Health & Nutrition - Foods to avoid

Foods high in fat are some of the foods you should be avoiding

These types of food should be eaten very occasionally and shouldn't replace one of the other food groups because they are what's called ‘high energy' foods. This means that they contain a lot of calories in a small portion so they're very easy to over-eat.
It is essential to have a small amount of fat in the diet (up to 30% of the calories we eat should come from fat), to protect our body and keep it warm, for essential fatty acids that the body can't make and for absorbing some vitamins.
However, we should eat fat-containing foods sparingly as fats contain high amounts of energy which is stored if it's not used up. Fats can be separated into different categories: saturated, unsaturated and trans fats.

Saturated fat

Saturated fats are found in many food products such as sausages, pies, butter, ghee, cream, crème fraîche, ice-cream, cheese, pastries, cakes and biscuits, some savoury snacks, some sweet snacks, chocolate, coconut oil, coconut cream and palm oil.

We should limit the amount of saturated fat in the diet, because eating too much can increase the risk of developing heart disease.

Sugar

Sugar occurs naturally in some foods, like fruit and milk, and can be added to food, such as in drinks, sweets, cakes, biscuits, ice-cream and jam.

Despite the sugar in fruit they are a much better sweet snack than chocolate, biscuits or sweets because the vitamins, minerals and fibre they contain are very important to health. Sugary snacks offer few nutritional benefits and often contain added fat as well.
Eating too many sugary foods can lead to dental caries (tooth decay), especially in children.
Sugar in the mouth ferments and produces saliva to become more acidic which, in combination with the bacteria on the surface of the teeth (in the form of plaque) leads to the destruction of our tooth enamel.
Added sugars are most commonly associated with dental caries. The more frequently we eat sugary foods the more likely we are to be prone to dental caries, as we are exposing our teeth to the perfect conditions for tooth decay.
Limit the amount of sugary foods and drinks you consume and stick to having them at meal times rather than between meals. This reduces the time that your teeth are exposed to these conditions.
Most fresh fruit isn't associated with dental caries because the sugar isn't released from the fruit until it's chewed. However, fruit juices can cause dental caries as the sugar has already been released during the juicing process.
This is why it's better to consume fruit juices with your meals. Fruit juice is still a healthy component of the diet though, as it counts as one of your 5-a-day.

High Fat Foods

Meat is an excellent good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Its iron is used to develop healthy red blood cells, zinc helps with healing and keeping our immune system healthy, and vitamin B12 helps make red blood cells and is only found in foods from animals, such as meat and milk.

Vegans are advised to take a vitamin B12 supplement because it's not found in plant foods.

Although meat contains many beneficial nutrients, it can also contain a lot of fat - mainly saturated fat - which can raise our cholesterol levels.

There is also convincing evidence that frequent consumption of red meat such as beef, pork and lamb and processed meats such as ham, bacon and canned meats increases the risk of developing some cancers.

Recommendations

Because of the links between cancer and high meat consumption, the World Cancer Research Fund recommends that we each eat no more than 500g (cooked weight) per week of red meat. As a rough guide, 500g of cooked red meat is around 700-750g of uncooked red meat.
Cutting down on fat in meat

• When you buy meat choose leaner cuts with little visible white on the flesh
• Removing the skin from chicken before cooking results in a lower fat content than if you leave the skin on
• Don't eat too many processed meat products such as pies, sausage rolls, sausages, salami, pâté and beefburgers, because these are generally high in hidden fats and often high in salt too
• When cooking use a small amount of vegetable oil instead of animal fat. Sometimes the fat from the meat is enough to cook the meat in, especially with sausages and burgers
• Grill or braise meat rather than frying or roasting, so the fat can run away from the meat, or roast the meat on a metal grill

Sustainability of meat
The world demand for meat is huge and it's having an impact on our environment. Evidence shows that the livestock sector is responsible for almost one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions - more than the emissions from transport.

The climate and atmospheric changes caused by livestock, such as cattle, are mainly due to the gases they produce, which contribute to both greenhouse gases and acid rain. As our demand for meat increases the livestock industry contributes to deforestation to make way for more pastureland and crop fields for livestock feed.

Whilst the livestock industry can take measures to try and reduce the impact on the environment, as consumers, we can make a difference by simply reducing the amount of meat we eat.

Unsaturated Fat

Unsaturated fats are divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Neither is associated with the risk of heart disease like saturated fat, but they are still high in calories so eating too much can lead to weight gain. We should try to consume a higher proportion of unsaturated than saturated fats in our diet.
Some unsaturated fats in the diet provide essential fatty acids that the body can't produce, like the omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils and omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils.
Foods rich in unsaturated fat include oily fish, avocados, nuts and seeds, sunflower, rapeseed, olive and vegetable oils, and spreads made from these.

 

Trans fats

Trans fats tend to be found in processed foods such as cakes, biscuits, pastries and crisps.

These types of fats are hard for the body to deal with and are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, so they are best avoided.
Look out for ‘hydrogenated vegetable oil' or ‘partially hydrogenated vegetable oil' on the list of ingredients.

Cut down sugar

Tips for cutting down on sugar

• If you like sugar in hot drinks, gradually reduce the amount you add until you can tolerate it without sugar
• Swap sugary snacks for fruit
• Swap cakes or biscuits for a teacake, scone or currant bun
• Drink water, milk or fruit juice instead of sugary or fizzy drinks and if you still fancy a fizzy drink, dilute fruit juice with carbonated water (remember to dilute fruit juice for children)
• Look at traffic light labels on front of packs to make sure your food is low (green) or medium (amber) in sugar
• Choose tinned fruit in fruit juice instead of syrup
• Swap your sugar-coated cereal for a wholegrain option such as fruit and fibre, bran flakes or porridge. You could always add fresh fruit to sweeten it

Healthy Teeth

Tips on keeping your teeth healthy

• Brush your teeth regularly and pay regular visits to the dentist
• Cut down on foods and drinks with added sugar
• Eating sugar-containing foods with meals, not as snacks
• Drink sugary drinks through a straw
• Avoid keeping sugary drinks or sweets in your mouth for a long time

Starters Hot

Smoked Haddock and Spring Onion Fishcake

Ingredients

• At a glance
• Starters
• Starters Hot
• Ingredients
• Seafood & Fish
• Company
• Natural Scotland
• Makes
• 4 servings

• 400g rooster potatoes, cooked and mashed
• 4 fillets of peat smoked haddock, poached and flaked
• 4 spring onions, finely cut
• 0.05g freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg and splash of semi-skimmed milk
• 200g plain flour
• 200g breadcrumbs - Panko (Japanese) if available

Methods/steps

1. Mix mash, haddock and onions together.
2. Season with black pepper then shape into small cakes about three inch in diameter and half inch thick.
3. Place into a refrigerator and allow to chill and set for 30 minutes.
4. Take fishcakes out of fridge ready for coating. Whisk egg and milk together then roll cake in the flour first then the egg mixture and finally the breadcrumbs.
5. Repeat in the egg and then the breadcrumbs again to give you a double coating.
6. Heat a table spoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan, once the oil is hot colour the fish cake on both sides then place into a hot oven at 180°C/gas mark 4 for four to five minutes or until cake is very hot in the centre.
7. Serve with salad, wedge of lemon and tartar sauce.

Pan Fried Fillet of Mackerel

Pan Fried Fillet of Mackerel with Celeriac, Apple and Hazelnuts

Ingredients

• At a glance
• Starters
• Starters Hot
• Starters Cold
• Ingredients
• Seafood & Fish
• Company
• Cook School Scotland
• Serves
• 4

• 1 fillet of mackerel
• Oil
• Salt
• Salad:
• 75g celeriac (finely shredded)
• Tablespoon mayonnaise
• ¼ apple (finely shredded)
• ¼ carrot (finely shredded)
• Salt
• Teaspoon hazelnuts (roasted, shelled and crushed)
• Teaspoon chopped chives

Methods/steps

Mackerel

1. Add a teaspoon of oil t a warm non stick frying pan, season mackerel and add to pan skin side down.
2. Cook on a moderate heat for 2-3 minutes until skin is crispy then turn over add a knob of butter and cook for a further minute.
3. Take off heat and allow residual heat in pan to finish cooking. 

Smoked Salmon Salad

1. Mix all ingredients together and chill until required.

Description Flash Fried Smoked Salmon Salad

Ingredients

1. At a glance
2. Starters
3. Starters Hot
4. Ingredients
5. Seafood & Fish
6. Company
7. Aldi
8. Serves
9. 4

• 400g fresh fine green beans, stalk ends removed, tail still on
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 level tsp caster sugar
• 4 tsp white wine vinegar
• 6 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 further tsp olive oil, for frying
• 2 pots of fresh chives, chopped
• 400g sliced smoked salmon
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• Salt and freshly ground
• black pepper

Methods/steps

1. Cook the green beans in a pan of boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes, or until just cooked. Drain and cool under cold running water, so they keep their brilliant green colour, then really drain well.

2. Mix together the mustard and sugar then season with a little salt and pepper.

3. Stir in the vinegar then gradually whisk in the 6 tsp extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream so they are fully incorporated.

4. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, then add the green beans and chives and stir well.

5. Heat a nonstick frying pan with a dash of olive oil until the oil just begins to smoke.

6. Add the slices of salmon, one at a time, and flash fry for 2-3 seconds on one side then lift out.

7. Do not overcook as the uncooked side must stay undercooked.

8. Pile the green beans onto plates, add the cherry tomatoes evenly and top with the salmon.

9. Serve as a Summer starter or main course.

Michael Kilkie Frittata

 
Asparagus & Parma Ham Frittata, it's simple and based on a handful of fresh ingredients.

Ingredients

• At a glance
• Main Courses
• Main Course Meat and Poultry
• Starters
• Starters Hot
• Ingredients
• Pork
• Company
• Michael Kilkie
• Serves
• 4

• 12 eggs
• 8 slices Parma ham, roughly torn
• 60g finely-grated, fresh parmesan
• 16-20 asparagus spears depending on their size
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and ground white pepper

Methods/steps

1. Cook the asparagus in boiling salted water for three to four minutes depending on the thickness. Remove from the water and set aside.
2. While the asparagus is cooking, beat the eggs and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan and pour in the egg mixture. Cook gently for six minutes until set.
4. Now place on top the Parma ham, asparagus and parmesan and place under the grill for three minutes until just set. 
5. Allow to cool, then cut in to four wedges.

Whiting Cakes with Chutney

  Fragrant Whiting Cakes with Chutney
  Preparation Time:
  10 minutes inc 30 minutes chilling
  Cooking Time:
  30 minutes

Ingredients

• At a glance
• Main Courses
• Main Course Fish & Seafood
• Starters
• Starters Hot
• Ingredients
• Seafood & Fish
• Serves
• 4

400g (14oz) whiting fillets, fresh or defrosted, skinned and cut into cubes
1 x 15ml spoon (1 tablespoon) fish sauce
1 x 5ml spoon (1 teaspoon) sugar
2 x 5ml spoon (2 teaspoons) fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 x 5ml spoon (1 teaspoon) grated lime zest
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2cm fresh root ginger, grated
6 salad onions, finely chopped
3 x 15ml spoon (3 tablespoons) plain flour
3 x 15ml spoon (3 tablespoons) sunflower oil
For the chutney:
4 x 15ml spoon (4 tablespoons) white wine vinegar
1 x 15ml spoon (1 tablespoon) brown sugar
1 red onion, sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and diced
1 x 15ml spoon (1 tablespoon) lime juice

Methods/steps

1. For the fish cakes, place the fish, fish sauce, sugar, coriander, lime zest, garlic, ginger and salad onions into a blender and process until smooth.
2. Divide the mixture into eight and shape into cakes.  Lightly roll each fish cake in flour. Chill in the fridge while making the chutney.
3. For the chutney, place all the ingredients into a pan and cook gently for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the fish cakes gently for approximately 5-7 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through.
5. Serve the fish cakes warm with the chutney.

Starters Soup

Hot & Sour Soup

Ingredients

• At a glance
• Starters
• Starters Soup
• Company
• Cook School Scotland
• Serves
• 4

• 400ml chicken stock
• 1 red chilli
• 20g ginger peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 chestnut mushrooms thinly sliced
• 1-2 sticks lemon grass roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp coriander chopped
• 20g cooked noodles
• 
  

Methods/steps

1. Place stock into a pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Slice chilli and add stock along with the ginger, lemon grass, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.
3. Simmer soup for 5 minutes allowing broth to become fragrant.
4. Strain stock and add back to the pan.
5. Now add the mushrooms to stock and cook for 3-4 minutes or until they are cooked.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning then finish soup with the coriander and noodles.

 Pearl Barley & Vegetable Broth

ingredients

• 1.5l chicken or vegetable stock
• 100g pearl barley
• 5tbsp white wine
• bunch of spring onions, chopped
• 1 courgette, chopped
• 1 chilli, deseeded & chopped
• 2tbsp tomato purée  

• At a glance
• Starters
• Starters Soup
• Ingredients
• Vegetarian
• Company
• Lakeland
• Serves
• 4

method

1. Simmer the pearl barley and stock in a medium pan, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
2. Place the wine and spring onions in a large pan, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the courgette and chilli and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
3. Pour the stock and pearl barley into the large pan with the vegetables and add the tomato purée. Bring it to the boil then simmer for about 25 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally.

If you prefer less 'crunchy' vegetables, increase the cooking time at each stage.

Potato & Leek Soup

Ingredients

• At a glance
• Starters
• Starters Soup
• Vegetarian
• Company
• Natural Scotland
• Serves
• 4

1. 2 leeks, finely shredded, white parts only
2. 4 large rooster potatoes, peeled and diced
3. 2 shallots, finely diced
4. 500ml vegetable stock
5. A pinch of salt (0.25g)
6. 25g unsalted butter
7. Splash double cream
8. Freshly cooked shredded leeks to garnish

Methods/steps

1. In a large pan, melt the butter then add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes without colouring but softened.
2. Now add the leeks and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the potatoes.Finally add the stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
3. Liquidise soup until very smooth and place back onto the stove in a clean pan, check seasoning.Add the cream and serve immediately topped with freshly cooked leeks to garnish.

 Lentil, Ginger, Lemon Grass and Coconut Milk Soup

Description

• Ingredients
• At a glance
• Starters
• Starters Soup
• 150g Lentils
• 15g root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 stick of celery, washed and roughly chopped
• 1 stick lemon grass
• 200g vegetable stock
• 1 tin coconut milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Small bunch coriander, chopped

Methods/steps

1. Sweat off the carrot, onion, celery, ginger and lemon grass in a large,
   heavy based sauce pan for 2-3 minutes.
   Add the lentils, stock and coconut milk and bring to the boil.
2. Check seasoning.
   After 25-30 minutes the carrots and lentils should be cooked and soft.
3. Blitz all together in a food processor.
4. Finish the soup with a handful of chopped coriander.

[Tips] How to enjoy lamb at its best and How To Cook Lamb.

How to enjoy lamb at its best

Taste the goodness in every mouthful. Enjoy Scotch Lamb as part of a healthy, balanced diet that’s delicious as well asnutritious.

A little of what you fancy

Lean lamb is a healthy source of protein and an excellent source of iron that is easily absorbed by our bodies.
As well as being essential for growing bodies, iron is good for the blood and helps to carry more oxygen around the body – giving you bags more energy and helping you to feel great.
Lamb is available all year round, but since Scotch Lamb is a natural product, it’s seasonal.

Scotch Lamb is at its most plentiful between August to April.

Spring and Late Season Lambs are equally delicious but you will notice a difference in taste between the two seasons.
This comes from lambs born in the spring time and is available to buy from your butcher or local supermarket come autumn.
Spring lamb has a subtle tasting, rosy coloured flesh that flakes off the bone and melts in the mouth.
Darker meat is available from January until the end of April. Bursting with flavour thanks to the age of the animal, late season lamb is an excellent partner for winter produce such as orchard fruit and root vegetables.

There are all sorts of ways to enjoy your Scotch Lamb - roasted, in stews and casseroles, as kebabs or traditional chops.
Hearty and filling in winter, Scotch Lamb also makes a great light meal. Throw a butterflied, boned leg of lamb on the barbecue to see for yourself what we mean.

Healthier cooking for a healthier lifestyle

• Scotch Lamb can be part of a healthy, balanced diet when you follow these handy hints for cooking red meat.
• Look out for bright red meat and white fat as a sign of freshness.
• Avoid adding fat when cooking. The fat that’s already in the meat will go a long way, so try to dry fry, grill, roast on a rack or stir fry your meat.
• Try not to add fat when you cook meat, but if you do, use a small amount of sunflower, rapeseed, olive or vegetable oils.
• Steer clear of oily marinades and salad dressings. Skim fat from casseroles and stews before serving.
• Drain and discard extra fat from the pan before making gravy or sauce.
• Remove the fat before serving – the essential nutrients in meat are found in the lean parts of the meat. 

How To Cook Lamb

Please see some ways and methods on how to cook your perfect lamb.

 

The meat of the lamb's shoulder is sweet tasting thanks to the streaks of fat that appear naturally in the joint.
When buying, you need to ensure that the joint is boned to the degree your recipe requires - some need complete boning, others need part-boning. The pockets left by the removal of the bones are ideal for stuffing.
Retailers often sell the shoulder completely boned, rolled up and tied. You can cook this joint as is, or untie, stuff it and roll up again ready for the oven.
Shoulder is a good joint for roasting, and excellent when poached to serve hot or cold with pungent sauces based on herbs, spices and fruit.
You can cube the meat to make stews, especially exotic Middle Eastern and African recipes. Moroccans steam the whole joint. In Scandinavia it's served with sour cream sauce.


This is the meat of a young sheep, defined as one that is marketed within the year of its birth. When the animal is older than this, it's called hogget, or old-season lamb, until it has its first permanent incisor tooth; after this point the meat becomes mutton, which is tougher, stronger-tasting and darker in colour than lamb.
Cuts vary from country to country. Common ones eaten in Britain include leg, loin, best end (which comes from between the middle neck and loin and is sometimes called rack of lamb), shank (the lower end of the leg), chops (thick lean ones from the loin or chump), cutlets (thinner chops from the best end or from the middle neck), shoulder, breast, and middle neck and scrag. A crown roast is made up from two racks tied together into a ring, bones uppermost and meat side inwards; a guard of honour is two racks tied together facing each other, meaty side down and the bones pointing inwards to overlap at the top; and noisettes are boneless medallions cut from the centre of the loin fillet. Most of the internal organs of lamb, such as kidneys, liver and sweetbreads are also eaten.
Lamb is quite seasonal, although thanks to global markets it's now available throughout the year.

[Tips] Scottish Lamb

Selecting the right cut of lamb.

Lamb is a versatile meat from roast to steaks (cutlets), casseroles and kebabs. Its distinctive flavour has inspired chefs over the centuries.

Example of Cuts:

Gigot (4) and Shoulder Roast (6)

These cuts can be cooked and served with bone in or bone less.
It is possible to have the whole cut for roast or steaks.
They are perfect for entertaining family and friends over dinner.
If you wish a smaller roast joint for a smaller party choose a short leg.

Best end (1) and Loins (2)

They can also be served as roast also known as rack or saddle or as steaks (cutlets).
There are a lot of various recipes to accommodate such cuts.

Chump (3)

Ideal small roast for mid week for one , two or three persons depending on the size and your appetite.
The Chump is a very tasty and tender cut.

[TIPS] Pan-frying, Stir-frying & Roasting

Pan-frying, or "shallow frying" is a quick cooking method for small, tender cuts using an uncovered pan on the hob.

• Use a heavy-based frying pan, sauté pan or wok.
• For best results, use only a small quantity of oil or butter.
• Ensure that the oil is hot before adding your preferred beef or lamb cuts.
• Sear each side quickly to seal in juices and retain succulence.
• Only turn your steaks once during cooking; leaving them to cook untouched will produce juicier results.
• If you use a griddle pan add a little oil on both sides of your steaks, chops or cutlets and ensure the dry pan is really hot before frying.

Selecting the perfect steak

Steak offers you a wide range of cuts and cooking options. Versatile, tasty and tender, there's a cut for every occasion; from quick mid-week meal options to formal dinner parties. Serve simply with salad or add a gourmet sauce for a touch of luxury.
Here are some of the best cuts for pan-frying, grilling and griddling.

Stir-frying is an ideal quick method of cooking meat as the thin strips cook in only a few minutes.

It is only necessary to use a very small amount of oil (1tbsp) when stir-frying. Use a vegetable based oil which can be heated to higher temperatures.
Use a non-stick wok or large frying pan. Always ensure that the pan or wok is really hot before adding the meat a little at a time - it should sizzle when the pieces are added.
The meat should ideally be trimmed of excess fat and cut into approximately 1cm (½") strips, cut across the grain to help tenderise the meat and prevent shrinkage.
Method Heat 15ml (1tbsp) oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the meat and stir-fry for the recommended time. Add the hardest vegetables first (e.g carrots, onions) and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the rest. Add sauce of your choice (up to 150ml (¼pt)) and cook for a further couple of minutes.
Suggested vegetables for stir-frying: Baby sweetcorn, Green beans Bamboo shoots, Leeks Beansprouts, Mushrooms Broccoli, Mange tout Carrots, Peppers Peppers, Spring onions Chinese leaf, Swiss chard Courgettes, Sugar snap peas Or try a packet of stir-fry vegetables from your supermarket.


Roasting doesn't need to be complicated. Simply weigh the raw joint and calculate the cooking time using the table below to ensure the meat is cooked to your liking.

Roasting Essentials

Position the oven shelves so the meat is in the centre of the oven.
Place the joint uncovered on a wire rack in a roasting tin ensuring any fat is on the top. This allows the juices to run down and baste the joint naturally.
When roasting beef and lamb joints, the secret is to cook the joints in a moderate oven for slightly longer to ensure even cooking.
Remember to weigh beef and lamb joints before calculating your preferred cooking time.
Allow the joint to rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking to let the meat fibres relax and juices distribute evenly so the joint is moist and easy to carve.
To test the degree of cooking, use a meat thermometer. There are two varieties available. One you insert in the centre of the raw joint, or at the thickest point and cook until the desired internal temperature is reached. The other is inserted into the cooked joint after roasting. This gives an instant reading. Beef: Rare - 60°C, Medium - 70°C, Well Done - 80°C Lamb: Medium - 70-75°C, Well Done - 75-80°C

Scottish Beef - How to Cook Beef

Choosing the right cut of beef

You don’t need to buy prime sirloin to enjoy Scotch Beef at its best – the secret to a great meal is in how you prepare the different cuts of meat.

Knowing how to cook some of these less well-known cuts will give you a head start when it comes to exploring new recipes using Scotch Beef.
Example of Cuts:

The Fore Rib (4)

A medium priced cut of beef taken from the back of the animal behind the blade. Sold on or off the bone, usually as a tender roasting joint to be cooked slowly for succulence. Also sold as steaks.

Chuck and Blade (2)

Also known as the shoulder, this is an inexpensive cut taken from beside the neck.
Like the neck itself, the shoulder is most suitable for slow, moist cooking in casseroles and for braising. Also sold as a joint for slow roasting.

The Shin (9), Neck and Clod (6.1/6.2)

Economical cuts particularly suited to mincing, stewing and casseroling. The shin is one of the toughest cuts, but its rich texture and flavour flood out when the meat is cooked slowly over a long period
of time.

Brisket (1)

An economical cut often sold boned and rolled or as ‘leg of mutton cut’ (LMC) steaks.
Although full of flavour, brisket is one of the tougher cuts, making it ideally suited to slow, moist cooking methods such as stewing, braising and pot-roasting.
LMC steaks can be grilled or pan-fried but require a little more cooking time than hindquarter steaks.
Brisket is also the most popular cut for corned beef.

How to Cook Beef

Make every morsel mouth-watering. Following a few simple steps will guarantee that you taste the quality of Scotch Beef in every bite.
Top tips for cooking steak

Before you cook your beef, allow it to ‘breathe’ at room temperature like a good
bottle of red wine.

Pre-heat your grill, griddle or frying pan to a high temperature and sear the steak quickly for 2–3 minutes on each side.

For a rare steak, remove after searing and allow to rest before eating.

For a medium-rare/medium, turn down the heat and cook each side for 2–3 minutes more.

For a steak that's well done, cook for a further 1–1½ minutes on each side.

Turning the meat as little as possible while you cook and letting it rest afterwards is the secret to a succulent, tender steak.

Why red meat is good for you

Like all red meat, Scotch Beef can be an excellent source of nutrients. Take a look at these facts for starters.

• Red meat is a good source of easily absorbed iron and zinc, and
• contributes to selenium intakes.
• Red meat is also a source of vitamin D.
• Red meat can be part of a healthy balanced diet