Making it easier this Christmas - Cooking and buying tips.

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Beef

Buying Beef

Joints to Choose:
Aitchbone, Rib, Sirloin, Topside.

Weight to allow:
A 3 to 4lb (1.4 to 1.8kg) boned joint gives 6 good portions

Accompaniments

Yorkshire Puddings (it is easier to serve individual puddings than one large pudding), horseradish sauce, mustard. Roast potatoes, roast parsnips ( par-cook parsnips by boiling for 20 minutes; drain, dry well, then roast in hot fat). Green vegetables. Slightly thickened gravy from pan juices; flavour with a dash of red wine.

Temperatures for Roasting

Preheat oven before cooking.

A - Hot Oven
Suitable only for prime cuts.
Set oven to 425F/220C, Gas Mark 7.

B - Moderately hot oven
Suitable for all joints.
Set oven to 375F/190C, Gas Mark 5.

Cooking Times

Rare: 15 minutes per lb (450g) plus 15 minutes at A;
20 minutes per lb (450g) plus 15 minutes at B

Medium Rare: 20 minutes per lb (450g) plus 20 minutes at A
25 minutes per lb (450g) plus 20 minutes at B
Carve slices from the outside of the joint for people who like beef well done.

Well Done: 25 minutes per lb (450g) plus 25 minutes at A
30 minutes per lb (450g) plus 30 minutes at B

Cook joints with a natural fat with fat side uppermost, add a little fat to lean joints. Baste during cooking or use a covered roasting tin.

Carving Beef

Boned joints - carve across the grain.

To Use Cooked Beef

Serve cold with various pickles, relishes and salads

Lamb

Buying Lamb

Joints to choose:
Leg, Shoulder or Saddle (double loin).

Weight to allow:
A 4 to 5lb (1.8 to 2kg) joint on the bone gives 6 to 8 good portions. Allow slightly more for saddle, due to the amount of bone.

Adding Extra Flavour to Lamb

Flavour the lamb by inserting a few slivers of garlic under the skin before cooking, or brush the half cooked meat with a little honey and sprinkle with rosemary then finish cooking.

Marinated Lamb

Blend 1/2 pint (300ml) red wine, 1/2 pint stock, 1 sliced onion, a few sprigs of mint and 2 tablespoons honey in a casserole. Add the joint and leave for 4 hours. Turn over from time to time. Drain the meat and roast. Use the strained liquid as below.

Accompaniments

Mint sauce or jelly or Red wine and Cranberry Sauce: Blend 3/4 pint (450ml) of the marinade with 3 level teaspoons arrowroot. Put into a pan with 5 tablespoons cranberry jelly, stir until thickened.

Green peas, cauliflower. Roast potatoes and/or Duchesse potatoes: Cook 2lb (900g) potatoes in boiling salted water, strain then sieve. Beat in 3oz (75g) butter and 3 egg yolks. Season well. Pipe or form into pyramid shapes. Bake for 20 minutes. These can be prepared ahead and frozen.

Cooking Times

375F/190C, Gas Mark 5. Allow 25 to 30 minutes per lb (450g) plus 25 to 30 minutes over. A piece of lamb on the bone will cook more quickly than one without.

Carving Lamb

Leg and shoulder: Carve slices downwards on rounded side, then carve underside horizontally.
Loin: Carve between bones.

Using Cooked Lamb

In Salads, a curry or mince and use in moussaka

Pork

Buying Pork

Joints to choose:
Loin or Joint from the leg.

Weight to allow:
A 3 to 4lb (1.4 to 1.8kg) joint on the bone gives 6 to 8 good portions. Allow slightly more weight if buying on the bone.

Accompaniments

Sage and Onion Stuffing and /or Guild of Q Butchers' Orange Stuffing: Peel and finely chop 1 medium onion, finely chop 3 celery sticks. Grate the rind from 2 oranges, halve the fruit and spoon out the orange segments. Heat 2oz (50g) of butter or margarine, add the onion and orange rind and cook for a few minutes. Mix with the celery, orange segments, 2oz (50g) soft breadcrumbs, 2oz (50g) of chopped walnuts, 1 egg and seasoning. Bake in a covered dish with the pork. Gives up to 8 servings.

Cranberry and Apple Sauce: Blend equal quantities of apple puree and cranberry sauce.

Port Wine sauce: Boil 3/4 pint (450ml) of beef stock with a peeled onion and several strips of orange rind: cool then strain. Heat 20z (50g) butter, stir in 1 1/2 oz (40g) of flour, then stock, 3 tablespoons of sultanas and 3 tablespoons orange marmalade. Heat steadily, stirring until thickened. Add 1/4 pint (150ml) port wine, heat without boiling. Season well.

For Good Crackling

Ask your Q Butcher to score the rind; stand meat on trivet in roasting tin, rind uppermost. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Do Not Cover.

Cooking Times

375F/190C, Gas Mark 5. Allow 30 to 35 minutes per lb (450g) plus 30 minutes over.

Carving Pork

Carve loin downwards and leg joint across the grain.

Using Cooked Pork

It is delicious in salads and makes a luxury Cottage Pie

Ham & Gammon

Buying Ham

Some Q Butchers cure their hams before cooking with natural ingredients using old established recipes.

Weight to allow:
If boned allow 4 to 6oz (100 to 175g) per person and 8-10oz (225 to 300g) if on the bone.

To Glaze Ham

Brush away any crumb coating, make shallow cuts in a neat design in the fat. Coat with the glaze; wrap foil around the lean part. Heat for 20 minutes at 350F/180C, Gas Mark 4.

Guild of Q Butchers' Christmas Glaze: Blend 5 tablespoons cranberry sauce, 2 1/2 tablespoons orange marmalade, 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, 1 teaspoon of mustard powder and a good pinch of ground cinnamon. Garnish with glace cherries and orange segments on cocktail sticks.

Buying Gammon

The Gammon (Bacon) sold by your Q Butcher does not need soaking before cooking unless dry cured, when it should be covered with cold water and soaked overnight. Choose between green (unsmoked) or lightly smoked gammon. Weight to allow: A 3lb (1.4kg) joint of gammon gives average portions for 6 people.

Cooking Gammon

Cook the gammon with water or cider or a mixture of water and ginger ale to cover, add a bay leaf, 1 onion, 2 carrots plus a tablespoon of brown sugar and a shake of black pepper. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes per lb (450g) plus 20 minutes. Cold gammon: cool in the liquid.

Accompaniments

Cranberry jelly or sauce, mashed potatoes and broad beans.

Using Cooked Ham and Gammon

The liquid in which the gammon is cooked makes a wonderful stock for soups. Pieces of cooked ham and gammon can be used as stuffing in jacket potatoes, filling in omlettes and pancakes or added to soups. Use the meat in a variety of salads.

Turkey

Buying Turkey

A 12lb (5.4kg) turkey (weight when dressed) gives 12 average portions. Your Q Butcher will always advise on size.

Storing the Turkey

Ensure giblets are removed. Place both giblets and turkey in the refrigerator.

Accompaniments

Bacon rolls, sausages, stuffing, including: Guild of Q Butchers' Chestnut Stuffing: Blend 1lb (450g) freshly made or canned unsweetened chestnut puree with 6oz (175g) chopped uncooked dried apricots, 6 oz (175g) chopped hazelnuts or chestnuts, 3oz (75g) seedless raisins, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 2oz (50g) melted butter and seasoning. Gives 12 to 16 portions.

Cranberry Sauce: Flavour this with a little port wine and orange juice.

Special Bread Sauce: Add a little cream and a pinch of nutmeg.

Roast and Duchesse Potatoes, see "Lamb", Brussels Sprouts, braised celery or carrots and peas. Thickened gravy from giblet stock plus a little wine.

Stuffing the Turkey

NEVER stuff the body cavity - just the neck end. Leave air space between stuffing and flesh. Bake extra stuffing in dishes or make into balls.

Roasting Turkey

Cover flesh with soft butter. Cook breast side downwards for first half of cooking time then turn. 425F/220C, Gas Mark 7 for one hour then 375F/190C, Gas Mark 5. Allow 15 minutes per lb (450g) plus 15 minutes for a bird up to 12lb (5.4kg). Over this weight allow extra 12 minutes per lb to 20lb (9kg); then 9 minutes extra for each extra lb. To test if cooked: Insert knife where leg joins body; juice must be colourless, not pink.

Carving Turkey

Sever one leg from the body to enable you to carve breast.

Using Cooked Turkey

Cold turkey makes wonderful salads in various dressings. Use in a casserole in a good sauce. Make curries. Fill pancakes or omlettes with turkey and stuffing.

Duck & Goose

Buying Goose

Nearly 2lb (900g) per person; goose has superb flavour but rather less meat.

Buying Duck

A small duck serves 2 people, a large duck 4 people.

Accompaniments

Guild of Q Butchers' Stuffing and Sauces as for "Pork", or as below:
Fruit Sauce: Soak, then cook 8oz (225g) stoned prunes in 1/2 pint (300ml) of orange juice and 12 pint (300ml) strained stock (from simmering giblets); when nearly tender add 8oz (225g) sliced, peeled Cox's apples. Simmer for a few minutes; strain. Blend liquid with 2 level tablespoons arrowroot, pour into a pan, add 3 tablespoons redcurrant jelly. Cook until thickened and clear. Add the fruit. Serve hot or cold.

Red Wine Sauce: As Port Wine Sauce (see "Pork"), but use red wine instead.

Roast or creamed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green peas and broccoli, bowls of green salad.

To Cook Goose or Duck

Always dry the bird well and stand on a rack (trivet) in the roasting tin. To extract surplus fat, prick lightly every 30 minutes; the fat spurts out, making sure the skin crisps.

Cooking Times

Allow 20 minutes per lb (450g) and 20 minutes over. 425F/220C, Gas Mark 7 for one hour, then 375F/190C, Gas Mark 5. For extra crisp skin, brush with a little thin honey 20 minutes before the end of cooking time. Check whether cooked as given under "Turkey". Carving Goose and Duck Carve Goose as "Turkey". Cut small duck into 2 portions, a large duck into 4 portions.

Using Cooked Duck or Goose

Remember goose liver makes delicious pate. Serve diced or sliced meat in orange salad or heat in port wine sauce.

Game

For a change this christmas, have you thought about serving game? Pheasants are an excellent choice for smaller families and venison makes a delicious change to other meats. A brace of pheasants (pair) serves 4-5 and a 3-4lb (1.4 - 1.8kg) boned joint of venison gives six good portions. Ask your Q Butcher!