Made some more, used about 2lb of beef, but tried a much cheaper cut this
time (about half the price), just to give it a try - brisket it might have
been, memory ain't working too well! Anyhow, still came out tasty, but yeah,
helluvah lot tougher - looks like I'll have to stick to the more tender
cuts.

The marinade for this one came out great - Kath said of the two, it was her
favourite. Can't remember all that went into that either, but that's
probably because I put so many things in it, heh...

Basically, went with fresh ginger and garlic, soy, salt, muscavardo soft
brown sugar, lime juice and zest, little fresh home grown rosemary and sage,
fine ground black pepper, bit of cumin, bit of coriander seed, bit of (damn,
forgotten what those little green lemon scented seed pods are called now
damnit - I never forget stuff like this, heheheh.. .)... oh, cardamom!
that's it, also couple of cloves, some balsamic vinegar, and some of my
apple and oak smoked home grown hab type chiles (all herbs and spices finely
chopped/ground). Bit wetter marinade this time, but still not so much as it
would drip off much, but it took nearer the times people here rec. for it to
be done this time.

Like I said, very tasty indeed - none of the flavours were overpowering or
clashed, the 'little bits' I used just added subtlety and depth and blended
in nicely.



Same kinda damned problem with the butcher though - guess there's only the
skivvies in Friday afternoon. This time, guy who did it last time was there,
as was some much younger trainee. I told them what I wanted it for, how thin
to slice etc. and why last time it was a PITA to sort out, and the kid
looked a bit dumb-struck, asked the older skivvy how he should do it, older
guy muttered about some knife or other, use that, next thing the kid has
unrolled the joint and is hacking into it with a short, thin bladed
filleting knife, FFS! I caught him as he'd just got half way through and had
turned it over to go from the other side, still WAY too thick - I just said
'Whoah! Don't bother, leave it kid - I'll do it myself at home, thanks...'

All this time the guy who should have been in charge at the time just kept
looking up oblivious and vacant. Now it can't just be me that thinks when a
customer wants something like this doing, that takes a bit of care and at
least /some/ skill, you don't stand there idly twiddling your thumbs while
some young inexperienced trainee 'practices' on meat you are paying for,
making a TOTAL pig's ear of it! I was more than a little ****ed off to be
honest.

Next time I see the main guys of the place I'll have to have a chat with
them. I've had better, more knowledgeable service at freaking supermarkets
FFS, and I'm sure the bosses of this place don't know that these two (well
it was the older guy's fault - he was in charge and should have seen my
request was properly addressed) are clowns giving their butchery a lousy
name - I've been served by the other two plenty of times, had talks with
them - they the type take a lot of pride in their work and shop....

Oh well!


Shaun aRe

Shaun aRe wrote:

> Made some more, used about 2lb of beef, but tried a much cheaper cut this
> time (about half the price), just to give it a try - brisket it might have
> been, memory ain't working too well! Anyhow, still came out tasty, but yeah,
> helluvah lot tougher - looks like I'll have to stick to the more tender
> cuts.
>

I found the same. The round is ok but I prefer the siloin tip as it
makes a nicer jerky.

> The marinade for this one came out great - Kath said of the two, it was her
> favourite. Can't remember all that went into that either, but that's
> probably because I put so many things in it, heh...
>
> Basically, went with fresh ginger and garlic, soy, salt, muscavardo soft
> brown sugar, lime juice and zest, little fresh home grown rosemary and sage,
> fine ground black pepper, bit of cumin, bit of coriander seed, bit of (damn,
> forgotten what those little green lemon scented seed pods are called now
> damnit - I never forget stuff like this, heheheh.. .)... oh, cardamom!
> that's it, also couple of cloves, some balsamic vinegar, and some of my
> apple and oak smoked home grown hab type chiles (all herbs and spices finely
> chopped/ground). Bit wetter marinade this time, but still not so much as it
> would drip off much, but it took nearer the times people here rec. for it to
> be done this time.

Sounds like an interesting marinade.
>
> Like I said, very tasty indeed - none of the flavours were overpowering or
> clashed, the 'little bits' I used just added subtlety and depth and blended
> in nicely.
>
>
>
> Same kinda damned problem with the butcher though - guess there's only the
> skivvies in Friday afternoon. This time, guy who did it last time was there,
> as was some much younger trainee. I told them what I wanted it for, how thin
> to slice etc. and why last time it was a PITA to sort out, and the kid
> looked a bit dumb-struck, asked the older skivvy how he should do it, older
> guy muttered about some knife or other, use that, next thing the kid has
> unrolled the joint and is hacking into it with a short, thin bladed
> filleting knife, FFS! I caught him as he'd just got half way through and had
> turned it over to go from the other side, still WAY too thick - I just said
> 'Whoah! Don't bother, leave it kid - I'll do it myself at home, thanks...'

I'd find a new butcher. My butcher is awesome and I wouldn't dream of
dealing anywhere else. He cuts meats right to my specification. A good
butcher is worth their weight in gold!

I made a small batch of venison jerky. It came out quite good! I'm
having fun experimenting with venison using small amounts to get the
feel of how the meat comes out. Next I will be into full meal size
venison dishes First I have to finish painting this week though.

"~patches~" > wrote in message
...
> Shaun aRe wrote:
>
> > Made some more, used about 2lb of beef, but tried a much cheaper cut
this
> > time (about half the price), just to give it a try - brisket it might
have
> > been, memory ain't working too well! Anyhow, still came out tasty, but
yeah,
> > helluvah lot tougher - looks like I'll have to stick to the more tender
> > cuts.
> >
>
> I found the same. The round is ok but I prefer the siloin tip as it
> makes a nicer jerky.

<Sigh!> It's just it costs so much for so little, that goes so damned quick!

> > The marinade for this one came out great - Kath said of the two, it was
her
> > favourite. Can't remember all that went into that either, but that's
> > probably because I put so many things in it, heh...
> >
> > Basically, went with fresh ginger and garlic, soy, salt, muscavardo soft
> > brown sugar, lime juice and zest, little fresh home grown rosemary and
sage,
> > fine ground black pepper, bit of cumin, bit of coriander seed, bit of
(damn,
> > forgotten what those little green lemon scented seed pods are called now
> > damnit - I never forget stuff like this, heheheh.. .)... oh, cardamom!
> > that's it, also couple of cloves, some balsamic vinegar, and some of my
> > apple and oak smoked home grown hab type chiles (all herbs and spices
finely
> > chopped/ground). Bit wetter marinade this time, but still not so much as
it
> > would drip off much, but it took nearer the times people here rec. for
it to
> > be done this time.
>
> Sounds like an interesting marinade.

Thanks. Was as I said below, damned tasty! Bit too hot though if anything,
will hold back with the chiles next time (fresh ginger has good heat too,
and with the plenty of black pepper too as well as the chiles, well, it adds
up...)

> > Like I said, very tasty indeed - none of the flavours were overpowering
or
> > clashed, the 'little bits' I used just added subtlety and depth and
blended
> > in nicely.
> >
> >
> >
> > Same kinda damned problem with the butcher though - guess there's only
the
> > skivvies in Friday afternoon. This time, guy who did it last time was
there,
> > as was some much younger trainee. I told them what I wanted it for, how
thin
> > to slice etc. and why last time it was a PITA to sort out, and the kid
> > looked a bit dumb-struck, asked the older skivvy how he should do it,
older
> > guy muttered about some knife or other, use that, next thing the kid has
> > unrolled the joint and is hacking into it with a short, thin bladed
> > filleting knife, FFS! I caught him as he'd just got half way through and
had
> > turned it over to go from the other side, still WAY too thick - I just
said
> > 'Whoah! Don't bother, leave it kid - I'll do it myself at home,
thanks...'
>
> I'd find a new butcher.

Like I said - their produce is of exceptional quality and not too pricey
either, and the two guys who own/run it are *excellent* butchers and great
guys too, and I'm sure had they been there when tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dee
were serving me, they'd have had a damned fit. Also, in our village, it is
the /only/ butchers, and the ones nearest outside the village are no where
near as good on quality and price. I'll just try and have a quiet word with
one of the main guys when I get chance, I'm sure they will see it all right.

> My butcher is awesome and I wouldn't dream of
> dealing anywhere else. He cuts meats right to my specification. A good
> butcher is worth their weight in gold!

Indeed! As is a good fishmonger - we have a decent one in the next town in
one direction, small market stall, and the other way, back to my ex-home
town, has a bunch of them in a permanent 'fish market' area within the main
market (about 8 or so different stall IIRC - I haven't counted them in years
heheheh...), and most of them are fantastic - will do just as you ask and do
it very well, great produce selction too.

> I made a small batch of venison jerky. It came out quite good! I'm
> having fun experimenting with venison using small amounts to get the
> feel of how the meat comes out. Next I will be into full meal size
> venison dishes

Excellent! What seasoning/marinade did you use for the jerky?

> First I have to finish painting this week though.

The week is the wrong colour as it is huh?

',;~}~

Shaun aRe