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Thread: Do you prefer meat in NZ?

  1. #1
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    Default Do you prefer meat in NZ?

    Since coming to NZ, whilst I've noticed a lot more rubbish meat (offal, tongue and other awful stuff in supermarkets), plus a lack of rare meats (ostrich, kangaroo etc.), I have been very impressed with the general quality of meat from butchers.

    The angus fillet we got for Christmas day from Peter Timms in Christchurch was easily the best piece of meat I've ever had, anywhere in the world, period.

    Have you found that?

  2. #2
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    I'm in Christchurch and I havn't seen the rib-eye beef cut that is like the rib-eye I buy in Canada. Even the T-Bone cut looks very skimpy and tough to eat (not much of soft side portion is left on the T-bone). I think this has to do with the naturalness of the cattle that graze on the land vs. grain fed cows of Canada. I do know one thing about the beef in NZ, when i'm like 80 years old, my teeth won't stand a chance at eating the rib-eye in NZ. The rib-eye i'm use to simply pulls apart with your fingers.

    I've tried gourmet beef cuts from speciality butchers in Christchurch and none warrant the price premium. Even still, it took a long time for Angus bred beef to be known in NZ. Growing up in Canada i've known to eat Angus since childhood. In fact, certain supermarkets only sell Angus beef. So it was a bit of a surprise coming to NZ 15 years ago to come across a T-bone steak that was as tough as eating a blade steak in Canada.

    I'm a sauce and spicy kind of guy. I know in fine dining, the only way to eat a high grade steak is plain with no spice or sauce - and is quite typical of the kiwi way of eating meat (either on the bbq or at the restaurant). However, i'll still add the blue cheese and regardless of the quality of the steak, no amount of spice or sauce can make up for the toughness of a steak if it's marketed as high end. To give you an idea, this morning my cousin called me (she's visiting back home from the UK) asking where did I get the chicken spice from? They had some bbq using some of the Montreal Chicken spice my aunt had and her inlaws were completely blown away of the taste. I told her I buy them in large containers from Canada each year because the local selection (ie. Masterfood) is quite pitiful.

    http://www.locowholesale.ca/index.ph...product_id=143

    The price of a la Masterfood is also pitiful.

  3. #3
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by edw123 View Post
    Since coming to NZ, whilst I've noticed a lot more rubbish meat (offal, tongue and other awful stuff in supermarkets), plus a lack of rare meats (ostrich, kangaroo etc.), I have been very impressed with the general quality of meat from butchers.

    The angus fillet we got for Christmas day from Peter Timms in Christchurch was easily the best piece of meat I've ever had, anywhere in the world, period.

    Have you found that?
    Generally seconded!!

  4. #4
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    Offal - edible inner parts of animals - isn't of itself rubbish meat. You may not like the tastes, but some people do.

    I quite agree about the quality of meat from some specialist butchers (talking about Auckland here). It's at the same time better than what's available in supermarkets, and cheaper, specially if you make use of offers and freezer packs. You can say the same for fish shops/stalls, and suppliers of fruit and vegetables.

  5. #5
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    Describing offal as rubbish meat is pretty ignorant but I would agree that the supermarket meat is very variable in quality. The answer, as you mention, is to find a good butcher. We had simply superb fillet steaks from Harris Meats in Cheviot on Christmas day, a little seasoning and straight off the barbecue they were tender and very tasty.

  6. #6
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    Thumbs up

    Great day for a BBQ here in Christchurch. Bought some rib-eye this morning @ $26.50/kg. Purchased from Westmeats which has 4 outlets in NZ and it appears they farm raise their own meats. Going by the look, it appears they have the right cut for rib-eye and the right texture for tenderness (different to what I see at the supermarkets). My family will be the judge to see how it turns out.



    Choice of steak spice - similar to their chicken spice above will be the Montreal Steak Spice:

    http://www.locowholesale.ca/index.ph...product_id=140

    Wish me luck!

  7. #7
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    Dec 2011
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    Hants, UK - Stanmore Bay, NZ
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    Default

    Oh my, that looks delicious!

  8. #8
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    Not sure I'd class defining offal as "rubbish" as ignorant; simply my opinion. I think personally it is rubbish, cheap meat which tastes revolting. Each to their own though. When I lived in the UK, people bought tins of Spam. Doesn't mean I don't consider that rubbish....

  9. #9
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    How was the BBQ SBQ? Looks some cracking meat. Incidentally Angus has been in NZ for 150 years

  10. #10
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    I much prefer to eat homekill beef to anything you can buy in the supermarket, which is why I will rarely buy steak unless it looks good.

    Had the best steak in years at a friend's bbq on Christmas Eve, her brother-in-law raised the cow and cooked it - pasture to plate. It was so tender and despite having to eat it well done (not allowed to eat anything slightly rare for another 6 weeks or so) it cut like butter with a hot knife.

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