Creative Cuts & Butchery Techniques

We’re always hunting for innovative way to present different cuts on the plate. Our master butchers have created new and tasty ways of preparing and presenting on of the best slow-cooked meats you can use out of a carcass.

Not often seen in Australian restaurants, (as the majority are exported) for chefs (and customers) who like to think outside-the-box. When they eat out at restaurants, diners typically like to try different cuts to what they’d usually cook at home or see at the local butcher – and it’s up to forward-thinking chefs to offer that experience.

These cuts have all been designed with wow-factor as the number one. Perhaps something a little special to entice your regulars to return? Or a new cut you can be certain was prepared with minimal waste? These creative cuts are bound to catch a diner’s eye. The cuts are also full-flavoured, rich and decadent, so make for perfect winter eating.

Beef Short-Rib Pinwheels

Unofficially, we call this particular work of art the Lolly Pop. The bones are removed from the rib set, bar one, and we roll the boneless meat around the remaining bone. It’s a very complex process that when served at a restaurant has a lot of theatre. People point at it first. And then they order it. Simple as that. Our pinwheels are deep and flavoursome Riverine Premium beef from the Riverina District of New South Wales; it has a marble score of 2+.

Beef Short-Rib Long Bone

Our long bone short-rib is even more dramatic –  it looks like a music note, and restaurants including Mr Wong love serving the beef short rib. In this unique creation the meat is Frenched off the bone and then rolled again into a pinwheel, an eye-catching and unusual presentation. There’s a huge amount of skill involved in preparing the short-rib this way and our master butchers execute all the prep work – leaving you to do the cooking.

Beef Oxtail

Oxtail need to have lots of meat around the bone for the best flavour, so we always cut through the joints with the utmost care and select oxtails that show the best meat-to-bone ratio. If it doesn’t have the right yield, over the cooking period the meat (and all that flavour) just disappears. Our oxtail comes from grain-fed cattle from New South Wales. When braised, it’s winter on a plate and melt-in-your-mouth good.

Beef Tenderloin Bone-in

Tenderloin has always been classified as a luxury cut because it’s so tender. But in our opinion, it can lack a bit of flavour compared to some other cuts. Until now. Make way for the bone-in tenderloin! It’s certainly not something you see all the time (for each carcass, you probably only get a maximum of eight steaks) but it’s exceptional eating. Again, we’re using Riverine Premium meat from New South Wales (marble score of 2+). We all know leaving something on the bone makes it taste better, and this technique adds miles of depth and flavour to the meat.

Pork-Double Chop Bone In

We source our rare-breed Black Berkshire pigs from near Byron Bay; they’re well known for high marbling and a juicy, sweet flavour. It’s quite a good-looking cut of meat already, but we French the bone, which adds another level of theatre. At Bert’s in Sydney, chef Jordan Toft does this chop with a simple peach glaze and garlic flowers. It’s a proud, sharing cut that stands on its own – you don’t even need condiments!