Healthy Yummies

Not many catering companies or restaurants would be willing to share their suppliers with you, but this one is a ‘rare’ find and one that’s worthy of every bit of promotion.

We’ve been working with these guys (www.therarebreedmeatcompany.co.uk) since the start of Healthy Yummies and they constantly surprise us with the most incredible meat.  As caterers, I think it’s our duty to know where the product is coming from, what environment it is brought up in and what it has been fed.  It’s not just about the quality of meat, these guys are genuinely concerned about the animals’ welfare. 

Blackwells Farm has been in the family for generations in the Colne Valley in Essex.  Howard Blackwell took over the farm in the 80’s, starting with turkey and goose farming mainly for the Xmas market.  Through friends he ended up with some rare and traditional breeds and when this meat arrived at butchers they all raved about it.  However, he had no room to farm them and so friends at neighbouring farms took them on, that’s where they are today.

All of the meat produced has been reared in totally free range environments and fed only on natural foods that are free of any form of growth promoters.  There is so much space for the animals to roam around in….

They now have a new state of the art cutting plant with their own team of butchers ran by the lovely Roy Bellinger (below and runner up of the ‘Butcher of the Year Award’) and a farm shop that stocks all cuts of meat, poultry, duck eggs, goose eggs, quail eggs etc.  It’s well worth a visit on a day trip, the farm has fantastic staff, produce and you can even take a butchery class by a pro!

We buy a lot of ‘Gloucester Old Spot’, classed as a rare breed and dates back to the early 1900’s or earlier.  It’s reared in the extensive woodland of the Mark Hall Estate where they farm.  Unlike the commercial hybrid pig, the Gloucester’s are fed a far less intensive ration and fatten at a far slower rate.  It’s this rearing that encourages the development of the tender, succulent and full of flavour meat that these pigs are renowned for.  We use mainly the shoulder and belly for sausages, slow cook the shoulder meat and belly for the best ‘fall apart’ pork experience, dry cured bacon for our ‘on location’ breakfasts and hocks.  It really is unbeatable!

Their beef is the finest pedigree of Rare Breed Beef in the UK.  The nature of these rare breeds is that they are non-commercial in today’s farming practises due to the fact that they need longer time to mature and do not grow to the same size as the commercial continental cross breed cattle.  They are totally free range and live on grass, hay, silage and a little supplementary rolled barley in the winter. 

We regularly purchase the Red Poll and Highland breeds whose meat has the look and smell of venison, quite an intense flavour that doesn’t need much interference.  These breeds are native to Suffolk and date back to 1600’s. All of their beef in hung for up to 21 day to ensure the meat will not only taste good but tender too.

They also source the famous Romney salt marsh lamb which offers a unique flavour due to the grazing over the natural grasses and samphire of the salt marshes.  These are free from fertilizers plus the salt in the marshes has a cleansing affect on the meat, so naturally preventing parasites.  Unfortunately 90% of the UK’s salt marsh lamb is exported to France where it is highly prized by top chefs.

Here they show me the difference between new season lamb (left) and lamb.

To add to all of this, they have a pretty dreamy barn space, that I’d give my left arm for…..

Speak to the lovely Gwyneth regarding any enquiries on 01376 561504