Swaledale Online Butchers Review

Looking for an online butchers with native breed meat which is farmed sustainably? Why not try Swaledale Online Butchers? They are a whole-carcass butcher dedicated to supplying exceptional quality meat.

Recently I received a complementary butchery order from Swaledale Online Butchers, a whole-carcass butcher who specialises in native rare breed meat. They supply to some of the best restuarants in the country. Read on to find out what we thought.

Ordering from Swaledale Online Butchers

It is really easy to order from Swaledale Online butchers. They have a wide range of meat and chicken. As they are whole carcass butchers you can also get cuts you would not normally find. You can also get bones, perfect for making stock.

Just pick what you want, add it to the basket and arrange delivery. Orders are sent out by next day DPD delivery. Texts inform you when your order wll arrive. Orders over £50 have free next day delivery.

When my order arrived it was well packed, in a double cardboard box and kept cool by lots of heavy-duty cooling paper and ice packs. It was still cold.

All the meat is sent fresh and has a use-by date four or five days ahead. The fact it is sent fresh means you can freeze it yourself if you need to.

My Order

Essential Meat Box – £60

• Topside Beef Joint
• Lamb Merguez Sausages
• Yorkshire Breakfast Sausages
• 2 Bavette Steaks
• 2 Pork Rump Steaks
• Minced Beef
• Chicken Drumsticks
• Dry Cured Back Bacon
• Dry Cured Streaky Bacon

Beef Ossobuco – £9.80

Native Breed Meat

There is a growing number of people, including myself who still like to eat meat but are starting to choose more wisely. Swaledale Butchers are based in Yorkshire, known for its moors and rough uplands. They work with local farmers who use native breeds which can graze on this rough land.

Breeds like the Belted Galloway or Highland cow which are hardy and graze on the local landscape all year round. The grass fed cows have an exceptional taste to their meat.

The distinctive Middle White pigs, whose bent up snout makes them look like they have run into a wall. It is a traditional British breed that nearly became extinct after the second world war. The meat has a high pork content and is delicious.

The process of growing these anmials is slower than conventional farming but produces a much better flavour. It is also better for the environment and for the animals. As consumers we can be assured we know the animal has been treated well and we have full traceability of where it came from.

What is Whole Carcass Butchery?

Whole Carcass, or whole-animal butchery, involves buying the whole animal for cutting, instead of outsourcing pre-boxed cuts. Every part of the animal is used, nose to tail. This reduces waste as well as extending gratitude and respect to the animal.

It also pays the farmer the price they deserve for the work they have put in raising the animal. Butchery done this way is important for animal welfare, supporting the local farming community, and ensuring the future of traditional heritage rare breed animals.

Swaledate Butchers go the extra mile. They dry age their slow-matured beef on the bone in a Himalayan salt room for 28 days prior to butchery. This ensures it has the best flavour.

Bacon and gammon is dry cured using traditional methods. This means more sizzle in the pan and less shrinkage when cooking the meat.

Their burgers and sausages are handmade on site with premium cuts and spices ground daily on the premises. This all ensures you are getting exceptional quality.

What I Thought

I will definitely be ordering from Swaledale again. The packging and delivery were spot on and the products were delicious. The steak was one of the best I have tried, full of flavour and melt in the mouth. Next time I try this steak I will make a Steak Diane or steak with peppercorn sauce.

The sausages were full of flavour and tasted fabulous. The bacon was a pleasure to cook, no water came out of it whilst cooking which made it extra crispy.

One of the good things about Swaledale being a whole carcass butchers is that you can get cuts of meat that you might not have otherwise tried. One of these is the beef ossobuco. This is the shank of the cow and it has a bone through the middle. I made a traditional beef ossobuco dish from Milan and the flavour was amazing.

The products were good value for money. Whilst they are more expensive than a supermarket you are getting good quality free range products which are full of taste and flavour. A little goes a long way.

I love the idea of eating sustainably and supporting local farmers and will definitely be making another order soon.

Thank you to Swaledale for the opportunity to taste and review their delicious products. This is not a paid post, although we were sent some of the products to review