Thread: meat questions

If you live urban, leaving as much of the inevitable discard in the bush/Paddock as possible saves having to distribute the going-rotten-soon bits among the neighbours bins late at night. Also helps feed the wildlife.

I have a F&P fridge bought new 1996 as a freezer/fridge matched pair. Take the vege bin out of the bottom and its a single internal space with racks. Its in the garage as our overflow fridge, wine, beer etc. Easy to make room to age meat in. Venison and goat go single piece deep on the glass shelves and get turned daily. Auto-defrosting fridge so it drys beautifully. The dry surface formed on the meat referenced above is key. Over a week the joint will reduce in size and noticeably soften. Did I say turn daily? Essential if not on a rack over drip tray.

Also works with meat from freezer and from supermarket. E.g buy a big bolar roast with a decent cap of fat on it, chuck in freezer til required. Wrap in clingwrap tight so no air then put in plastic bag to freeze = no freezer burn and a 2 yr freezer shelf-life. To use, unwrap to bare meat, put on rack over drip tray and defrost/age in the fridge, for at least 7 days. Beef joint will reduce up to a quarter in size/weight and form a dark crust sometimes with a little mould. Drain drip tray regularly. To use trim the dry crust and any mould. Not the fat. Meat is dense, dark and delicious either as a pot roast, slow and fork tender, or hi-temp (180C), 45-60 min roast on oven rack over tray after rubbing plenty of olive oil, cracked pepper and a little salt in 20 min prior. Time depends on how pink you like it. Wrap in foil and stand for 20min before carving. Slice across the grain to serve. I've done 3yr old boned red stag shoulder like this and its to die for as a hi-temp roast or pot-roast. Fallow deer I always do as hi-temp medium rare roast. Rub with fresh cut rosemary when you oil it. Serve Falloe with mint sauce. Hi-temp Red deer hindquarters cuts.

From the supermarket, any large lump of beef with a good fat cap works well. Roast with fat up on top. I avoid Topside cuts. Rump, Bolar and Chucksteak are best IME.