April Butchers' Specials

April Butchers' Specials

As a whole-carcass butcher, we are committed to working nose to tail, offering every part of the animal rather than focusing solely on prime or fashionable cuts. Achieving a consistent rate of sale across the entire carcass, known as carcass balance, sits at the heart of our whole-animal philosophy.

This balance is closely tied to the rhythm of the seasons. By April, with spring well established, our community of chefs begins to cook with greater confidence in the new season. Slow braises and deeply warming dishes start to give way to lighter roasts, fresher accompaniments and the bright, green flavours of spring. As that happens, demand for certain cuts naturally changes too.

By shopping our monthly specials, you help us maintain that equilibrium. Every purchase supports our heritage breed farmers and ensures each animal is valued in full. Explore this month’s selection and find the perfect bridge between winter comfort and the first fresh notes of spring.

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April Specials: Spring Proper, Wild Garlic and New Possibilities

Right, now we are in it. Properly in it. Spring is undeniably here. It teased us for a while, then drifted off again for a week or so, but now it’s back and very much staying. Which is good news, because it is a truly lovely time of year. Better still, it is one of the most exciting times of year to be cooking. For those of us who like to push the frontiers of great home cooking, that feels like a double win.

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So, let us offer a little meaty inspiration for your kitchen this month with our April specials. There is something here for everyone, with plenty of scope to explore different dishes and different cuisines. Exciting times indeed.

Kicking things off is a cut we have just added to the range: top rump roast. Taken from the hind leg, it makes a brilliant and more economical roasting joint. Roast it with care, perhaps at a slightly lower temperature, and aim for a tender medium. Serve with a potato and olive oil gratin, where a little stock, black pepper and gratings of Parmesan or Pecorino turn simple ingredients into something deeply satisfying. Our favourite seasonal ingredient, wild garlic, could easily make an appearance here too, folded into a salsa verde.

This recipe for skinned and boned pork shoulder cooked in milk is also so, so good. It may seem a little leftfield, especially if you have never cooked it this way before, but the results are revelatory. The pork becomes meltingly tender, while the milk reduces to a rich, savoury sauce. Add polenta and perhaps a simple green salad, and you have a stunning lunch.

Our lamb ossobuco is another wonderfully versatile cut, ideal either for cooking pink, almost like a steak, or for a gentler braise. The latter works beautifully in a dish with black olives and tomatoes. Or, if you fancy the former, try pan roasting the slices in a little olive oil to a blushing medium, then serve with braised courgettes and a few mint leaves torn through at the last minute.

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