BEING generation x and growing up in the supermarket-era, I’ve always found visiting the local butcher a bit intimidating.
The minute you walk in the door, burly blokes brandishing meat cleavers who have been up since 5am sternly ask “What do you want?!”.
With other customers waiting, the pressure is on to quickly navigate all the prices and cuts of meat, then somehow estimate the grand dollar per kg total as steaks and chops fly onto the scales.
Probably my lack of experience, but I always come out feeling like I’ve spent more than I budgeted for and due to time pressure bought the wrong stuff.
Thankfully this wasn’t the case when I visited Our Farm The Village Butchery in Attadale on Wednesday.
Opened in May last year, the beef at the butchery comes from their ethically-run farm in Boyup Brook and they pride themselves on high-quality meat and produce.
It was refreshing to find a young lady behind the counter, who greeted me with a nice smile and gave me plenty of time to browse the lovely goods.
Our Farm had a well-presented range of meats including chicken kebabs, sausages, steak, schnitzels, mini roasts, lamb chops, meatballs and everything in-between.
There was also fridges with whole tomahawk steaks and whole scotch fillet, full-size roasts and a good selection of cured meats, cheese, eggs and pasta.
The store had a nice feel and was super clean and modern with plenty of space.
Whenever I hear organic and ethically-run, I immediately think it’s going to be pricey, but Our Farm was comparable with other butchers I’ve been to.
They strive to be an everyday community butcher and there are plenty of cheaper “secondary cuts” as well as your bread-and-butter sausages, schnitzels and meatballs.
Tomahawk steaks are all the rage right now – cut from the ribeye so extra juicy and tender – but I love a good T-Bone ($46.99 per kg) and the ones at Our Farm looked amazingly fresh with that slightly marbled glossy red flesh.
It didn’t disappoint: I normally bbq my T-Bone, but with the old gal out of action, I fried it in the pan.
It tasted as good as it looked and had that trademark rugged, ballsy flavour – conjuring up images of John Wayne sipping whiskey beside a campfire.
The kids’ beef brisket burgers ($24.99 per kg) looked delicious – thick and juicy with that classic hand-rolled texture.
I had a sneaky taste and they were packed with juicy flavour with no gristle or blobs of fat.
My wife “Special K” is a steak junkie, so she was gleefully firing into her juicy Porterhouse ($49.99 per kg).
“A gorgeous cut and one of the best steaks I’ve had in a while,” she said.
“You can tell it’s premium produce.”
Our Farm also own Corner Store Foods next door (formerly Long Paddock Burger Co) which use the same premium meat in its burgers.
The Chook reviewed it last year (“Paddock to Plate”, November 4, 2022) and the old-school jumbo patties were top notch. Our Farm is a great addition to the Attadale burbs and hopefully kickstarts a new wave of butchers opening up.
Our Farm The Village Butchery
6A Davis Rd, Attadale
ourfarmbutchery.com.au
by STEPHEN POLLOCK