbelle

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Riverford unfortunately don't do meat in my area, only veg and dairy and that. John Sheppard looks great, but, like most of it seems to be the dearer cuts of meat. But it looks gorgeous, so I might treat OH to a steak box somewhere along the way! Might have to treat us to some gourmet sausages too!

The points about delivery and freezing are both very good. It never occurred to me to even ask. As for bulk buying and freezing... I have a confession to make. I was using my freezer that little that in the end I unplugged it. It's blocking half the porch as I speak... I am such a doofus. Doing a 'big shop' and freezing it never occurred to me! I also started working out how long I would have to save for it before realising I've got a better job now and can do it on pay day! :rotfl:


Thank you all for your help!

thriftlady_2

My butcher does a freezer service. You have to buy things in 5 lb quantities but it is cheaper and you can specify whether you want it fresh to go in the freezer, or ready-frozen. Maybe your butcher does something similar ?

custardy

http://www.sausages.co.uk/

this is crombies in edinburgh who are a great butchers.
they list sauasages on the site but are a retail and buisness butcher so most likely could do meat orders as well

Psykicpup

silvercharming wrote: »

Hi all, I lurk here a lot and couldn't find what I was looking for, so apologies if I am repeating other people here.

I have recently started a new job and I can't get to my local butchers' any more

I am a bit gutted because he is great, a proper OS butcher who only works with a few farms, runs his own abbatoir, will sharpen your knives for free, even taught me how to save money, such as how to prep the meat properly and spending half an hour teaching me how to 'dismantle' a chicken (that's his word, not mine). He even hangs and prepare pheasants for me if I get given them. But I don't have a car, I am working in the city now, and it simply isn't feasible for me to get down there more than occasionally.

So I need somewhere else to buy my meat. I'm really not a fan of supermarket meat and there are no decent butchers near where I live, so I think that mail order is my best bet. Nobody I know can give me a personal recommendation so I hoped someone here would be able to.

These are the meats I prefer:

Whole chicken (got to be free range, preferably organic and corn fed too)

Beef: Ribeye steak (tends to be a bit of a treat), oxtails, shin and other slow cooker beef (I usually went with whatever my butcher said was good right now)

Lamb: neck, shank and shoulder. Also lambs liver sometimes. My butcher didn't sell mutton but I would love to try some.

Pork: occasionally belly, but I don't buy pork often. Sausages (have to be good ones) and occasionally bacon.

I also like to get hold of marrow bones every once in a while.



It's a bit of a wish-list I know, Can anyone recommend anywhere I can get any or all of them mail order or online? Price is a factor but quality is more important to me.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I can't believe I have lost the rosy glow of getting a better job becuase of this.

I know its not what you asked for but have you explained your predicament to your butcher - he may be willing to do a phone order & delivery sevice himself - you really shouldnt lose a diamond like that!:A

Larumbelle

Oh, I know, I don't think you get many businesses like his any more. It's only him and his sons, but they're always out the back doing 'the hard work'. I first started going there when I was a student, about 8 years ago now, and at first I wasn't sure that I liked him very much because he used to tease me because I'm part italian and so is he.

Then after a few months he told me to come round the back (oo er!) and he showed me how to 'dismantle' a chicken, then told me that if you're going to buy the breasts you might as well have the whole bird (double oo er!), he wasn't selling me chicken pieces anymore! Then the following week I showed him where I'd gashed my hand and he said the knife wasn't sharp enough and to bring it in. Then he graduated me onto cheap cuts of meat and telling me how to cook them, and even now he rolls his eyes if I buy anything too dear. He keeps telling me if I can afford it he's too cheap LOL. I think its sad how many people like this must have gone out of business because of Mr T and company. I send as many people there as I can, hey, I'd send all of you, but then you'd know where I live!

He's a star, and I'm definitely going to sort my freezer and carry on shopping with him. Honestly, you wouln't believe how panicky I was when it dawned on me that I hadn't had a chance to go down there. I don't want to ask for a delivery service because I'm scared he'll feel obliged, so I think I'll stock my freezer up and do it that way.

But thank you all for your advice! Some of those links are really good and at least I know I have a fall-back, and I think I might have to buy some of those gourmet sausages now!