Dexter tenderness/toughness

[Duncan MacIntyre]

How does Clive know all these things, eg "But if you ate a marathon runner, they'd be real stringy. "

PS I'm ok I'e never done more than 23 miles.

Duncan

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Seriously though, some of the most tender mutton I have ever enjoyed has been old ewes. I mean OLD. They must have come and gone a bit in their time.

Perhaps the cook has some influence?

Duncan

[wagra dexters]

I'm certain it was the cook! The cook can ruin or rescue any piece of meat, unless it's fevered or bruised, but even then, a very hungry good cook could possibly find some way of using damaged meat.

Some graziers I know believe tenderness is all in the rate of weight gain, scoffing at the idea of genetic testing becoming the way of the future. I have to wonder if their beliefs are an attempt to justify keeping cattle in store condition, without enough meat on their bones to keep them warm at night.

Margaret

[Saffy]

We did once eat a charolais, which had stiff joints and didn't thrive as well as the rest of the bunch - hence it went in the freezer. It wasn't in really poor condition but didn't bloom like the others ever and wasn't heavy enough when they went but was pretty enormous. It probably couldn't have gone on the hook anyway because of its joints - so we ate it - and ate it and ate it!!! It was bland and chewy, so I think maybe Clive is right.

Stephanie

[Mark Bowles]

Well done Stephanie, i think you deseve a medal for dedication!

[Saffy]

Thanks Mark - truth is my Mum - a former Land Girl would never allow waste, so choice was very limited!!! :;):

[Broomcroft]

I bet you ate THE LOT Stephanie if your family was anything like mine. Brains, tripe, everything. I love offal, but tripe....yuck....like eating a carpet. Did you eat the eyes? My Mom made golf balls during the war.

We've only ever had one tough Dexter, a bull. All was fine till you came to a Rump Steak or Topside. Some parts were just about inedible even though he'd never worked and was very finished. But what was edible was very tasty.



Edited By Broomcroft on 1267101770

[Saffy]

Yes Clive we also ate all the offal and my parents were very fond of tongue. I remember eating it with delight as a young child until the day I realised what it was!!! My Mum had bought one and proceeded to cook it, skin it and press it. It wasn't so much the process but the fact that it was obviously a cows tongue, I hadn't quite realised until that point - a bit slow! Having watched with great interest as the cows wrapped their mobile tongues around the grass, to eat a tongue myself didn't appeal at all.

At the moment we are eating a 4 and a half year old Dexter bull that has worked. It is not as tough as I was led to believe, although I wouldn't advise frying the rump steaks - I tried it just for an experiment - edible but jolly chewy. I have had worse when I have eaten at a restaurant!!! Some bits are like you say more so than others. We roasted a piece of topside last week, it was to my surprise both tasty and tender.

Most of it is good, it isn't as good as a steer but is still better than "bought beef" and if it is a choice between buying beef, or eating a youngish stock bull that is no longer of use, I would say eat him but mince up a bit more of it than usual.

Stephanie



Edited By Saffy on 1267103410

[Broomcroft]

I think they must vary because mine was only 27 months and had never worked, but he was a tiny bit of a nutter which is why I didn't use him. The sirloins etc were yummy. The oldest our local commercial abattoir will accept a bull for the normal human food chain is 16 months!

Just had a fantastic little dun bull calf born this morning by a black bull/dun dam, loads of Woodmagic in it on both sides, I'll try and get a photo and post it in the photo topic.



Edited By Broomcroft on 1267122518

[domsmith]

I find you can sell all the bits and offal. we have a great trade in the unusual. we have become known for it. i sell cheeks, tongue, heart, onglet, kidneys sweet breads, even had a go with testicles! they were actually quite nice! :p
everything i can get back determind to use the skin to

i also try and find unusual cuts to offer people. there was something on the beeb last year about hardies mill angus and their 10 steak selection. they are apparently one of the only beef producers to offer a selection of 10 frying steaks.
if only we had so few, it would be easier to display them at the farmers market :D
onglet, bavette, hanger, flat iron, feather. yummy

dom