The first week of March celebrates National Butcher’s Week in Britain, a week dedicated to appreciating the hard work, skill and dedication of butchers. The week puts a particular emphasis on the importance of sourcing responsibly and supporting local suppliers.
Butchery is one of the oldest known professions, dating back nearly 2.6 million years. Back then, butchers would sharpen stones to break the bones and cut up the meat. This became an important part of human development, as humans then no longer needed to chew unprocessed foods, as they could cook the meat, rather than the fruit they had been used to. This meant jaws and necks could evolve to become smaller, eventually allowing room for bigger brains.
Today, butchery is a highly practical job, involving long hours of standing on their feet, often even in the cold. As well as this, a huge amount of skill and knowledge is needed to know exactly how to cut and prepare the meat correctly.
Fact: Did you know the world’s largest butcher shop is in Texas and spans over 75,000 square feet!
The future of butcher’s shops is changing, but butchers are still a very valuable part of our society. With an increase in online food shopping, butchers are having to adapt, and with this, unfortunately, some have had to close. To combat this, a major emphasis is being placed on sourcing locally. Farmers’ markets are also still proving to be a popular trip for families and people who prefer to know exactly where their food has come from. As a healthier lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular, unprocessed foods like meat are becoming more desirable.
Another trend taking place is the rise in ‘nose-to-tail’ butchery, which is essentially using every part of the animal, significantly reducing waste and promoting sustainability in the meat industry.
In appreciation of National Butcher’s Week, why not take a trip to your local farmer’s market or butcher and try the recipe below?
Recipe:
Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew (BBC GoodFood)
Ingredients
- 600ml/20fl oz just-boiled water
- 1 beef stock cube
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp yeast extract
- 900g/2lb good-quality braising steak, trimmed and cut into roughly 4cm/1½in chunks
- 100g/3½oz smoked bacon lardons, or sliced smoked back bacon
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 4 carrots (about 400g/14oz), peeled and cut into roughly 3cm/1¼in chunks
- 4 celery sticks, trimmed and cut into roughly 3cm/1¼in lengths
- 3 tbsp plain flour (25g/1oz)
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1 bay leaf (dried or fresh)
- ground black pepper
- mashed potatoes, to serve
Method
- Pour the just-boiled water into a heatproof measuring jug, add the stock cube, tomato purée and yeast extract. Stir well until the cube has dissolved and set aside.
- Put the beef, bacon and vegetables in a slow cooker, sprinkle over the flour and add the salt, herbs and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Toss together. Add the stock mixture and stir well.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low for 8–10 hours, until the beef and vegetables are tender. Serve the beef stew with mashed potatoes.