Veganism is for another time, embrace the great meat and veg that we have

Now that advertisers have finished bombarding us with the need for a perfect, calorific Christmas, we are swamped with messages berating us for over indulging.
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Their only solution is to seek out a “new year, new you” and adopt a vegan diet for the whole of January.

There’s nothing wrong with following an animal product free diet but going into the bleak, post festive period is not the time to do it. Instead I think we should adopt the approach of eating good meat with lots of vegetables.

Robbie Neill is a third generation farmer and firefighter who’s family farm Stonebridge Cottage Farm is based outside Crossgar in Co Down. When he took over the land he primarily produced beef and lamb but in 2017 introduced rare breed pedigree pigs into the mix. He farms Oxford and Sandy Blacks, Saddlebacks and Duroc pigs which are fed whey leftover from the cheesemaking process of Young Buck cheese and spent grains from local brewers.

Good pork should nearly look like beef – fast , forced raising makes for insipid white meat. I would rather have one ounce of Robbie’s pork with good local vegetables than a pound of some mass produced stuffGood pork should nearly look like beef – fast , forced raising makes for insipid white meat. I would rather have one ounce of Robbie’s pork with good local vegetables than a pound of some mass produced stuff
Good pork should nearly look like beef – fast , forced raising makes for insipid white meat. I would rather have one ounce of Robbie’s pork with good local vegetables than a pound of some mass produced stuff

The resulting slow reared meat is exemplary – a good layer of fat with almost red meat. Good pork should nearly look like beef – fast, forced raising makes for insipid white meat. I would rather have one ounce of Robbie’s pork with good local vegetables than a pound of some mass produced stuff. The difference in taste is massive and a little goes a long way. Robbie has also been producing a limited amount of mutton. The first time I tasted this lamb was when I was young and it was not pleasant, more like what I’d imagine badger to taste like. It was a few years ago that I tried it again in England. My initial reticence was replaced with awe. It was like an intensely flavoured lamb and absolutely delicious. Robbie’s mutton is incredible and we should be eating more of it. Meat should taste like this, not like some slowly cooked loofah.

Mutton is hard to source at the moment but if we demand it then supply will have to follow. My recipe for it this week is for a good, old fashioned hot pot with red cabbage and beetroot on the side. Hot pot is a good way of making a small amount of good meat go a long way. You can substitute local lamb for the mutton until it becomes mainstream.

Pork carbonade is a classic dish where the pork is cooked in ale. You could use belly or shoulder for this slow cooked dish. Cauliflowers are fantastic at the moment and the side for the pork has it roasted with honey, miso and another toot of beer.

Embrace the great meat and vegetables we have here and keep the veganism for another time.

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