Farmers Choice Free Range

How Best to Barbeque

Following on from our first BBQ post, we thought we’d give you some tips on how best to barbeque your meat. Fingers crossed we get some good weather again soon so you can make the most of them! A summertime barbeque is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and spend some quality time with your friends and family. Whether you are planning a garden brunch or a picnic at the park, the perfect BBQ can be…

In our continued aim to reduce our environmental impact we teamed up with woolcool for our courier order box insulation. Far better than poly in many ways. Why wool? Sheep’s wool is a sustainable and highly effective natural insulation material. Wool is nature’s ‘smart fibre’ with amazing properties that outperform man-made materials for many uses. Complex physical and chemical composition that…

Just a few alternatives for that festive table. Cranberry Glazed Roast Beef with Mulled Wine Gravy and Yorkshire Puddings Ingredients: Sirloin Beef Joint (you can also use rib or topside joints) Shallots or small red onions x 8 Cranberry Sauce 75g Mulled Wine 1 pt Beef Stock 300ml Gravy Granules For the Yorkshires: Plain Flour 75g Eggs x 2 Milk 150ml Fresh Thyme 1 tbsp Red Onion 1 Allow 100g –…

Summer’s not over yet!

The weather shows no sign of change as the kids prepare to go back to school, although I did see the first dewy morning as I left the house at first light. BBQ’s are still very much an option for a quick fix evening meal – making the most of the warm evenings and family meals.  But, if you are after something different, why not try our recipe for turkey kebabs or chicken fajita packets. Our free…

Make the Most out of Mince

Mince is such a versatile product so make the most of your mince and make a multitude of meals! This month we’re munching on all things mince, so check out our range of minced meat on our Eat Mince page. You can also check out the handy guide to mince meals from Scotch Beef & Lamb. Not only can you choose to make a range of different dishes with mince, but you can choose what type of mince you…

Get Outdoors and Eat Al Fresco

The sun’s out and summer’s well and truly here! Whether it’s a barbecue, picnic or camping trip, chances are you start dining al fresco as soon as you get the chance. Nothing matches enjoying a good meal outdoors, with this summer’s Olympics all the more reason to get friends over and enjoy some dinner. Everybody loves al fresco dining – the kids can play games with their friends, and grownups…

For over 20 years the most coveted blind tasted food awards has taken place, celebrating the very best in food and drink and this year is no exception. Judged by over 500 of the most demanding palates, belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs and producers as well as a whole host of food writers and journalists, Great Taste is widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers.

This year we are very proud to announce that out of 10,000 entries, we have been awarded those 6 beautiful gold stars for our British South Downs Free Range meat.  We are so proud that 4 of our products have won awards. We already think our products are amazing and now they are being more widely recognised. These 6 gold stars now sit alongside our previous 6 from last year; 3 for our Rose Veal Club Roast, and 1 each for our Minced Steak, Slow Roasting Lamb Breast and Back Bacon Dry Cure.

Our 3 golden star winner was our Belly Pork with Black Pepper and Sea Salt Coating. Out of 10,000 entries only 141 were awarded the 3 golden stars, we are over the moon with this result. Judges commented “Powerful peppery coating”, “A gorgeous crunchy crackling full of warming, fragrant pepper”, “the pork is sweet and succulent”, “The fat has great creamy flavour” and “Tender and succulent, full of flavour”.

Our other awarded products were Minced Pork, Mini Lamb Roast and our Back Bacon Oak Smoked.  These all received the one gold star award. The judges comments were “A good looking rasher of bacon” “the smoke comes through well and the cure has brought out the flavour of the pork”, “Juicy succulent meat”, “Good lamb flavour”, “A well butchered little roast” and “Moist and with good pork notes”.

Now it is a waiting game to see who will be awarded the Golden Fork, “the best of the best” as they say in Top Gun.  Those nail biting results will be announced in September – fingers crossed!

What are Great Taste judges looking for?

They’re looking for great texture and appearance. They judge the quality of ingredients and how well the maker has put the food or drink together. But above all, they are looking for truly great taste.

How do they work?

Each team of four judges blind-tastes around 25 products per session, discussing each product as a coordinating food writer transcribes their comments directly onto the Great Taste website which producers access after judging is completed. Over the years, numerous food businesses, start-ups and well established producers have been advised how to modify their foods and have subsequently gone on to achieve Great Taste stars. Food or drink that is deemed worthy of Great Taste stars is also tasted by a team of arbitrators, who taste, confer and agree on the final award given. If judges feel that a product needs some adjustment, and therefore not likely to receive an award, the food or drink gets a second chance on a referral table, where another team, blind-tastes and deliberates. For a Great Taste 3-star award, the vast majority in the room – which can be as many as 30-40 experts – must agree that the food or drink delivers that indescribable ‘wow’ factor.

Escape to the New Forest this Summer

New Forest Escapes, rent five very special homes on or near the seaside in the New Forest National Park. We specialise in luxury, beautiful and eccentric properties, all have been designed to be a relaxing and interesting family bases from which to explore and enjoy the New Forest.   We have summer holiday availability and offers on breaks in July, August and September, starting from £40per…

Eat Local Stay Local - How would you like your holiday food waiting for you when you arrive?

When it comes to things to do, places to visit and food to eat, you can’t beat Hampshire! Offering a wealth of attractions and events for all the family, from messing around on the water, wildlife walks deep in the heart of the New Forest, to a picnic full of Hampshire produce to enjoy on those perfect summer days. Hampshire offers miles of idyllic countryside to explore, stretching from…

In April, we spent a glorious afternoon being shown around the vast Laverstoke Park Farm owned by 70’s race icon Jody Scheckter. It couldn’t be farther from the F1 race tracks if it tried (although, during the month of August the farm turns over a few fields to CarFest, the brainchild of Chris Evans, in the name of Children in Need!). Jody started his organic/biodynamic farm in North Hampshire,…

All in One Sunday Breakfast

This recipe is perfect for those slow rising Sunday mornings.  All you require is a hot oven and a large roasting pan – oh, and this seasons British Asparagus. Serves 2 adults Ingredients 250g Back Bacon Dry Cure 300g Asparagus 250g Mixed Baby Plum Tomatoes 200g Baby Leaf Spinach 250g Button Mushrooms Free Range Eggs 1 tbsp Chilli Infused Rapeseed Oil Method Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Line your…

Farmers Choice Free Range Ltd awarded for contribution to farm animal welfare We are pleased to announce that Farmers Choice  has been awarded a Good Egg Award by Compassion in World Farming in recognition of our commitment to laying hen welfare. Compassion’s Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards recognise food companies that are making it their policy to produce and source higher welfare eggs, meat…

Orange and Honey Pulled Gammon Recipe

Why should pulled pork get all the attention! Serves 6 Ingredients 800g gammon joint 3 bay leaves 1 whole bulb of garlic, unpeeled 1 orange, cut into 3 chunky slices 1 tbsp runny honey Method Put your slow cooker on to high. Unwrap the gammon joint and place it in the bottom of the pot of your slow cooker. Fill with water until the gammon is just covered and drop in the bay leaves, the garlic…

How to cook a whole leg of lamb

Nothing beats the tenderness and flavour of lamb at Easter. But, are you worried that you are going to overcook it, I mean, it’s not the cheapest cut of meat. Worry not, this is by far, the easiest cut of meat to cook. Look no further for a fuss free approach to a perfectly cooked leg of lamb. How to Cook your Leg of Lamb This is a really tender cut so no need to over season or marinate it.  Just…

Get Ready for a Spring Fling!

PINK’S produce their pestos, chilli jellies and chutneys using traditional methods, on the Isle of Wight – pure ingredients are sourced locally, whenever possible and recipes are all made by hand in small batches, using open pans to ensure quality and freshness. Inspired by the legacy of her late great, great grandfather’s company, Fiona Pink has taken his working principles (to supply food that…

Do you know your meat cuts? Which steak to choose for a particular dish? Beef is divided into large sections called primal cuts. These beef primal cuts, or “primals,” are then broken down further into sub-primals and then into individual steaks and other cuts. The most tender cuts of beef, like the rib and tenderloin, are the ones furthest from the horn and the hoof. By contrast, the shoulder and…

New Green on the Block

There is a new veg on the block and its calling itself a superfood! The Flower Sprout is a relative newcomer and already being hailed a British champion amongst its fellow greens. It has been 15 years in the making (using traditional breeding techniques from the British vegetable and seed house Tozer Seeds), a hybrid of Brussels Sprout and Kale. The taste is sweet ‘nutty’ and can be cooked in…