06
May
So you will all be glad to hear that I am a much happier (less worried) farmer this week, it is amazing what a bit of Vit D can do for the mood.
This week I would like to share a secret, this is only going to interest the real meat heroes out there …
A few weeks ago I got a new toy, not a tractor but a DryAger
Normally when I buy a new toy I don’t need the destructions to know how it works but this toy is very different. My evening’s are now spent on the inter-web reading about how to use it. To my excitement an article a friend forward was titled:
‘Mutton ‘the chocolate of meat’ as farmers apply dry-ageing to sheep’
Get in there!!! Mutton become a premium product. To a farmer this is like turning water into wine. We do well in our butchers shop selling mutton but my DryAger could redefine a meat that has been forgotten.
Another article that someone highlighted to me explained the science behind the taste:
What happens is that enzymes in the meat’s muscle cells begin to break down the meat’s proteins, fats, and glycogen—a carbohydrate—into amino acids, fatty acids, and sugars. One amino acid generated by dry-aging—the most important and flavorful one, in fact—is glutamate, which is part of MSG. Other amino acids have flavors somewhat similar to MSG; others still are sweet.
Read more about the science of Dry Ageing
MSG!!!! OMG!!!! All I know is things like Pringles ‘once you pop you can stop’ have MSG in so there is potential for our Ballakelly Meat to taste even more amazing than it does already. Unfortunately, all of this extra taste comes at a cost, this time not to me but to you the customer.
The best way to explain is using maths!!! I knew there was a reason I went to school:
Fillet Steak: currently £40 per kg, ave weight whole fillet £2kg, so current value £80. If I put this in my DryAger, it reduces in weight, so say it now weighs 1.7kg, to get the same value it was before ageing it would now need to be £47 per kg, so to cover the cost to age the product, it needs to be £50+ per kg, this fillet steak needs to taste amazing!!!
Mutton Leg: currently £9 per kg, ave weight 3kg before aging, current value £27. If I put this in my DryAger, it reduces in weight to 2.55kg, then it would need to be £10.50 a kg to equal original value so could price at £15 per kg, it is still cheaper than lamb, but should taste a whole lot more chocolaty!!!!
We will be launching some of new DryAged products at the IOM Food & Drink Festival in Sep, so until then we need volunteers to start tasting these DryAged meats to ensure we all agree that once you pop you cant stop, eating Ballakelly Meat. Please comment below if you are interested in trying the new DryAged meat
Harvey was soooooo excited to see these big toys arrive on the yard to deliver DDD new catering trailers, they look amazing watch out for them at the shows
Look what arrived in the post 😀
Visit from a local foodie, we all live in the sunny ☀ north, best known for his gin
Alice and I have been moving sheep into grass now it is finally starting to grow
