Our guide to eating lean

As we wave goodbye to 2017 and look forward to what the new year brings, lots of us will be making resolutions (or at least thinking about it). As with every year, one of the most popular resolutions has been to eat more healthily. We believe the simplest way to go about it is to choose the right ingredients and make as much as you can from scratch. That includes selecting the best grass fed, free range cuts of meat to cook with. Our philosophy has always been ‘eat better meat, less often’.

Chicken is a really lean, cost-effective and versatile meat so there’s no wonder it’s often the food of choice for people looking to revamp their diet or work on healthier meals. However, there are a huge variety of high-quality, healthy meats that share many of the same benefits and taste even better.

Whilst game meat, for example, isn’t something you can just nip down to the supermarket to pick up, by signing up to have it delivered straight to your door in our bespoke meat boxes, it can be just as convenient. It’s even better when you can be sure of the provenance of your meat. Our own wild game is sourced from West Country estates and our butchers carefully prepare the game after a short period of hanging.

Here are 10 lean cuts to try this month…

Venison
You can buy venison steaks, burgers, sausages, or simply opt for a wild venison roasting joint – so the possibilities with this one are endless. Venison meat is often thought of as being similar to beef, but venison has more vitamins and minerals per serving than beef and it also has advantages in iron, vitamin B6, niacin, and riboflavin. It also has more protein than any other red meat, which means that it sates the appetite really well.

Rabbit
Rabbit meat is well known for its high protein content. The sodium content of the meat is comparatively less than others and the ratio of meat to bone is high, meaning there’s more edible meat on the carcass than a chicken. Rabbit is also extremely low in fat, containing just 350 calories per kilogram, and tastes divine in a homemade rabbit pie!

Wood pigeon
You don’t have to be a professional chef to enjoy wood pigeon. Rapidly seared (just a minute each side) and then rested, the soft, succulent breast has the fine grain of a prime steak but thanks to the diversity of its wild diet (seeds, acorns, buds, berries, green crops) it has a more complex and earthy, woodland taste. The meat has a rich store of beneficial minerals, in particular iron, which is crucial for energy production and a robust immune system.

Mallard
The mallard is the most common duck used for food and a wild duck will contain just 15.2g of fat per 100g serving. Duck liver is a particular delicacy that you may want to add to your diet, as it contains a good source of protein, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid. It’s also great to use more than just the breast and leg meat of these birds.

Partridge
Partridge is a great little game bird with a subtle flavour. It’s a small bird, so a whole one feeds one person, and newbies shouldn’t be afraid to keep it simple when it comes to this bird. Young partridge, simply grilled or roasted and served with a light gravy from the cooking juices, is a delicious dish that only needs sweet, roasted winter vegetables. Don’t treat partridge as you would a chicken though – these birds need far less time in the oven, and are best served pink and juicy.

Pheasant
Pheasant is always a first-rate meat choice. It has a sweet and earthy flavour and is perfect for roasting or braising. It contains a high level of iron, protein, vitamin B6 and selenium, which helps to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, and is really low in calories, with one wild pheasant breast containing just 130kCal.

Pork tenderloin
Pork loin and pork tenderloin are often confused as one and the same thing, but they’re not cut from the same part of the animal and in fact look really different. Pork tenderloin is thin and small, while a pork loin is wide enough that you can cut steak-like pieces from it. Pork tenderloin is boneless and best quickly cooked over a fairly high heat. It’s a lean, delicately flavoured meat and is the most tender cut of pork if you are quick-cooking it.

Calves liver
Bursting with flavour and extremely soft and tender, grass fed calves’ liver really is ‘melt in the mouth’ delicious. It has a fairly strong flavour (the longer you cook it the stronger the taste becomes) so is fantastic to add to stews and casseroles, as well as enjoying on its own pan-fried with some creamy mash and spinach.

 Mutton cannon
Mutton has a bolder, more ‘meaty’ flavour than lamb and also happens to be lower in fat too. Cut from the loin it’s ideal for roasting but can also be sliced for grilling or frying. Try searing it in a hot pan before transferring to the oven for a tender and lean piece of meat with a great depth of flavour.

Ranch steak
Cut from the corner cut topside, our grass fed ranch steaks are incredibly lean. They’re inexpensive and versatile, making them a staple in our fridge. The meat contains high amounts of Omega-3 and is loaded with vitamins and minerals due to the grass fed diet. Flash fry them and serve with baked sweet potato and leafy greens for the ultimate protein hit.